Developer: Irem Publisher: Agetec Released: July 31, 1999 Genre: Shooter
I loved the shooter genre from the 8 to 16-bit era. But around the time the PlayStation and Saturn were released the genre started to lose me. Not because of bullet hell, although that was part of it. The death of the arcade meant some of the best shooters became import only and extremely expensive even to this day. That meant the publishers who did bring them overseas were very picky. Even with the slowdown in output what we did get was spectacular. R-Type Delta is one of the finest shooters ever made in my opinion and one of the best PlayStation games. Irem knocked it out of the park with this one.
R-Type Delta offers a choice of three ships, each with their own weapons and force pods. Even the main cannon differ between ships, offering a greater amount of variety than R-Type III. The R9 Delta is the default ship from prior games with no changes. R-X Albatross uses the Tentacle Force, a force pod with two tentacles that homes in on enemies when detached. The Tentacle Force is even more unique in that its weapons respond differently depending on whether the force is open or closed. The effects are pretty cool; the hound ray is already powerful as it continually attacks a target is has latched on to. It changes angles depending on the force, requiring some nuance to use. The Snail ray produces more tentacles you can manipulate although considering the game’s difficulty only expert gamers need apply.
My favorite is the R-13 Cerberus. The anchor force creates a live wire that connects to your ship when detached. Anything it comes in contact with takes damage. Depending on your movements you can create elaborate patterns with the anchor that covers most of the screen to function like a makeshift shield or continually damage a boss. The versatility is simply unmatched. Its weapon selection is similarly awesome. Shade Alpha is a continuous red beam whose shadow also deals damage. Search beta is not as good as it fires a stream of lasers with minor homing capability. Its counterpart Terminator Alpha is the best. This weapon fires a sweeping laser across a 180° arc and is devastating. The Cerberus is the most user friendly as its versatility will unintentionally cover your mistakes. You will need the help as the game is just as brutal as its predecessors.
The only major addition R-Type Delta brings to the series is the Delta weapon. As you destroy enemies or hit them with the force pod the delta meter builds. Once full you can unleash a delta attack which differs depending on the ship. Some of these are insane; the Albatross creates a black hole a la Darius Gaiden which draws in enemies. These attacks are very strong but not game breaking. A well timed attack can decimate a boss but considering most have multiple forms you still have to put in the work.
As the first 3d game in the series R-Type Delta is still primarily a side scrolling shooter. But it uses 3d to great effect. The camera constantly shifts, both for gameplay and visual spectacle. As you fly through dilapidated cities and alien ships enemies weave in and out of the background and the level shifts. Even though I have played hundreds of shooters R-Type Delta still manages to impress me at every turn with its camera use. The few times it makes callbacks to prior games it does so with a twist. The standard R-Type assault on a warship is flipped on its head as you battle an AT-AT style walker for an entire level. The same hangar you choose your ships in is also becomes a stage with an unexpected cameo at the end. The late game is the most impressive but few will see it unfortunately.
Like its predecessors R-Type Delta is brutally difficult. From your ship to enemies everything is larger leaving little space to maneuver. The cramped environments and jittery PS One graphics make it easy to die frequently with no idea why. The typical R-Type strategy of distracting you with weak enemies and herding you into danger is on full display. Memorization is a trait within the genre but it is taken to an extreme in R-Type Delta. The game relies on sudden enemy spawns from all directions a bit too much in its second half and it feels cheap. It makes it hard to enjoy the game at times which sucks as there are multiple reasons to play through it multiple times such as unlocking an art gallery and different endings. But unless you plan on cheating or have the patience of a saint you have your work cut out for you.
In Closing
Yet I would still recommend the game in spite of its high difficulty. R-Type Delta is one of the greatest shooters of all time in my opinion and a must buy in the PS One library. I can’t say enough good things about R-Type Delta. Buy this god damn game.
