Overview
The R-Type series is legendary for a reason. It is one of the most iconic shoot-em-up games ever made and after the original R-Type getting a port to mobile devices, it was only a matter of time before the sequel R-Type II made its way onto the platform as well.
So what does R-Type II do to top the original R-Type? Well there is really only one thing about R-Type II that sets it apart from its predecessor: it is about 10 times more difficult. Are you up to the challenge? Are you ready for R-Type II? If so you may have just found your next mobile gaming addiction.
Gameplay
R-Type has traditionally been a challenging video-game series. R-Type II is undoubtedly far more grueling than its predecessor. The gameplay is far more intense and places the player in situations that often feel next to impossible. If you ever played the original R-Type II, you’ll know that this iOS port of the game carries that sense of chaotic difficulty that the original had.
The control scheme of the previous iOS port has been carried over here, with players simply having to move their ship around as it auto-shoots, taking down hordes of enemies along the way. There are two separate modes, both of which provide different kinds of challenges, the modes are Unlimited and Normal. As you progress through these modes you unlock further stages to play on.
Over the course of a stage you’ll come across different weaponry to engage yourself with. You’re also tasked with taking down a large amount of enemies of great variation. Its all classic R-Type and if your a fan of the series this is surely a must-have title.
The game is downright addictive if you’re up for a challenge, but if you’re not the type of gamer who likes super hard gaming this is not the game for you. The original R-Type is hard, but R-Type II is ultra difficult. It is definitely not a casual experience and shouldn’t be treated as such. This is undoubtedly a hardcore gamer’s kind of game and that is the best way to go into R-Type II. If you want a hardcore experience on the mobile this is the one for you.
Visuals and Audio
In terms of artwork, R-Type II features very traditional sprite-based style harkening back the feeling of a bygone era of gaming. It will surely give players a nostalgic vibe for the yesteryear of gaming. On top of that it does a great job of recapturing the general style and feel of the original game by replicating it for the mobile platform.
The game’s soundtrack recaptures the memorable audio experience of the original R-Type II, with some great chiptune tracks proving to be catchy and give the game a sense of place and a fitting tone. All in all its a great audio and visual experience that does great to replicate the original game.
Overall
If you’re looking for the latest hardcore gaming craze for mobile games, R-Type II is going to be it. It is an incredible challenging game that will test your utmost limits with an intense gaming experience the likes of which are generally unheard of in mobile gaming. Unfortunately if you are in the market for a more casual gaming experience, this is not the game for you. It is way too difficult to enjoy casually. It is a difficult game and requires a great deal of attention and dedication to not only get good at but also to progress through. This is a hardcore game on a casual gaming platform. It is something a little different and if you enjoyed the first R-Type then its worth a look in.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Compatibility: Requires iOS 4.3 or later. Compatible with iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPad 2 Wi-Fi, iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G, iPad Wi-Fi (3rd generation), iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (3rd generation), iPad Wi-Fi (4th generation), iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (4th generation), iPad mini Wi-Fi, iPad mini Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air, iPad Air Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini with Retina display, iPad mini with Retina display Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPod touch (4th generation), and iPod touch (5th generation). This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
Description
A CLASSIC OLD-SCHOOL GAME
R-Type II is a horizontal scrolling shooter arcade game developed and published by Irem in 1989. This classic old-school game is the sequel to R-Type and the story takes place two years after. The player controls a ship called the R-9C which is an improved version of its predecessor, the R-9.
The Bydo Empire is back! Take it down with power-ups, two new types of weapons, the Search Laser and Shotgun Laser, and a new anti-ground unit bomb.
WITH ORIGINAL FEATURES
•Unlock six levels each with its own unique boss.
•Upgrade to new weapons, power-ups, and attachments to fight wave of enemies.
•Keep original graphics or choose improved ones thanks to filter and scanline options
… AND NEW FEATURES TOO!
•Choose between three difficulty settings: unlimited (unlimited lives), normal (same as original) & insane (more challenge!).
•Two control modes: Touch and virtual D-Pad
•Customizable controls
•Auto Fire ON/OFF
•Available in 10 languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Portuguese.
•Play in full-screen, or keep the game’s original screen ratio
•Game Center: 11 unlockable achievements + online leaderboards (normal & insane modes only)
•Universal version
•Support iOS 7 controllers
Are you looking for challenge? R-Type II is the perfect game!
Is great happenings, friends! News from motherland (somewhere in Eastern Europe) has finally arrived! I not been this happy since playing previous installment in historically accurate series,The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing. Glorious Ministry of Joy and Propaganda have released new video showcasing glorious scenes of the motherland. You can find video below and make watchings. Is very strange though as I don’t remember it being this sunny and cheerful. Maybe is magic of cinema, da?
The video is also a gameplay trailer for indie dev Neocore Game’s title Vanhelsing II, which is the second game in The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsingtrilogy. The first game, an action–RPG called The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing, is available for purchase on steam now for PC and MAC. The game gives players the opportunity to experience fighting a desperate struggle for their very lives against all manner of supernatural horrors… or as we call it in Eastern Europe: Tuesday.
To buy the game and experience Tuesday for yourself, click here.
The time is drawing near. Dark Souls II will be out in exactly one month (March 13th), and Bandai Namco has announced a bonus for players who pre order the game. If you are a player who pre-orders either the Black Armour or the Collector’s Editions of the game, then you will get a DLC voucher code for the exclusive Black Armour Weapons Pack. The pack contains five sets of weapons that are sure to help you along your journey through the desolate kingdom of Drangleic.
The weapon pack contains the following sets:
Black Flamestone Dagger and Black Flamestone Parma – A dagger and shield encrusted in Black Flamestone both found in the Gutter at Black Gulch. Even though they are heavier than a normal dagger and shield, the Flamestone crystal’s unique properties make the dagger extremely sharp and give the shield high resistance to damage.
Yellow Quartz Long Sword and Yellow Quartz Shield – A straight sword and small shield hardened with yellow quartz both uncovered at the bottom of the Iron Keep. Even though these items can break easily due to their high level of corrosion, they are exceptionally light and their power to inflict damage has not declined.
Bound Hand Axe and Bound Wooden Shield – A brutal hand axe and shield found in the Undead Purgatory. Both items are wrapped in chains and thorns to cause additional bleeding on enemies. Both the axe and shield have diminished in overall slashing power but their ability to deliver pain has been deliberately increased.
Homunculus Mace and Homunculus Wooden Shield – A mace and shield with spherical protrusions found in Aldia’s Keep. Although heavier than normal maces and shields, the hard protrusions greatly increase the striking power of the mace as well as the shield’s defensive capabilities.
Transgressor’s Staff and Transgressor’s Leather Shield – A staff and leather shield entwined with an unknown and seemingly lackluster element; these items are found in the Dark Chasm of Old. They have become a catalyst for sorcery and hex and cause an effect known as Darkness.
So do you like the idea of being able to get early access to weapons and armour at the beginning of your Dark Souls II quest, or does it fly in the face of everything the franchise stands for? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and for an in-depth look at the first few hours of the game be sure to check out our coverage. As always, for all the Dark Souls II news as it becomes available be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
Overview Over the long course of the Final Fantasy franchise there hasn’t been a set of games more divisive than the Final Fantasy XIII set. While a number of people took issue with the first Final Fantasy XIII, I found it to be a nice change of pace thanks to its brand new gameplay mechanics. Now we have the third game in the Final Fantasy XIII series, Lightning Returns. With a large set of changes to the gameplay, including a counter, and the focus on Lightning alone, is Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII worth your time?
Story Gamers who are unfamiliar with the first two Final Fantasy XIII games are probably going to be very lost as they step into the world of Lightning Returns, as even returning players will be caught off guard by a number of events. Still, for newcomers there are recaps explaining Lightning’s history with various characters and main events from past games, but not enough to warrant complete understanding of the story at this point, that is if you were able to follow it entirely in the first place.
Now, after the events of Final Fantasy XIII-2 500 years have passed and Chaos has swept across the land, destroying everything it touches and summoning monsters to eliminate the last remnants of human kind. Over these five hundred years, time has ceased to progress for humans. No one ages, but the populace continues to dwindle as not only can people still die from illness or monsters attacking, but no one can be born into this world on the brink of destruction.
Lightning has been summoned as the Savior for this world by the god Bhunivelze but rather than save the world from destruction, Lightning’s job is to save as many souls as she can so that they can be reborn into the new world that Bhunivelze is planning on creating. With the god set to awaken in thirteen days, Lightning is given a set amount of time to try and save as many souls that she can with the reward being that Bhunivelze will resurrect Lightning’s sister Serah. However, the current pace of the Chaos’ spread is set to destroy the world long before Bhunivelze’s awakening and as such, Lightning’s soul saving journey also extends the time that the player has left with the game and if they should fail, it means game over.
Lightning Returns stays true to the serious storyline that the series has retained throughout the three games, though there is some light-hearted banter between Lightning and Hope, Lightning’s ever present guide and assistant. Many old faces from past games appear and Lightning will either need to face off against them and help them through their problems. With a somewhat easier to follow storyline than past games, though one that loves to divulge a lot of information at one time and has a couple of interesting occurrences in store, players will find satisfaction with the way that Lightning Returns concludes the story, if you can make it to the end of course.
Gameplay Now the Final Fantasy XIII games have been changing up their gameplay since the first time around but this time around, Lightning Returns pretty much abandons most of the pre-set paradigm battle system and instead adopted a more action based fighting system that works similar to the paradigm set up, but with more customization as players control Lightning as she fights alone.
Players will now have access to three outfits called Schema which can be swapped between at any time. Each Schema has its own ATB gauge which fills up over time, faster if it isn’t being used, which means that players will need to keep on their toes and rapidly switch between Schemas to keep on the offensive or defend if necessary. These Schemas can be customized to a rather large extent, allowing players to equip four different abilities to each set and a different weapon, shield, and set of accessories for each one.
Each Schema is set to one outfit, the outfit itself almost always offering various bonuses or hindrances. Outfits can add strength or magic damage, lock specific skills to your line-up, increase your ATB gauge, and other various things. These outfits can then be customized with a wide range of colors and adornments that players can find through completing missions or purchasing from shops, allowing players to dress up Lightning pretty much however they want.
As mentioned before, once players equip an outfit, they can then assign up to four abilities, though it is possible that some skills will already be locked in place for certain outfits, change accessories and equip a sword and a shield. Herein lies the depth of Lightning Returns’ battle equipment system as not only do your weapons increase stats, but upgraded or rare abilities can also add stat bonuses. With the limitation of only having twelve or so abilities to work with, while also balancing physical, magical, debuffs, and defense all at once players are in for quite a lot of trial and error when they set up their character.
There is a good reason for that as well when you consider how Lightning Returns handles leveling up and the battle system itself. Fighting against monsters in Lightning Returns can be a fairly useless endeavor. While enemies still drop items and money, they no longer provide Lightning with any experience points, instead they give her energy points, or EP, that allows her to use a number of skills that allow her to teleport, heal her completely, freeze time, and other things. Instead players only level up by completing side-quests and main quests.
Being the Savior, Lightning has to help out those in need and as such there are numerous side-quests to complete that add to Lightning’s total health, strength, and magic level, as well as main quests that add a far larger amount to each value and occasionally come with extra boosts to total ATB or EP. Most of these quests are all fetch quests of different types, as players need to either find a lost item or defeat a certain number of enemies and collect their drops to turn in. There is some variety here but unfortunately a lot of it involves running back and forth for no reason other than to gain some stats.
It is also necessary to complete these side-quests to extend the amount of time the player has at their disposal. As mentioned earlier, the Chaos will destroy the world faster than Bhunivelze will awaken and when players start the game, they will only have six days to work with instead of thirteen. They can extend time by gathering the souls of people through side-quests and main quests to add to the amount of days at their disposal, even though some of the tasks Lightning does for these people involve some mundane issues that pale in comparison to the end of the world.
These stats will be necessary however as the battle system in Lightning Returns is far from forgiving and can take some time to master. Players will need to primarily focus on enemy weaknesses and stagger enemies to deal massive amounts of damage and facing off against more than one enemy at a time can put Lightning at a severe disadvantage even against weaker enemies. Players will need to figure out enemy attack patterns to learn how to time their blocks and take advantage of wide open enemies as combat can be incredibly deadly and fast paced on the Normal difficulty level.
This is made even more difficult when you factor in that players can only carry around a small number of healing items or phoenix downs with them at any given time, making long journeys an arduous affair. Losing in battle punishes the player not with a game over, but with an “Escape” ability that requires 0 EP but sacrifices an hour of in-game time. This is even more troublesome when you factor in the fact that there really is no notification of how strong an enemy might be nor if Lightning will be up to the task of defeating it at this time.
While some people complained that past Final Fantasy XIII games were too linear, Lightning Returns lets players travel wherever they wish almost right off the bat. This means that it is entirely possible to run into a strong near-end game boss only to be trounced and need to retreat until later. To top that off, enemies will not blink at targeting Lightning’s weaknesses in combat meaning that it is possible to be destroyed right off the bat if you aren’t careful. This open world factor also is an issue when you factor in how troublesome the in-game countdown is in Lightning Returns.
Timers in RPGs are nothing new, as Atelier fans have been accustomed to limitations since the franchise began, but the way that Lightning Returns’ clock is always counting down is interesting in theory but poorly executed. Players are limited in every action they can do as it is almost impossible to do every little side-quest in the game, meaning players will need to prioritize some missions over others in order to properly progress through the game. It also doesn’t help that a large number of side-quests, and doors required for specific missions, become unavailable at certain times of the day which means that players will need to kill time or venture elsewhere to try and gather more souls and grow stronger until those quests become available again.
When players are exploring the world available to them, Lightning Returns offers four different lands to explore, two lively cities and two expansive areas with various places to explore and things to see. The Dead Dunes make use of teleport statues to allow for easier movement and the Wildlands eventually offer a Chocobo to ride on to see everything. When they have time to explore it, Nova Chrysalia is an intriguing place with a lot to offer but the time system’s regulation on quests, and a mandatory transport back to the “Ark” at 6AM, even if you are preparing to fight a boss or completing an important task, is a constant bother.
It is also worth noting that there is a New Game+ option that unlocks Hard mode, which has a few new items available, and also allows players to upgrade their swords and shields which is not available on the player’s first time through the game. But this mode only carries over Lightning’s stats and equipment, meaning that all quests will need to be completed once again to finish the storyline, though this does allow the player to try and finish other side-quests that they couldn’t check out the first time through the game.
Visuals The world of Lightning Returns is quite gorgeous looking and the various environments the player can explore are fairly diverse looking, except for the desert of course which is littered with ruins instead. There is a feeling of life to the towns and the characters that populate the towns, as they will run from enemies or go about their daily lives.
As for Lightning herself, there has been a lot of work dedicated to creating a lot of outfits for Lightning to wear. There are outfits that range from flowing evening gowns, to suits of armor, business clothing, and even a bikini like outfit to choose from. This means that while players can always choose to prioritize strength over appearance, they can also have fun dressing Lightning up in all kinds of strange outfits. Most of the clothing is nicely textured but some of the other textures in the world can look rather rough up close and small details are either rough looking or blurry.
Audio
The voice work for Lightning Returns remains the same as what was offered from past games, with Lightning and all of the other characters retaining their voice actors. Lightning continues to sound very stoic throughout the game, but there are a number of really heartrending scenes involving past characters that really hit home thanks to how great the voice actors portrayed these scenes. That being said, Hope can be a real blabbermouth as he will constantly chime in with recommendations on what the player should be doing at any given moment, which often sees him repeating the same tired advice for a quest.
Thankfully, Lightning Returns features some amazing sounding background music that ranges from orchestral exploration music to intense battle themes that make the game a treat for the ears. It is worth noting though that the critical health warning, which sounds like cymbals, is extremely annoying even when accompanied by the fantastic music that this game contains.
Overall Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII has its issues but despite these problems, the game was still enjoyable almost from start to finish. There are some frustrations to be had with the way the time system was implemented and the lack of guidance towards the stat system, but fast paced combat that, when mastered, is the best of the three games, a vibrant world to explore and a satisfying story to behold, Lightning Returns is a flawed but satisfying title that fans of the series should be able to enjoy.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Gamers who might have missed out on picking up Persona 3 FES back when it was released all those years ago will now have a chance to play it again. Today Atlus USA has just announced that this Persona game has been made available for download from the PlayStation Network for €9.99/£7.99.
Persona 3 FES is an enhanced version of the original Persona 3 game and features a brand new epilogue chapter. With over a hundred and twenty hours of gameplay, players will take the role of the newest member of S.E.E.S. as they explore the mysterious Tartarus, a tower that only appears at the “Dark Hour” between 12:00:00 and 12:00:01 AM. As for more recent Persona news, Persona 5 is currently in the works and is set to be released sometime in the future.
Great news for those who have been waiting for the South Park game which has been delayed for quite some time. Ubisoft has announced that South Park: The Stick of Truth has finally gone gold which means that it will be making its next scheduled release date for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC on March 4 in North America and March 7 in Europe.
A number of trailers were recently released for the game and for those who don’t know, players will make their own character and become a new kid in town who will follow Cartman, Kenny, Kyle, and Stan as they go on an epic adventure.
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! Strap yourselves in fans as I am about to dish to you a hot serving of awesome comic-book goodness, straight from the guys over at Titan Comics. It is time for this month’s Titan Comics Solicitations. So for those that don’t know, the Solicitations are not what will be coming out THIS month, but over the next few months. So these solicitations are due out April – June 2014.
For this installment of Titan Comics Solicitations we have two new collections and one brand new series. So without further delay, lets check them out!
What if everyone woke up with superpowers – and it was the worst thing in the world?
From the mind of Rob Williams comes Ordinary. A tale about a strange plague that bestows every human being on the planet with special powers. Originally seen as the next stage in human evolution, everything quickly goes downhill. Terror, war and crime all escalate to tremendous levels thanks to these superpowers and suddenly the Earth is really bad place to live.
The plague must be cured before the world faces total armageddon, and the cure lies in the blood of the only person not affected by the plague; A downtrodden, recently divorced New York plumber named Michael Fisher. The most ordinary man alive has suddenly become the most extraordinary person on Planet Earth.
The sell-out critical hit of sex, death and superpowers gets a deluxe hardcover collection!
The best-selling comic book has been doing the rounds, and we here at Capsule Computers have loved every second of it. If you have missed out on the individual issues (which is pretty likely considering they have sold out at multiple printings), then you can grab yourself a copy of the hard-bound complete edition. 192 pages of sex, drugs, rock ‘n roll and superpowers. What more could you ask for.
Winning the title of this month’s most interesting title is Doctor Gordbort Presents: Triumph, from the mind and pen of Greg Broadmore. Rather than even try and explain this one, I will let the official synopsis take that duty:
Since the first word was inscribed onto parchment, man has searched for tomes that lift the lid on the inner machinations of the human condition and reveal truths about humanity and its place in the universe – there are books that teach, books that inspire and books that offer a glimpse into our very souls. Triumph, on the other hand, is full of violence, bad language, interplanetary racism and a little sprinkling of smut… but you get what you pay for.
Wait, seriously. This has also won the title of “Book I am most excited to read!” Bring on the interplenetary racism!
So that’s it for February’s Titan Comics Solicitations. Let us know in the comments below which of the books you have piqued your interest, and remember to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Titan Comics news as it becomes available.
Japanese idol group BiS (Brand-new Idol Society) have announced their latest tour The BiS who Sold The World will be their last and the group will split for good in July.
Their final tour will take place during the months of April and June this year, finishing off with a major performance on the 8th of July at the Yokohama Arena located in the Kanagawa Prefecture of Japan. BiS publicly announced their disband at a free performance at the Shinjuku Station Square in Tokyo yesterday, during this live event they presented two new songs in front of a crowed of over 1000 people.
The J-Pop idol group formed in 2010 and consists of 6 members; Pour Lui, Hirano Nozomi, Kamiya Saki, Tentenko, First Summer Uika and Koshoji Megumi. Since their formation they have produced 3 albums, 9 singles with 2 collaborations and have even been featured in the movie Idol is Dead.
Their newest album will be available on the 5th of March, click the video down below to check out their one of their singles Fly.
Time to get excited Disney fans! The one, the only Mickey Mouse has finally made his way to Disney Infinity! The king of the House of Mouse has been a long-awaited addition to the game, and starting from today you can pick him up in stores.
Mickey is donning his infamous Sorcerer’s Apprentice garb for the game, including use of magical powers and the ability to conduct the stars themselves. As a bit of trivia; this marks the first time in 30 years that Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey has been a playable character in any game. You can grab Mickey now at all good video game retailers for a RRP of $17.95 (you might want to be quick though, as if he is anything like Jack Skellington, he will go fast).
We reviewed Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey just last week, so click here to check out our thoughts and you can also check out a brief character trailer below. With Mickey’s release, that means there are only two characters yet to hit store shelves – Phineas and Perry “Agent P” The Platypus. So I think it is time we started hypothesising and wildly guessing what the future of the franchise has in store. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and remember to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Disney Infinity news as it becomes available.
