Few genres put a smile on my face quite like the shoot ’em up genre. The highly addictive, just one-more-go gameplay loop and its often-rock-solid difficulty deliver that dopamine hit like no other style. So, when a classic entry gets a nip and tuck and sent back to the frontlines, you better believe I’ll be taking it for a spin and that’s just what’s happened to Under Defeat.
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Under Defeat started life as an arcade smash in Japan in 2005, then proved a late, late Dreamcast hit back in 2006. It had a second life on seventh-gen systems, hitting Xbox 360 and PS3 in 2013. The game clearly has some pedigree, but is that enough for a third bit some 20 years after its original release.
The Empire Strikes Back
Under Defeat was originally developed by G.rev, and has been brought to PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch by City Connection.
The game takes place in an alternate reality during World War II, where you control characters fighting for the ‘the Empire’ against ‘the Union’. Think the Mitchell and Webb ‘Are we the baddies’ sketch.
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As you take to the air in your armed to the teeth chopper, to blast everything that moves across five different stages. Don’t be fooled though, this is far from a pleasure flight as its rock solid on the challenge front.
Plus, this version is somewhat of an ultimate edition. The visuals have been given the HD treatment with a few new modes and a remastered soundtrack. Also, every bit of DLC that has been released to date for the game is here.
New Bullet Hell
Under Defeat‘s gameplay mixs things up from your standard shoot ’em ups. For a start, the game features a lock shoot system that lets you shoot diagonally while holding the fire button.
This brings so much to the table. Every frame will see you thinking about where you’ll be next. Your overall position, movement, cover and and angle are all key to victory. Under Defeat demands strategic thinking for its brand of aerial combat.
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You are equipped with two main weapons. Under Defeat offers a gun/missile system, with bombs to clear the area if things get too much. Though your missile system has a bit of a reload time, so you have to think out each shot. It packs a punch, but if it’s reloading, you’ll only have your guns to fall back on.
Those expecting to jump in here and be clearing stages in seconds are in for a shock, as the game demands you learn its brand of warfare and if you don’t, you’ll be crashing and burning over and over again.
Seamless Chaos
Each stage builds on the last and sure getting the perfect run and you’ll see the credits roll in 30 odd mins. But you’ll take days, weeks even months if you aim to do a legendary, one credit clear on the game.
Beyond the core arcade mode there are two others to play – New Order mode, which changes the game to wide screen and tweaks enemy patterns, to better work with the new format and New Order+ mode which spices it all up a bit more, but no spoilers here on that.
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You also get to pick from four different choppers to attack the game with which were once DLC, each has different stats; like speed and the like, so it’s worth taking them for a spin to see which best fits your style.
Master Remaster Blaster
This Under Defeat HD remaster is laden with detail while packed with (at times) stunning explosion effects. If you’re doing it right, your eyes will bleed, but in a good way. The reworked soundtrack is also outstanding. The music of new Under Defeat has a higher tempo, but you can roll back to the original, too.
Under Defeat is incredibly challenging but mostly equally rewarding. It’s a shoot ’em up that offers something a little different in a genre crowded by bullet hell titles. Under Defeat demands you to play the game to its tune, but click with its brand of blasting, and you’ll have a hell of a time.