Review: The Irem Collection, Volume 2

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I have so many arcade games available on my Switch; it’s indecent. Also quite exorbitant, we’ll get to that. But thanks to the miniature length of a standard arcade title, it’s basic to dive into when you need a snack.

Here Irem Collection, Volume 2which is, as you probably guessed, a sequel Irem Collection, Volume 1. Irem is probably best known for hers Type R series, but the developer was one of the best in the arcade era with hits such as Kickle’s cabin AND Undercover cops; games that may go unnoticed and are therefore suitable for inclusion in a collection.

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But perhaps Irem’s most crucial contribution is Metal Snail. Not the actual match – it was Nazca and SNK – but it was where the crew supported us Metal Snail they stretched their legs first before heading out on their own. And nowhere is this more evident than in Weapon Power IIone of the games in this collection. There are also two other games here.

Screenshot by Destructoid

I’m going to review the individual games included in this collection, but I want to say a few words about how they’re packaged: awkward. A bit awkward. Not every game collection has to be like this Atari50But Irem Collection, Volume 2 it is uncomplicated and non-intuitive. For example, the volume of the menu is much larger than in the games themselves. Each game has a “casual” and “classic” mode, the difference being that in casual mode you can’t participate in the leaderboards, but you have access to game settings, cheats and scrolling. I’m guessing they’re presented separately for the sake of rankings, but I don’t understand why they can’t just warn you when you try to enable the cheats. You can operate the auto-start feature on both, which seems strange.

It uses an emulation platform that I have previously seen in Ratalaika/ININ re-releases such as Cyber ​​Citizen Shockman games and Ninja image: retro collection. This is not necessarily a good or bad thing. I just want you to know what you’re getting into if you’re familiar.

There is no additional documentation or credits for the original games, which were missing at launch, and we still don’t know who some of the game developers were. Annoyingly, the physical collector’s edition of the game includes things like game reproduction leaflets and a visual compendium, so it’s not that they have nothing to show, they just chose not to put them in a digital format.

Annoying, but let’s talk about games.

Aerial duel

Irem Collection, Volume 2, Air Duel
Screenshot by Destructoid

This is a special item in the collection Aerial duel. This is the only side-scrolling shooter in this group. It is extremely tough, but you will definitely find plenty of accommodation here. However, if you want to finish in the rankings, it will be a real uphill climb.

You can choose between a helicopter or a typical futuristic jet. The jet works as you would expect in this type of game, but the helicopter’s shots will be directed in the direction you are pressing. It’s awkward at first, but learning how to operate it gives you the advantage of staying out of the direct line of fire and still attacking. I didn’t like it the first time, but after completing the first level I can’t imagine playing without it.

About a billion of these types of games were released in the 1980s and 1990s, and many of them can be purchased on the Switch. To, Aerial duel it’s okay. I like it, but it probably won’t be the game I pick up next time I’m in the mood. It will probably be something like this Raiden Or Radial storm. On the other hand, I now have the highest score in this game in the entire world. Take that, three other people who have early access Irem Collection, Volume 2. You suck.

GunForce (arcade)

Irem Collection 2 The Power of Weapons (1)
Screenshot by Destructoid

Technically, not everything is right here, but I feel like the arcade version should come first. Weapon Power it’s like running and gunning Againstexcept with more vehicles and much more clunky ones. Its subtitle is “Battle-Stricken Island of Terror,” which is just an amazing mix of words.

Weapon Power it’s so clunky that it may take some time to acclimatize. Your dude moves so stiffly that enemies just keep pouring in from the side of the screen. Crowd control and learning to dodge doesn’t come as naturally as it probably does Against derivative.

Once you get the hang of things, it can be a fun game. You get a up-to-date vehicle practically every few steps, from jeeps to helicopters. The buffs drop constantly and you can grab onto hanging objects. It’s simply getting in or out of a helicopter, climbing a ladder, or letting go of an item, which can be a bit of a struggle, and in a game like Weapon Powera little fight could mean another life lost.

GunForce (console)

Irem Collection 2 Gun Force console
Screenshot by Destructoid

I keep forgetting about it Weapon Power it even appeared on the SNES/Super Famicom. Probably because it’s not talked about much. At least not in my experience. Including it here is more of a “nice to have” than a “must have” situation. It is largely the same as the arcade version, but has been reduced for weaker hardware. The game is very faithful, with the biggest difference being that on the classic difficulty level you have several sequels. Sometimes there is too little follow-up because a bad situation can make you lose your life quickly. Other times there are too many because there are only a few levels.

The biggest disadvantage is that it is much less colorful. GunForce wasn’t a colorful game to begin with, but everything that was spirited about it was flattened on the SNES. It’s a pity, because the console could have done more. It’s still a nice translation of a good game, but being overshadowed by another game in the collection makes its inclusion feel a bit unnecessary. It’s good to have it though.

Weapon Power II

Irem 2 Gun Force 2 Collection
Screenshot by Destructoid

Weapon Power II is the last arcade game created by Irem. Named Geo storm in Japan, it’s a largely different beast to the original Weapon Power. What they have in common is that they are both run-and-gun shooters, and in each level you have to jump into tons of different vehicles. Otherwise they seem quite distinct.

There is still a noticeable degree of rattling in it Weapon Power IIbut he makes up for it with absurd exaggeration. Your guy is always equipped with two guns and at any given time, 80% of the screen is covered with explosions. It’s a game that never gives up, constantly throwing up-to-date situations at you. Enabling autofire just makes everything crazier. And more fun.

This is not Metal Snailbut you can see the similarities. You save captured people, which in this case are scantily clad women with torn clothes. The enemy’s screams are exactly the same. You can also see a lot of similarities in the art styles between them, although they are less clear and consistent Weapon Power II. Only Takeshi Okui is confirmed to have worked on the art, but I’d be very surprised if he was the only one with Metal Snail team.

Collection

Weapon Power II easily stands out from the rest of the group. I’ve talked to smaller developers who have worked on run-and-gun shooters, and they often cite this as an inspiration. This may not make the entire collection worthwhile, but it’s definitely worth playing.

And this is where the argument comes in: whether the collection is worth it or not. This is a unique title (Weapon Power 2), Good (Aerial duel) and one that’s just okay (Weapon Power). You get different regional versions where applicable, as well as a console port Weapon Power. There isn’t really any extra material (which isn’t entirely unusual) and the user interface could be better. The value is not exactly where it should be. It’s a little more exorbitant than buying three Arcade Archives titles and inferior value to something similar Skill milestones.

In general, Irem Collection, Volume 2 is less than spectacular. If you really like the games, this collection doesn’t diminish them, but it doesn’t elevate them either. In terms of value, it could do worse, but it’s not an immediate recommendation. These are your quarters, do what you want with them.


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