In 2006, it had likely been years since you’d last thought of Sega’s ill-fated Dreamcast. The sexy, powerful console died on our continent long before its time, largely because you and yours decided to wait for the Playstation 2 instead. Things went a little differently in Japan, as the honourable folks in the East decided that the Dreamcast was worth their time (and money). The console retained a strong following due to a steady stream of clever, classy titles (all while you were busy playing your first-person shooters).
What I was STILL busy playing in 2006…
Under Defeat hit shelves in Japan that year, and was among the final retail games to be released for the system. The title was an excellent port of a popular arcade shoot ’em up (or schmup). Unsurprisingly, Under Defeat never made it stateside, so unless you were an importer who didn’t mind paying several hundred dollars for the title (the Dreamcast edition is both rare and sought after), you never got a chance to play (or even hear of) the game.
The original, vertical scrolling version of the game.
Until now that is. In October of 2011, publisher Rising Star Games and original developer G.Rev announced that an HD remake of the title was in the works. Along with its original market, the acclaimed schmup was finally coming stateside (and to European gamers too). Watch the launch trailer for the updated edition below, and read on!
Like most games in the genre, Under Defeat HD doesn’t waste your time with plot or characters (who needs any of that crap). Once you press start it’s just you, your helicopter, and hundreds upon hundreds of baddies between you and your goal. Between waves you’ll be greeted by huge, frustratingly hard (but not cheap) boss battles. You’ll be firing a barrage of endless machine-gun rounds, clearing the screen with a (very) limited amount of bombs, as well as plenty of other clever power-ups. Prepare for war.
I’m not sure that I’ve ever yelled at my television as much as I do while playing Under Defeat HD. The game is fun as hell, but its also hard as HELL. I’m breaking into a cold sweat just thinking about the constant frustration; even after hours and hours of playtime, it’s still tough to get through the first few stages without dying. Dozens of enemies litter the screen at all times, and if you stop, even to blink, your copter will go up in flames (though at least you won’t need to keep popping in quarters).
It can sometimes be tough to tell just what is going on.
One of the standout mechanics of Under Defeat HD is its unique control scheme. In nearly every other shoot ’em up, the craft you control, while being moveable in any direction, can only shoot straight ahead. While not shooting, Under Defeat allows you to tilt and lock your helicopter to the left and right, which allows you to fire diagonally at enemies that may otherwise be unreachable. It’s a fantastic feature that greatly differentiates the game from others in the genre.
Diagonal fire. It’s what’s for dinner.
Now, as smooth as the game can be, like most things in this world, it isn’t perfect. Games like Under Defeat HD typically have an insane amount of things happening onscreen, which the PS3 (and its futile amount of RAM) has a hard time keeping up with. Slowdown is abundant, and the more enemies you’re dealing with at one time, the more apparent the reduced speed can be. That being said, the slowdown has saved my ass at numerous points, so at least for me, it doesn’t ruin the experience. The only other negative aspect of the presentation is the drab colour scheme of the title, though this was likely due to the limitations of the original arcade machine more than anything else.
Any imperfections the game may have are more than made up for by the intense, breakneck gameplay and the slew of different options at your disposal. In addition to the new HD (and 16:9) adaptation, you can also play the original version in its vertical orientation (feel free to rotate your television). two-player local co-op is also an option and an absolute blast. Each stage can also be played in a neat test mode, which lets you nail the pattern of the level and dispersion of the enemies before taking them on in the full campaign.
Possibly the calmest moment you’ll ever see in this game.
Under Defeat HD is a great port of the 2006 classic. If you’re a fan of the shoot ’em up genre, or think you may like to try it out, Under Defeat is a great place to start. Be warned however, the game is relentless and can be frustratingly difficult at times. If you love a challenge and like to see stuff blow up, you’ll have a nostalgic blast with Under Defeat HD.
Under Defeat HD: Deluxe Edition scores a relentless 3.5/5. Sorry Xbox 360 owners (at least in North America), this one’s only available on PS3, and costs a cool $29.99.
PS3 only in NA, UK gamers are lucky enough to score an Xbox version too!
Play the game already? Let us know what you think! Now I’m hankering to power up my Dreamcast again; anyone up for some Virtua Tennis?