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R-TYPE II Review
These days, the notion of guiding a spaceship from left to right in the hope of stopping an alien invasion is rather quaint. In the days of R-Type, however, this flavour of sci-fi blaster was still considered cutting-edge. Irem's side-scrolling shooter series introduced massive power-ups and screen-filling bosses to a generation of gamers. As a result, seeing these games faithfully reproduced in the palm of our hands creates a strange nostalgia. As far as content and visuals are…
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R.TYPE Review
R-Type, the side-scrolling classic shoot em up from 1987, was ported over to the App Store a couple years ago. However, it was removed earlier this year due to licensing issues. While the legalities were being ironed out, the developers thought it would be a good idea to make a few adjustments. Now that it's returned to the App Store, it's time to see what's changed. If you're new to the blaster, here are the basics. You take control of a spaceship, which you must guide through a seri…
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Karateka Review
Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and accept that even heroes can make mistakes. Some would argue that Jordan Mechner has made several in his time, but the remake of Karateka (his break-out title from 1984) is definitely amongst them. Where the original was a relatively simple affair of fighting opponent after opponent using a joystick and two (or one) button setup. The game was praised for its fluid combat and clever use of tension to motivate players to save Mariko - it was…
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Raiden Legacy Review
If you're at all a fan of the shoot-em-up genre (which are affectionately referred to as SHMUPs), you are probably familiar with Raiden. Alongside such canonical luminaries as Xevious, and R-Type, Raiden is a heavy hitter in a genre known for crazy weapons and having the screen littered with bullets. This release though is something of a compilation, farming together all three titles of the offshoot Raiden Fighters series that developer Seibu Kaihatsu released in the mid to late nineti…
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The Last Express Review
In the world of Adventure titles, The Last Express is a sort of right-of-passage, especially as it puts a spin on the usual tropes of the genre by packing them in to a mystery-thriller that plays out in real-time. It should be no surprise that such a concept sprang from the mind of Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner, and despite its relative age it remains a shining example of how deeply gameplay and storytelling can be intertwined. You play as Robert Cath, a young doctor thrown…
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Another World - 20th Anniversary Review
In a recent News Wrap-Up I confessed that I had never played Eric Chahi's classic title Another World and I've always felt a twinge of regret on that score. Thankfully the 20th Anniversary release of the title from Bulkypix and retro-game specialists DotEmu has helped me to correct this oversight, but does this 20 year old game stand the test of time? You play the role of Lester, a research scientist who finds himself transported Out of This World and you'll need to face off against t…
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64th Street - A Detective Story Review
While perhaps overshadowed by its peers, '64th Street - A Detective Story' by Jaleco was an interesting addition to the popular genre of beat'em-ups cropping up in the late 80s to early 90s. Although it sports a distinctly Final Fight-like appearance, the game distinguished itself by allowing players to fling opponents in to the environment and background, changing the world while also doing grievous harm. As with any classic brawler your character's motivation for risking his life is…
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Earth Defense Force Review
Earth Defense Force is yet another collaboration between DotEmu and JALECO in their attempt to resurrect classic arcade titles for a modern generation. In this classic side-scrolling shoot'em-up you'll travel through six different stages, slowly powering up your ship before the final confrontation and unlocking additional features. This really is classic SHMUP gaming, though it's hard to say 'at its best' as there are a few quirks that make it hard to truly enjoy. Most importantly pla…
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Avenging Spirit Review
Avenging Spirit, otherwise known as Phantasm in Japan, was perhaps one of the most curious concepts to come out of 1991 (and this is the same year players played as a robotic cod; helped lemmings to escape traps; and fought criminal overlords from Shadaloo on the streets). In what is to be the first in a series of team-ups between DotEmu and JALECO, you'll be able to possess the criminals who killed you and kidnapped your girlfriend in an attempt to learn the secrets of the spirit real…
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