Soldner-X 2: The Final Protoype - The Last Chapter [Review]

Back in June the PSN received Soldner-X 2, the sequel to the 2008 shmup that at times redefined the meaning of hardcore.  With a more approachable difficulty level, Soldner-X 2 provided a nice amount of content that consisted of some well thought out boss battles and of course the seizure inducing visuals that accompany most shmup games.  Now, five months later we have The Last Chapter, a brand new piece of DLC for Soldner-X 2 that adds a few new levels, more maddingly difficult challenges and bookends the tale told in the core Soldner-X 2 story.

I don’t know what it is, but I absolutely adore shmup games.  I guess it’s the enjoyment I have dodging bullet waves along with the thrill that’s to be had when taking down a massive boss.  My first entry into the shmup genre was the PS1 classic Einhander from Square. I played the hell out of Einhander due to the terrific music, Blade Runner-esque visuals and challenging yet addicting gameplay.  Soldner-X 2 may not quite be on the level of Einhander perfection but it’s damn near close to it with the addition of The Last Chapter.

Consisting of three new levels, The Last Chapter is a small piece of DLC but that doesn’t mean it packs a powerful punch.  Retaining the existing gameplay mechanics, The Last Chapter at times can be a breeze for a shmup veteran or those who casually enjoy the genre but then out of nowhere it’ll blindside you with something that’s absurd or give you a challenge that you would swear is rigged against you.  Just like the core Soldner-X 2 experience, The Last Chapter is at times relentless in how many enemies it throws at you and they certainly don’t hold back on the bullet waves as times the screen will be filled with nothing but purple/red orbs or missiles that were homing in on me.  Compared to the rest of the game, things do seem ramped up a bit in The Last Chapter but that’s fitting since these three levels are the true end of the game and we all know it’s always fun to face a true challenge at the end.

The levels included in The Last Prototype are pretty much the standard length one would expect from Soldner-X 2, but as I said earlier things are ramped up a bit and I often found myself constantly on my toes so at times the levels felt longer than they actually were.  Aside from featuring new locales, which range include taking on a massive battleship in space, The Last Chapter also includes several new enemy designs and of course three bosses. On the topic of the new enemies there’s not a lot to say as most of them follow the attack patterns that Soldner-X 2 vets should be familiar with.  But what is interesting is that the last level in the DLC totally goes bonkers in just about every way. Right from the trippy background which gave me flashbacks to the last level in Omega Boost, to the winged enemies that looked like something Salvidor Dali painted; The Last Chapter really delivers on providing some fresh levels and a good challenge. Without spoiling things too much, I will say the last boss, which is the best out of the bunch, may not be down for the count when you think he is as SideQuest almost pulls a Hideo Kojima style tease which is beyond awesome.

Aside from the core difficulty of the game in terms of facing enemies and bosses, it’s still hard as hell to earn a good score in Soldner-X 2.  If there’s one gripe to be had, the issues concerning the scoring would be it for me. Obviously I was a bit rusty upon first playing the DLC, but after warming up a bit I still found myself being rewarded with a D grade after finishing a level.  I’m probably sounding like a cry baby, but Soldner-X 2 really requires one to play at their best otherwise you’re going to be saddled with a D grade that makes you feel like a complete loser.  The game is still fun as hell to play, but for people who want to vie for top rankings on the online leaderboards you better be ready to step your game up a lot.

For only $4.99 Soldner-X 2: The Final Prototype – The Last Chapter (it’s still a mouthful) is a solid piece of DLC as it includes three new levels, new challenge levels that turned my hair grey and even new Trophies to earn.  I did wish that there were a few additional levels to add some more goodness to the package but looking at everything Soldner-X 2 does go out on a good note in The Last Chapter and fans of the series ought to dig what it provides: a balls-to-the wall shmup experience.