HD port of Sega's excellent vertical shoot-em-up Under Defeat. Sharp gameplay, deep scoring system and punchy soundtrack. A demanding shmup that rewards mastery and perseverance, ideal for genre fans.
Your verdict
Category
Shooter1 player7+
Description
Shoot'em up by G.Rev transposing the vertical shmup Under Defeat from Dreamcast in HD remasters. Published by G.Rev, released in February 2012 exclusively in Japan. Anonymous pilot aboard alternative WWII military helicopter against fictional empire invasion on European front, vertical scrolling shmup gameplay with directional Lock-on Shot system to aim independently of movement, over five HD remastered stages at 1080p, local cooperative mode for up to two players, 2D pixel-art HD aesthetic, arcade soundtrack by Yasuhisa Watanabe.
Under Defeat HD review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
The HD version reframes the vertical shooter for the widescreen. The playfield, once vertical, is flanked by vast illustrated borders that extend the war landscape, and the remaster redraws smoke, flames and dusk lighting in high definition. The art direction turns a technical constraint into a tableau: the once-empty sides become a battlefield fresco framing the action.
The HD edition offers a rearranged soundtrack. The original themes are re-recorded with a fuller instrumentation, real brass and live drums replacing the compressed timbres of the old medium, without betraying the melodic line. The player can toggle between the modern arrangement and the original version, so that the music becomes a two-sided object, memory of the past on one side, a careful rereading on the other.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Engaging"
Difficulty
"Punishing"
A shoot-'em-up from G.rev where the tilt of your fire shapes all offensive and defensive strategy, it calls for precise positioning and fine reading of assaults. Managing your option, aiming well and anticipating the waves outweigh sheer frenzy. Spare but tough, this HD version showcases a demanding design and remains a treat for fans of old-school shmups.
