The Video Game Revue

R-Type: Dimensions, FF VII

At the price point of 1200 MS points, I was wary enough of R-Type: Dimensions to try the demo before buying it. It didn't take long for me to decide that it was worth the 1200 points, but then I am a sucker for classic shoot-em-ups, and R-Type is one of the most classic there is.

R-Type: Dimensions offers two features in particular that make it worthwhile. The first is the ability to toggle between updated and original graphics at any time simply by hitting the Y button. The updated graphics look fantastic and are very true to the source material, which creates a neat effect when you toggle between them. The toggling uses a cross-fade effect rather than an instant switch, so right before your eyes you see the next gen R-Type engine morph into a retro title.

The other great feature is the ability to choose between "Infinite" and "Classic" game modes. Infinite mode gives you unlimited lives and has you respawn immediately when you die rather than going back to the last checkpoint. How many times you die in each stage gets posted to the leaderboard along with your score, which gives you a strong incentive to improve at the game. At the same time, having unlimited lives allows you to easily experience all of R-Type's brilliant stages without having to become a slave to the game. Players who want to play R-Type with the traditional rules can use "Classic" mode for that.

Overall I am very impressed with R-Type: Dimensions. It's exactly the kind of remake that I wanted, and failed to get, from Galaga Legions and 1942: Joint Strike. Perhaps the only better XBLA titles in the same genre are Ikaruga and Geometry Wars 2.

In other news, Battlefield 1942 is getting a remake using the Battlefield: Bad Company engine. So far, BF42, BF2, and BF:BC are the only entries in the series that I've enjoyed, and I am hopeful that this one will be a goodie.

I should mention that I've started a long overdue (about ten years overdue) play-through of FF VII. When I originally played through the game, I got within a few hours of the end and then watched the ending when my brother beat the game, so I never actually finished FF VII. Additionally, I was a university student at the time, which made it difficult to focus on the game's story. I've been on a strong RPG kick lately while simultaneously being on a World of Warcraft break, which makes this the perfect time to revisit FF VII. So far I am twelve hours into the game and thoroughly enjoying it.

Fritzkrieg and I often discuss how way-ward JRPGs have become, and it comes up from time to time on this blog. The general trends we've noticed include the spread of gimmicky combat systems that aren't much fun, characters becoming shallow and/or jaded to the point of being uninteresting, and plots becoming vapid and pointless. The stereotypical JRPG these days would be about a young man with a head full of haircare products who is chasing his ambition to become more powerful for power's own sake in a troubled world where people are generally only out for themselves. Also the combat system would likely involve something like spinning slot machine dials or awkward button combos, while lacking tactical challenge.

Twelve years ago, the stereotype I just described did not exist, although JRPGs were very much alive. Then came games like FF VII and Grandia, and it's been a continual downward spiral from there. For years I resented FF VII for that, and for years after the resentment faded, I just didn't care about FF VII. The thing that surprises me going back to FF VII now is just how much heart and soul are in it. Compared to some of the major JRPGs before it (like Chrono Trigger and FF VI), FF VII comes across as jaded and a little shallow. Compared to the decade's worth of JRPGs that have followed in FF VII's footsteps, FF VII is bursting with creativity and feeling.

One factor at play here is certainly that I only now finally have the attention necessary to truly appreciate FF VII, but there's also definitely something to be said for the fact that so many JRPGs these days try to copy the superficial elements of FF VII while missing out on the core of the game. Taking the time to go back and revisit FF VII has been a very interesting experience for me in that context.

posted by Parappa @ 5:11 PM