R-Type Delta: HD Boosted review

Across the late ‘90s, a handful of sprite-based shooter franchises experimented with the polygonal abilities of the Saturn, PlayStation and 3D arcade boards. Led by Xevious 3D/G, RayStorm, Thunder Force V, and G-Darius, Irem retooled its iconic bio-mechanical series into a moody, polygonal showcase. With its cinematic camera sweeps and textured environments, 1999’s R-Type Delta become a favorite for fans of tough treks through horizontally-scrolling stages.

What distinguished Delta is how elegantly the entry transformed Force Ball use. Twenty-seven years on, R-Type Delta: HD Boosted offers a reminder of how the detachable orb remains your most flexible tool. It can absorb bullets, crush enemies, and even amplify the output of your chosen ship.

Delta Can Deliver an Immersive Groove…

But Delta pushes the mechanic further than earlier entries. Positioning the Force ball brings an array of tactical decisions. You can fling it forward to carve a save path or pull it behind you to take down flanking foes. Best of all, when your Force comes in contact with an enemy, you’ll charge your Delta Weapon, a ship-specific attack that can clear every on-screen enemy. Remarkably, these different use cases result in a feverish dance where the orb is dancing around your ship, generating just as much destruction as your main gun.

Expectedly, mastery of the ball is mandatory. It’s the focal point of every successful run, and the HD Boosted release re-emphasizes just how important the Force is to the game’s identity. While R-Type has always favored level memorization over improvisation, learning when and where to deploy your Force expands the experience, especially against the game’s eight, unforgiving boss battles. Essentially, it’s the ying to your weapon charge’s yang, providing Delta will an intense feeling of flow as you manage both systems.

…But That Captivation Can Be Cut by a Single Bullet

Arguably, Delta’s stage variety is every bit as impressive as the mechanics. The game’s levels push you through neon-drenched cityscapes, claustrophobic factories, orbital graveyards, and into Bydo’s bio-tech perversions. Best of all, these aren’t just visual variations. Each environment requires a different skill set, from being able to thread your ship through narrow vents, prioritizing multi-directional threats, or projecting if you can get the Force to return in time. As such, Delta’s set-piece pacing remains razor taut. Even after studying stages in practice mode (levels are unlocked after completing them), the title puts up a strenuous fight. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

But the game’s seven stages are hardly the only distinction. Each of Delta’s crafts has a divergent feel, from the lassoing R-13, the RX with its X-Multiply-style tentacle gun, and the traditional geometric lasers found on the R-9A2. Expectedly, The HD remaster doesn’t alter the weapon balance, but the enhancement of a rock solid, sixty frames-per-second delivery seems to improve precision. There’s even support for Nvidia Reflex Low Latency mode if you have one of the manufacturer’s GPUs.

HD Boosted’s visuals favor respect rather than reinvention. Models are slightly cleaner, with reduction in image shimmer, while preserving the aesthetic of the original PlayStation game. That said, there’s still a bit of texture judder that’s mostly confined to the stage intros. There are options for the original 4:3 aspect ratio, you can stretch the output widescreen, or opt for extended mode, which both widens the screen and adds some vignetting. Pleasingly, none of the options tamper with Delta’s airtight readability. With large enemies and projectiles, you can’t blame your aging eyes on a death.

Triangle of Gladness

Built around the stimulating risk-reward loop of Force manipulation, R-Type Delta was one of the last great console shoot ‘em ups of the twentieth century. HD Boosted serves as a welcome reminder of the game’s mechanical sophistication. Twenty-seven years on, Delta’s menacing atmosphere and engaging stages showcase the dawn of the polygonal era. Decades might have passed, but Irem’s 1999 title proves it can still captivate.

R-Type Delta: HD Boosted was played on PC with review code provided by the publisher.