Well, looking at what we have here, there is definitely one improvement staring me in the face over the original Soldner…the name. Final Prototype is a far easier thing to say outside of German circles than Himmelssturmer, so I must thank the guys at SideQuest for at least giving my brain a slightly less taxing start to proceedings, but then if the addictively hard as nails gameplay is still present from its predecessor, then I’ll need all the mental awareness that I can get.
The original game was one of the highlights of the 2008/09 festive period for me, as it took me back to the days when I could be quite happy sitting in front of the old portable TV playing Gradius and R-Type on the SNES without a care in the world. Sure, it had it’s niggles, such as the power of the weaponry being a bit on the lighter side and a slight lack of urgency, but it didn’t stop it from being one of my favourite downloadable titles on the PS3 (maybe it’s just the retro in me).
So, we move on to June 2010 and we finally get to see the follow up. The first thing that caught my eye before even pressing the start button was the amount of hard drive space this thing takes. At a whopping 1.5 GB of installation required, it must be one of the biggest files I’ve put on the old Foreman grill, and certainly as big as or bigger than many of the commercial demos available.
One overnight download later and I get to finally press the start button and see what’s what. The main story for the game takes place 20 years after the end of the Virus Wars, with peace and prosperity being the order of the day. To some, the restoration of civilization was taking too long and splinter factions formed who were opposed to the plans of the Planetary Union. The D’Aarg were the most feared and dangerous of all the groups and decided to do all they could to take over the system by attacking defenceless worlds and claiming them for their own in order to gain strength and mount their offensive.
Since the previous war the Soldner team have developed new craft and weapons technology, resulting in two new ships for you to choose from, with a secret third kept in storage. Once again it falls to you to save everyone from imminent destruction by kicking space ass and doing all you can to defeat the enemy.
As always, the game looks stunning, but it’s even more so this time. The 1080p resolution really hits home on how colourful this is, especially when the backgrounds are moving a hell of a lot faster than the slightly pedestrian pace of the original. You wouldn’t think faster scenery would make a difference, at least a big one anyway, but when you consider the type of game that this is, it makes a huge impact on what is happening. There is also a bigger range in terms of the world types, which go from asteroid belt ridden space stages to ancient ruins and beyond.
Another major visual improvement is the somewhat easier to spot enemy bullets. They were very close to the background colours in the first Soldner and resulted in quite a number of unnecessary hits, with expectable death ensuing. This time however, all the attack waves heading in your direction can be much more clearly seen, so you can get that extra split second to manoeuvre yourself into a better position.
It’s not just the weapons that are easier to notice this time round. One of the biggest problems the first one had was the inability to know just where some of the bosses were going to attack on screen. By that I mean that if they were going to, for example, do a strike run at you, there would be no warning in any way. This did result in some rather unforgiving (not to mention unfair) end of level battles. This time though there is a rather helpful blue arrowhead, which allows for just enough time to get prepared for things. It may not sound like a lot, but you cannot believe just how much of a difference this makes to the enjoyment of the game, especially when you get rid of the “not my fault” sections of Soldner and replace them with bits where it can only fall to the player to muck it up.
There are seven levels again to get through to complete the game as it’s meant to be done, but only four are available from the outset, with the return of the secret keys giving you access to the other three areas, if you can find them of course. If I were to drop a hint slightly, I would suggest uploading the replays of some of the best players out there and watch out for them, as I can safely say knowing where they are is one thing; GETTING them is a totally different ball game. Still, anything that gives a game replay value is a good addition.
The major new additions in Final Prototype are the Challenges section and the levelling up system. As you go through the levels you will be given specific challenges to perform from this section, such as getting through a level without losing a life and so on. Doing these will give you bonuses in the game, extra credits or maybe even the odd trophy or two. The XP system levels you up whenever you shoot certain amounts of enemies, but to do so you must play through the levels numerous times. It’s all rather clever in its execution and is an incentive to try and try again, as once the difficulty level is ramped up; you’ll have to do just that.
I think the best thing to be improved is the chain system. I have to admit that got me rather confused in the first one, as I couldn’t really follow what to do and ended up with some really ropey (and let’s be frank, pathetic) scores because of it. This area has been simplified for Final Prototype, but is still a vital and tactical way to keep your points tally quite high. Like Sonic the Hedgehog (I hope you know where you’re going with this… Ed.) you must collect the rings you see on screen to keep a chain meter filled, which will have a specific power up contained within. Once a certain level has been attained, this will release to be picked up and another will take it’s place, but as long as you keep collecting the rings, your chain will stay active, not to mention that the multiplier helps as well. This is something for the true masters of the game to pursue after, as some truly insane results can be attained.
The play rank system is another way of keeping things sweet for the player too. What this does is analyses how you’re doing out there in the battlefield and will adapt the game to suit your competence and gaming style, making things easier and less cluttered or harder, which usually results in, as some would say, “squeaky bum time”. It really does make Soldner a game for beginners and experienced players alike.
What you get, as an outsider looking in is the impression that the developers have listened to what the players commented on and improved things accordingly. As a result, everything just feels more solid and, most importantly, fun. Marcus and the guys at SideQuest have really risen to the challenge. The music from Rafael Dyll is very complimentary to the action and still has a hint of Soldner 1 about it.
Taking the tweaks and little changes here and there into account, what you are left with, in my opinion, is a really good contender for the best downloadable game on the PSN this year. Final Prototype is a much more solid, user-friendly experience this time round, but it still manages to keep that hardcore style and setup that the pure and retro among us simply demand. It is a shoot-em-up of the highest order and is a testament to the work done by Marcus Pukropski and his dedicated team. If I had to be just ever so critical, I would ask that the 2 player co-op is made available to play over the net, rather than just local, but that’s the only real fault I can find. The first game was a great blast from the past when it was released a year and a half ago. The newest addition to the Soldner family not only keeps up with the original; it blows it away in comparison, especially for those from the 10p arcade generation.
VideogameUK verdict: 9/10
Don’t forget, we have 3 copies of the game to giveaway. Full details will be appearing very soon, so keep your eyes peeled.
