R-Type Final 2

Overview

R-Type Final 2 is a sci-fi side-scrolling shoot-'em-up developed and published by Granzella, with NIS America publishing it outside of Japan, for the Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC on April 29, 2021.

The sixth main installment of the R-Type series, and led by some of the team behind the previous 2003 installment R-Type Final, R-Type Final 2 brings the series into full HD while adding various game customization options (such as ship and pilot appearances, course layouts, and stage names), a crafting system for unlocking new ships, and post-release DLC (most of which are recreated stages from past games in the series, as well as games from Irem's previous catalog).

Similar to R-Type Final, the game's story has players investigating military operations between humanity and the Bydo. Rather than focusing solely on the major counter-offensive known as "Operation: Last Dance", however, this story tasks players with discovering new war records throughout the entire conflict in order to strengthen anti-Bydo weapon development.

The game later received an enhanced port for the PlayStation 5 on March 23, 2023, known as R-Type Final 3 Evolved. Along with new stages, this version features a third-person free-roaming online lobby system and VR support, with the latter showing a first-person sequence for launching the ship.

Gameplay

Like its predecessor, the game includes over 100 ships to choose from, each with their own unique weaponry. Unlike the original R-Type Final, in which most of the ships are unlocked solely through a tech-tree system, R-Type Final 2 combines a tech-tree system with a crafting system, as players earn resources through normal gameplay. Only half of the ships were made available in the game's release, with the remaining ships added through post-release updates (with the final one added on March 16, 2022). Three additional ships were made exclusive to certain crowdfunding backers through passwords, and some additional ships were added as DLC.

DLC Stages

Stage Pass Volume One

Set 1

Released on game launch.

• Stage X1.0 - Flame-Engulfed Arms Factory - Based on the the 4th stage from R-Type III.
• Stage X2.0 - Inside of Ruins - Based on the 5th stage from R-Type Leo.

Set 2

Released on June 4, 2021.

• Stage X3.0 - Crazed Craft - Based on the 1st stage from R-Type Delta.
• Stage X4.0 - Warship Out Of Hell - Based on the 3rd stage from R-Type.

Set 3

Released on July 9, 2021.

• Stage X5.0 - Distorted Ecosystem - Based on the 2nd stage from R-Type Final.
• Stage X6.0 - Resource Quarry Ruins - Based on the 4th stage from R-Type II.
• Stage X7.0 - Encounter - Based on the 1st stage from R-Type.

Stage Pass Volume Two

Set 4

Released on October 15, 2021.

• Stage Y1.0 - Azure Grotto - Based on the the 2nd stage from R-Type II.
• Stage Y2.0 - Materialized Virtual Training Space - Based on the 3rd stage from Image Fight.

Set 5

Released on January 28, 2022.

• Stage Y3.0 - Geirrod Fortress Strategic War - Based on the Geirrod Fortress in R-Type Tactics II.
• Stage Y4.0 - Corrosion - Based on the 4th stage from R-Type Delta.

Set 6

Released on February 24, 2022.

• Stage Y5.0 - Forgotten Lab - Based on the 4th stage from R-Type Final.
• Stage Y6.0 - Pluto Outer Base Glitnir Strategic War - Based on the Glitnir Fortress in R-Type Tactics II.
• Stage Y7.0 - Bio-Cavity - Based on the 2nd stage from R-Type.

Stage Pass Volume Three

Set 7

Released on August 10, 2022.

• Stage Z1.0 - On a Shining Green Planet - Based on the the 1st stage from Battle Chopper.
• Stage Z2.0 - Deep Sea Ruins - Based on the 5th stage from In The Hunt.

Set 8

Released on September 25, 2022.

• Stage Z3.0 - The City That Sleeps - Based on the 1st stage from R-Type Final.
• Stage Z4.0 - Auxiliary Base - Based on the 5th stage from R-Type II.

Set 9

Released on October 29, 2022.

• Stage Z5.0 - Front Line Base - Based on the 4th stage from R-Type.
• Stage Z6.0 - Awakening - Based on the 6th stage from R-Type Delta. In the DLC Course, players choose which of the two Z7 stages to proceed to based on the final power-up chosen.
• Stage Z7.0 - Lunar Base Infiltration - Based on the 7th and final stages from Image Fight.
• Stage Z7.1 - Summer Evening - Based on the final B stage from R-Type Final.

Crowdfunding

R-Type Final 2 was originally part of a Kickstarter campaign throughout 2019, receiving ¥98,863,825 in funding (with an additional ¥31,508,103 in two additional crowdfunding rounds).