Playing R-Type Delta: HD Boosted on PS5 feels like stepping into a meticulously restored and beloved relic – the soul of the 1998 classic remains intact, but sharpened and polished just enough to catch your eye. City Connection and Clear River Games have resurrected a cult favorite without turning it into something unrecognizable, and that’s precisely where the remaster’s strength lies.
The game’s atmosphere is quietly haunting. Its storytelling is not delivered through cutscenes or exposition, but through its level design: dark, claustrophobic corridors, oppressive industrial structures, and Bydo architecture that whispers more than it shouts. The minimalism of its narrative – the looming threat of annihilation, the fragile balance of power – resonates strongly, reinforcing the sense that you’re hurtling through a universe that’s indifferent to your existence.
Mechanically, HD Boosted leans hard into the classic R-Type formula while offering meaningful variety. You can choose between three ships – the familiar Delta, the Albatross, and the Cerberus – and each handles differently due to their distinct Force pods. The Force remains central: you can attach it to shield yourself, launch it as an offensive tool, or let it float. Strategizing around your positioning and when to deploy your Delta Attack brings real depth.
That said, the difficulty is merciless. Even on the easiest setting, the game demands pattern mastery, lightning reactions, and an almost photographic memory. Death comes frequently, and the learning curve is steep – but for players willing to commit, the trial-and-error process becomes part of the reward. Thankfully, a Practice Mode helps temper the pain, letting you replay tricky sections without restarting entire runs.
Visually, the HD boost brings the polygonal models into sharper focus, but that clarity is a mixed blessing. While the environments look crisper, the low-poly aesthetic sometimes makes it hard to distinguish between scenery, enemies, and projectiles. Collision detection issues only compound this: you might overlap harmlessly with geometry one moment, and suddenly explode the next. It introduces a frustrating ambiguity into what would otherwise be a precise shmup.
On the audio front, the remaster delivers. The soundtrack has been refreshed with new arrangements by Masahiko Ishida, USP, and Chris Hülsbeck, and you can switch between them and the original PS1 score. The music accentuates the game’s brooding sci-fi tone, creating an eerie undercurrent that matches the visual mood. Explosions, charge beams, and laser effects hit with weight, though the sound effects could have been modernized a bit more.
Still, for everything HD Boosted does right, it remains a nostalgic, preservation-first effort rather than a celebration. There are few modern extras – no art gallery, no behind-the-scenes content – which makes the package feel lean by today’s remaster standards. It’s not a full-blown anniversary edition, but more a faithful resurrection.
Ultimately, R-Type Delta: HD Boosted on PS5 will be a thrilling return for long-time fans and a challenging introduction for newcomers. It demands patience, reflexes, and a love for tightly tuned shmups – but when it all clicks, it’s as rewarding as the original was, with just enough polish to shine without losing its soul.
Score: 8.2/10
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