Developed by shooter
specialists G-Rev and released near the twilight of the classic Dreamcast
console’s lifespan, Under Defeat spurred a cult following thanks to its
limited production run and import-only release. This made it difficult and
expensive to locate for players, but it was worth the effort. Under Defeat
is a traditional top-down vertically scrolling 2D shooter in the genre
pioneered by classic shooters such as Raiden and 1943. Instead of standard
generic space ships, players pilot one of several different helicopters
which is a key element in Under Defeat’s appeal. The unique spin on the
genre comes in the game’s control mechanic s. Under Defeat’s unique
navigation system allows players to tilt the helicopter up to 45 degree
angles in either left or right and assign the firing direction to that
angle. You can lock this in and move around the screen independently, which
is a very cool idea. This approach allows you to focus their firepower
following that direction, and maintain it as you move around the screen in
different directions. Its fairly intuitive and effectively mimics the feel
of a real helicopter in terms of moving and firing independently. You can
use this strategically to move around clusters of bullets from a safe
distance. Under Defeat HD’s copters move smoothly using either the standard
or analog pad and the firing can be controlled by the standard face buttons
or the back shift keys.
This analog, independent configuration is the key that differentiates Under
Defeat HD from the controls seen in most other classic 2D shooters in this
genre. For players accustomed to the more straightforward controls in other
shooters, there’s a slight learning curve. However, it’s worth it to master
its controls. Once you become proficient with moving and firing, this
approach allows you to fire at enemies from different angles, letting you
avoid their shots while maneuvering into a position that allows you to stay
safely outside of their attacking bullet lines. Playing with a standard
controller is fine, but the game’s arcade roots really come through when you
plug in an arcade controller and get to play the game as it was intended.
Either way, the game feels really firm throughout and its consistently
excellent pacing makes it an excellent shooter, one of the better ones we’ve
played from a control standpoint. Initially, the enemies seem to attack your
helicopter from all directions, but this can be overcome with a bit of skill
and concentration. As you battle through intense levels of massive enemies,
you’ll see patterns begin to emerge. This is especially apparent when you
can focus on individual opponents and learn their methods. Learning their
attack formations and bullet paths allows you to avoid them on repeated
play, giving you a better chance at survival. As you fly through the levels,
you’ll also find numerous power-ups including a small fighter who can attack
independent of your movement and other upgrades to your firepower. Most
enemies can be dispatched with a single shot, but there are some tougher
ones that require a sustained attack. These can be approached in either of
two ways. You can pump bullets into them and wait until they fail or you can
unleash one of your super bombs that clears the screen of any enemies.
However, you have to be careful since there’s a slight delay from when you
press the button to when it explodes, and you also need to wait awhile
between these as well. Under Defeat’s multi-stage levels can be quite long
and drawn out so you need to use these weapons carefully. The best strategy
is to use them when you encounter difficult foes. The level of challenge you
face ranges from fairly simple on the lower difficulty settings to very hard
on the higher levels which are incredibly fast and require split-second
reflexes and precise memorization, leaving the player little room for error.
The first few stages are fairly straightforward and should be a cinch for
most players to get through. Later on, things become more difficult with
elaborate patterns and massive attacks, which makes Under Defeat HD more
engrossing without becoming excessively frustrating.
One
of the trickier aspects of converting older games to current platforms is
the difference in screen size. Compensating for the change in aspect ratio
from the older square to current HD sizes has led the developers to make an
interesting choice this time around. The game includes two solutions.
Players can choose to play the game in its original aspect ratio, with the
screen letterboxed and placed in the middle of the screen. Several
adjustments can be made that allow you to scale the size of the image. You
can also choose to play the game sideways in tate mode, but this isn’t ideal
since you spend a lot of time craning your neck around. These are less than
ideal solutions to the conversion problem but there’s another mode available
that rectifies these issues. This is called New Order mode and has seen the
game completely redone to fit into the new aspect ratio. The action fills
the screen perfectly and the upgraded textures and visuals look impressive
in this mode. Its differences are subtle but noticeable and make the game
feel a bit more smooth and modern. Its fairly easy to keep track of all the
action onscreen and the developers have scaled things around so that the
player doesn’t miss a thing. Despite its age, the game looks smooth and
moves quickly with little slowdown. It also sounds great with a standard
soundtrack that helps to propel the action. Overall, the production values
are better than expected and the developers deserve credit for putting in
more effort than just porting the original code to the PS3.
Another interesting aspect of the game isn’t actually about how it plays,
but how its’ being distributed. As a niche title, it won’t appeal to a broad
section of gamers. However, it’s coming out in two forms, Players can choose
to download the game from the Playstation Store, which includes the basic
game or can choose the physical disc version, which includes a bonus
soundtrack CD and digital artbook. The trick here is that the disc is
limited, which makes it not only highly-cool from a packaging standpoint,
but also collectible as well. For those who’ve looked around recently, the
Dreamcast version is very expensive, so this will likely follow suit as
well. That aside, the most important consideration for any gamer is how the
game plays. Between its solid play mechanics, upgraded visuals in its
excellent new order mode, Under Defeat offers an appealing shooter in the
classic mode. It’s levels of difficulty and challenge gradually ratchet
upwards as you scale through different levels, making its replay value quite
high. It’s straightforward approach means you can jump right in and get
right into the action without an extended pretense. The game’s play
mechanics are solid and appealing. An excellent HD mode polishes up the
graphics without being overly intrusive while the soundtrack is excellent.
Under Defeat HD is a challenging and engaging title that remains appealing.
Given the dearth of similar releases recently in this genre, Under Defeat HD
makes an excellent addition to your gaming library. It’s a must-purchase if
you enjoy these types of challenging shooters.
- Michael Palisano
