R-Type Final
2003 PS2 video game
title: "R-Type Final" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["2003-video-games", "eidos-interactive-games", "horizontally-scrolling-shooters", "horror-video-games", "irem-games", "metro3d-games", "playstation-2-games", "playstation-2-only-games", "r-type", "science-fiction-video-games", "single-player-video-games", "sequel-video-games", "video-games-developed-in-japan", "video-games-set-in-the-22nd-century"] description: "2003 PS2 video game" topic_path: "geography/japan" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R-Type_Final" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary 2003 PS2 video game ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox video game"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| title | R-Type Final |
| image | r-typeFinalbox.jpg |
| caption | North American box art |
| developer | Irem |
| publisher | |
| producer | Kazuma Kujo |
| designer | Kazuma Kujo |
| composer | Yuki Iwai |
| series | R-Type |
| platforms | PlayStation 2 |
| released | |
| genre | Shoot 'em up |
| modes | Single player |
| :: |
| title = R-Type Final | image = r-typeFinalbox.jpg | caption = North American box art | developer = Irem | publisher = | director = | producer = Kazuma Kujo | designer = Kazuma Kujo | programmer = | artist = | writer = | composer = Yuki Iwai | series = R-Type | platforms = PlayStation 2 | released = | genre = Shoot 'em up | modes = Single player
is a horizontal shooter video game by Irem for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It was planned to be the last mainline game in the R-Type series. However, R-Type Tactics was released for the PlayStation Portable in 2007, and the direct sequel R-Type Final 2 was announced on March 30, 2019, and was released on April 29, 2021.
Story
Final takes place after several long wars against the Bydo, the main antagonist in the R-Type series. The player's first mission is to investigate a mysterious enemy inside a crashed space colony, the remnants of a large battle codenamed Operation Last Dance, a previous attempt to wipe out the Bydo once and for all. This investigative theme is incorporated throughout the game as each level is considered 'research' on the Bydo and unlocks a gallery of in-universe artwork and additional playable ships. Levels are prefaced with hints of the R-Type universe in the form of poetry.
Eventually the player is tasked with finishing where Operation Last Dance left off, and their success with their task is determined by which route the player takes. The primary route sees the player confront the heart of the Bydo, sacrificing themselves and their ship to destroy it in a last stand. One of the alternate routes turns the player ship into a Bydo, and pits the player against their former allies. The final alternate route sees the player taken to the future to fight against an unrelenting wave of Bydo forces with no way to continue once they die.
Gameplay
Final provides 101 playable ships, including altered versions of ships appearing in previous R-Type games, together with many original ones. They are unlocked through a branching system accessed via the R Museum, which was originally featured in R-Types. The PlayStation 2's internal clock is incorporated into each ship's development history (shown through a commemorative plaque) when certain in-game tasks are completed. For example, ships unlocked in 2008 will be seen in the game as having been rolled out in 2168.
Reception
| align = left | MC = 79/100 | Edge = 8/10 | EGM = 8.17/10 | Fam = 33/40 | GI = 6.75/10 | GameRev = B | GSpot = 8.1/10 | GSpy = | GameZone = 8.1/10 | IGN = 8.1/10 | OPM = | XPlay = | rev1 = The Village Voice | rev1Score = 8/10 The game received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 33 out of 40. GamePro said of the game, "For fans of the genre who thought 2D shooters were phased out to extinction, R-Type Final is a sweet reminder that some types of tried-and-true gameplay never go out of style."
In a special edition of Edge, listing their 100 top videogames of all-time, the game was the only horizontal shooter on the list.
Notes
References
References
- Dunham, Jeremy. (January 14, 2004). "R-Type Final Official Trailer". [[Ziff Davis]].
- Romano, Sal. (March 31, 2019). "R-Type Final 2 announced for PS4".
- "R-Type Final". [[Fandom (website).
- Edge staff. (October 2003). "R-Type Final [JP Import]". [[Future plc.
- (March 2004). "R-Type Final". Ziff Davis.
- "R-TYPE FINAL". [[Enterbrain]].
- McNamara, Andy. (March 2004). "R-Type Final". [[GameStop]].
- Gee, Brian. (February 23, 2004). "R-Type Final Review". CraveOnline.
- Shoemaker, Brad. (January 30, 2004). "R-Type Final Review". Fandom.
- Turner, Benjamin. (February 2, 2004). "GameSpy: R-Type Final". IGN Entertainment.
- Lafferty, Michael. (February 4, 2004). "R-Type Final - PS2 - Review".
- Dunham, Jeremy. (January 30, 2004). "R-Type Final". Ziff Davis.
- Varanini, Giancarlo. (March 2004). "R-Type Final". Ziff Davis.
- Steinberg, Scott. (February 10, 2004). "'R-Type Final' (PS2) Review". [[TechTV]].
- Catucci, Nick. (February 10, 2004). "An arcade classic, updated for insatiable hardcore heads". Village Voice, LLC.
- Weigand, Michael "Major Mike". (April 2004). "R-Type Final". [[International Data Group.
- Edge staff. "The 100 Greatest video games". Future Publishing.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::