This demo version of R-Type has some differences from the full game.

Developed by Irem, the same folks behind the rest of the R-Type games, the R-Type Command demo begins with a pre-rendered cutscene featuring the good ol’ R-9 and HR Giger inspired Bydo, followed by a drop into the main menu to start a new game and christen your commander. From there, the demo limits you to three single player skirmish missons, an adhoc multiplayer mode map, and a fairly extensive help system slash R-type encyclopedia.

Once deployed and into a mission, gameplay is very much your standard tactics genre fare. Move units, attack nearby enemies, watch as opponent does the same, rinse, repeat. There’s a healthy assortment of ships to deploy, and most vessels have a variety of weapons and abilities to choose from. While the full game will allow you to mix up your forces and armament a bit, there’s no customization in the demo; you’re stuck with the units they’ve given you. Fortunately, the full release looks like it will have this in spades: you’ll be able to recruit new pilots, design and outfit ships, and even change the background image on the main menu.
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