Short and focused experience like it should be, but this is definitely not a continuation of the 8bit titles in mechanics or story, if that is what you're looking for. Instead, what we get is a precise action platformer that keeps you on your toes at all points, and feels great to execute a chain of attacks that blast through enemy ranks. The level design tests how well you have mastered the new attacks and movement. Thankfully, the difficulty curve is fair. By the end, it can be pretty tough, but the game never throws anything at you blind or tests any skills you haven't already learned. It can be a bit more "modern" than I prefer, though. Every stage has collectibles to search for and your performance is graded depending how much you grabbed on one run, plus optional challenges, and completion time. Some of those challenges you only get one shot at, or else start the entire level over. You might ignore it altogether if not for the fact that ability unlocks are dependent on achieving high ranks. Still, from start to finish, the purposeful level design and responsive controls make for a fun experience. Classic fans should have no problem clearing it, and there is more to do like 100% completion, S++ ranks and post-game Hard Mode if you decide to go after them.
From a staunch visual novel hater - I loved this experience. The writing, which is vital to something like this, is top marks. Each story is well crafted, but more than that, there's a lot to unpack in those stories. A number of them can be symbolized in more than one way, or applied to various relationship dynamics. But each story is simply a different perspective. They really meant it when they say there are no wrong choices. Sometimes horrifying, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes profound. Slay the Princess is an essential experience. - Certified visual novel hater.
There is very little in the way of busting myths here, or anything that made the show fun, for that matter. Much of the game takes place inside the shop - the M5 facsimile. Here, you must make all the things that go into testing whatever myth is at hand. The game loop goes like this: - Pick up a 'Myth" to test from the board - On the blueprint table, complete a series of mini-games to finish the 'plan' for testing - Purchase materials - Prepare materials (cutting steel, mixing gel, etc) - Manufacture testing apparatuses (frames, ballistics gel dummies, etc) - Assemble all the pieces - Load up finshed product(s), take it to the testing site - Perform experiment - Edit the episode using a series of segment cards to grow the show's popularity and earn cash - Look at email to unlock more experiments It tries to mix and match elements of the House Flipper / PC Building sim games with a Mythbusters aesthetic that is more exhausting and tedious than scratch any of the same itches for building, or the problem-solving that comes with experimentation. You can't ignore that the personality of the hosts made a lot of what Mythbusters was, too, so it feels really strange to be on your own in the shop without any NPC's or co-hosts to interact with. Despite being surrounded by so many materials and tools to interact with, it feels empty when there's no one around. To be frank, I'm not sure what I expected from a game modeled after a tv show I watched for more than a decade, but this wasn't it.
While this game is derived from R-Type Final which released on Playstation 2, fans of the series will not be disappointed. From the perspective of someone who played Final 1 quite a bit, there's a lot of similarities. Branching paths and the same ships make a return; and some bosses are eerily similar if not near-carbon copies of bosses from the original. The controls are even the same. In a sense, it feels like a re-imagining of what Final 1 might have been given today's technology. As is typical of R-Type games, this one is incredibly difficult, too. Swallow your pride and play on "Kids" difficulty until you can memorize the levels and unlock some of the more powerful ships. I've spent dozens of minutes on some stretches of hallways that become dense with fodder or bullets or both just playing on Normal. From an audio / video standpoint, the game is awesome. The spinning of the forces cast shadows on the walls, charging wave cannons become beacons of bright light, and even though many of the sfx are reused, it still feels good. I'm really glad there's an option to buy the soundtrack off the bat, too. I still listen to some tracks from Final 1, so I will gladly add in this game's atmospheric electronica to the playlist. If I do have one complaint, it's that some segments do feel unfair. Not having a force puts you a real disadvantage, and dying means you might have a hard time clawing your way to the next checkpoint. Overall, I'm really happy to be playing R-Type again, and I hope the franchise has a continued future.
I pirated the first episode. Had a great time. Came back and paid the man. Game is released on GOG, I paid the man...a second time.
