- 3RD-STRIKE.COM - A La Une - 09/Jul 03:37

Irem Collection Volume 3 – Review

From Neo Geo Pocket to Taito and even Jurassic Park, we’re certainly no strangers to retro games collections. Up until this point, however, Japanese developer Irem’s offerings managed to slip through the cracks and escape our scrutiny. That changes now, with the release of Irem Collection Volume 3. Is this a collection worth picking up if you’re looking for a retro shmup fix or are you better off sticking with the likes of G-Darius and Gleylancer? There are three titles included in Volume 3: Dragon Breed, Mystic Riders, and Mr. Heli. All three of these titles belong to the same genre, being side-scrolling shoot-’em-ups, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that this is a monotonous set of games. In practice, they are surprisingly varied. We’ll break down each of the games individually further down in this review. What you should know first, however, is that the collection itself feels very barebones. You’re getting the three games of course, as well as a variant for Mr. Heli, but that’s it. There are no bonus features like an art gallery or virtual manuals included here. Hell, we’d be happy with a music player. Granted, bonus content like this is a rarity to see in retro collections, but it always feels like a missed opportunity. Looking at the games themselves then, let’s start with Dragon Breed. This one puts you atop a giant, invincible dragon. There are a variety of different power-ups and attacks at your disposal, and you can even make use of the dragon’s invincible tail and body to shield you from incoming attacks. Don’t let this fool you into thinking that Dragon Breed is an easy game though, as the rider is a mere mortal, and a fragile one at that. This makes for an interesting take on the side-scrolling genre, as maneuvering to avoid incoming attacks is almost as important as taking out enemies. Mystic Riders continues the fantasy angle, but instead of riding on a dragon, you’re flying on a broom. It’s very reminiscent of the Cotton series in this regard. The standout feature here is that you can tackle Mystic Riders in co-op. It’s a fairly straightforward take on the genre otherwise, seeing you take on spooky enemies while switching between fire- and lightning-based attacks. You can also use your broom as a boomerang-like projectile, adding a further tool to your arsenal. It’s perhaps the least challenging of the three titles included here, but that also means it is the most accessible one. Rounding things out is Mr. Heli, a game that is included in two distinct versions. There’s the arcade version but the collection also includes the PC version of the game. No matter which version you play, Mr. Heli alternates between side-scrolling shmup action and being able to traverse stages at your own pace. This ties into the maze-like stage designs, which provide a change of pace from the typical auto-scrolling forward movement. There are also destructible objects littered around, which generate money. This can then be spent on upgrades. Enemies attack from all around you, so it’s a good thing that you can fire back at them in all directions. The PC version is significantly easier than the arcade version, as it wasn’t designed to suck coins out of the wallets of unsuspecting arcade patrons. To its credit, the emulation in this collection is top-notch, although this is to be expected. Once a publisher has their emulator up and running, it’s simply a matter of injecting the right games and presto. These aren’t the most demanding games either, of course, and they run smooth as butter, with tight, snappy controls. Additionally, there may not be any actual bonus content here, but there are plenty of QoL features, ensuring that this is the best and most accessible way to enjoy these titles. Controls can be fully customized, for starters. At this point, things like a rewind feature and save states are pretty much expected in retro games collections, so it’s not a surprise to see them included here. Rounding things out is a cheat mode. It’s worth mentioning that if you use any of these features, your run won’t count for the online leaderboards. As far as audiovisual presentation goes, these games are of course products of their time. The pixel art looks decent enough, and there are a couple of filters to mimic the effects of CRT screens, which is a nice little touch, but nothing mind-blowing. We did notice that there were weird scan lines present in Mr. Heli, though we’re not sure if this is the result of poor emulation or if it was intentional. Either way, the games look, sound, and play the part. If you’re a retro enthusiast, it’s likely that you will love what is being offered here. Even then, the €24.99 price tag seems a little steep, even for diehards. Conclusion The individual games included in Irem Collection Volume 3 have stood the test of time, but as a whole, this release feels somewhat underwhelming. With no bonus content and only the expected functionality, it’s difficult to justify the price tag, although that is common with these kinds of collections. Admittedly, the emulation is very good, and these games have probably never played better. Retro enthusiasts will love what’s being offered here but if you’re only a casual genre fan, we’re not sure whether this is one worth picking up.