It’s been a while since R-Type Final 2 released on PS4 and the series has now made its way to the PlayStation 5. R-Type Final 3 Evolved is a sort of enhanced package since it brings R-Type Final 2 to the PlayStation 5 powered by Unreal Engine 5 technology along with more levels.
Think of this as a definitive edition which includes a lot more content to blast your way through. Does the game succeed though and is it worthy of the shoot-em-up fame the R-Type franchise has been known for ?
Final Evolved
R-Type Final 3 Evolved includes 7 new stages and includes the entirety of the Stage Pass 1 DLC for free. In a bit of an unexpected move, the game also features PSVR 2 support but in a weird manner. The PSVR 2 support only extends to the game’s introductory flight take off sequence and not the actual gameplay itself. It’s a bit of a puzzling decision but hey, if you have access to a PSVR 2, this is a title that does feature something that you can dive into using that peripheral.
R-Type Final 3 Evolved features a lot of new content. There’s the full R-Type Final 2 campaign here as well as a brand new campaign for R-Type Final 3 Evolved itself. This is a title that is filled to the brim with insanely hard shoot-em-up gameplay to get through.
The gameplay of R-Type Final 3 Evolved is pretty straightforward. Players will pick their ship and loadout and then head into a level and blast away at enemy forces. This is easier said than done because you’ll really have to put your reflexes to the test here. Dodging enemy projectiles and attacks is key to surviving and you’ll have to pay close attention to their attack patterns. If you’re not a fan of “Bullet-Hell” or side scrolling shoot-em-up games, R-Type Final 3 Evolved will not appeal to you. This game is brutally difficult even on the lower difficulties and you’ll have to channel your inner fighter pilot to survive.
R-Type Final 3 Evolved has quite an extensive DLC lineup with 2 more Stage Passes planned. The game therefore has a lot of longevity in it especially if you’re chasing after high scores in levels.
Unreal Engine 5 Side-Scrolling
Graphically, even though this is an Unreal Engine 5 powered title, R-Type Final 3 Evolved can look a bit strange at times. The game does feature varied enemy designs and is visually stunning when the flash effects ramp up but there’s a layer of jank here that needs to be polished a bit more. Maybe in a future update the visuals could be spruced up a bit to make it look more like a title that belongs on the PS5 instead of the PS4. The soundtrack of R-Type Final 3 Evolved features a lot of electronic music and it perfectly suits the game. There is some voice acting in the game but this just serves the most basic of purposes.
R-Type Final 3 Evolved’s core focus is on the gameplay loop. Players will blast through levels filled with weaker foes, face off against incredibly challenging boss enemies, and obtain resources which can be spent unlocking new components and parts to build ships with. There’s quite a lot of customisation on offer and it’s great to see this here. You can easily spend a couple of hours just creating new ship designs and it’s all really quite fun to do thanks to the easy to understand mechanics. You can also alter your ship’s loadout and pick the best weaponry for the task at hand.
Where the game falters lies with the fact that it’s brutally difficult and incredibly frustrating when you get instant killed by enemies that can defeat you with one shot or one attack. Additionally, even though this is a PS5 title, there’s quite a lot of loading involved and the lack of a rewind feature in 2023 in a shoot-em-up feels like a massive misstep – Though this might be me being spoiled by playing some excellent remasters of older classic shoot-em-ups that have made their way to modern consoles.
Final Verdict
Ultimately Planet Zoo Arid Animal Pack feels like a missed opportunity to really capitalise on the power of the PlayStation 5. The framerate seems to stutter or have hiccups when things get a bit intense and the game itself doesn’t really justify its exclusivity on the PS5 when it looks almost the same as the PS4 version of R-Type Final 2. R-Type Final 3 Evolved gets a recommendation from me but only if you’re in desperate need of a challenging side-scrolling shoot-em-up that holds nothing back in terms of difficulty. It’s a good game that’s slightly disappointing considering that it’s practically just more of the same that we’ve seen in R-Type Final 2.
Planet Zoo Arid Animal Pack Trailer
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