72/100
Critics2 reviews

Where to get it

PlayStation Store

2023 · Granzella · Shooter · Platformer

R-Type Final 3 Evolved

PlayStation exclusive

R-Type Final 3 Evolved serves simultaneously as a sequel to R-Type Final 2, offering a whole new 7-stage campaign made in the engine of Final 2, whilst also serving as a compilation of most of content released for R-Type Final 2.

Released: 23 March 2023
Platforms: PlayStation 5
Genres: Shooter Platformer Arcade
Developers: Granzella
Publishers: NIS America
Modes: Multiplayer Single-player
Perspective: Side view
Themes: Action Science fiction
Age ratings: ESRB E10+

About

R-Type Final 2 is a horizontal-scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Granzella. Part of Irem's long-running R-Type series, it is a sequel to R-Type Final released in 2004, and the first R-Type game in over a decade, after the release of R-Type Tactics II: Operation Bitter Chocolate in 2009. The game was released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on April 29, 2021. An updated version titled R-Type Final 3 Evolved was released for the PlayStation 5 on March 23, 2023.

The western versions of the game are published by NIS America. R-Type Final 2 is the first game in the series to be released outside of Japan since R-Type Dimensions in 2009. It was released on April 30, 2021, and Final 3 Evolved was released in late April 2023.

Keywords

shoot 'em up
side-scrolling

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Development

On April 1, 2019, Granzella released a teaser trailer for R-Type Final 2. Later that day, the company confirmed via Twitter that the game was not an April Fools joke and was actively in development. A crowdfunding campaign was announced to be taking place in May, with an additional campaign also taking place in October the same year. The crowdfunding campaign ended on November 1, 2019, raising total of US$1,094,459 (¥118,673,775), to be develop in-game contents, including tribute battle stages from the previous R-TYPE titles, worldwide subtitles support.

The developers announced that there would be rewards to give to those who contributed, receiving different sets of gifts depending on the various funded tiers they made into the project; these sets include the physical copy of the game, its digital version, the original soundtrack CD, a hardcover art book, and a T-shirt, as well as the contributor's name to be featured in the endgame credits. There were also 4 brand new player-ships developed for the title. The game was developed using Epic Games' Unreal Engine 4.

Reception

The PlayStation 4 version of R-Type Final 2 sold 8,693 physical copies within its first week on sale in Japan, and was the twelfth best-selling retail game of the week in the country.

The Xbox Series X/S version of R-Type Final 2 received generally positive reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. The PlayStation 4 and Switch versions of R-Type Final 2 received mixed or average reviews.