Analysis of the Irem collection Vol.

Irem still has a lot of work to do, and he shows it with a second game pack full of excessive freneticism

We cannot deny our interest in classic games. There are many occasions when we return to our childhood to enjoy once again these cult gems that flooded the arcades. Or to discover hidden gems that have never crossed borders. Either way, it’s a pleasure to look back and, of course, we can’t forget Irem Collection Vol. 2, the second part of a trilogy where we will experience moments of action in abundance. Stay tuned because you will surely have seen some of these titles that make up the collection at some point in an arcade.

Back to the 90s

Yes ok the first volume more focused on space shooters, this time there’s a bit more diversity. We will have three different games: Gun Force (in its arcade and SNES versions), Gunforce II and Air Duel. The first two belong to the wonderful world of run and shootwhile the last is a shooter with vertically scrolling planes and helicopters. And while they may seem like few in one pack, it’s worth it for the fun they offer.

In fact, what bothers me the most in this second volume is not the lack of games which may be a problem for some, but the pWhat additional information, development history or extras they may have. As on other occasions, we are faced with a brief menu, and although there are several options such as changing the title region or choosing between the original mode and another where tricks are introduced, it seems insufficient to me . Of course, as I mentioned, The quality that the three proposals possess can justify their purchase.

Gun Force – Born to Shoot

I was very shocked to see this saga on the album, because I had really completely forgotten about it. I had vague memories of this frenzy run and shoot somewhere, and regaining control of the protagonist is a marvel. Both sides are frantic, full of bullets and different types of shots for our weapons. To understand each other, Gun Force 2 is the successor to Metal Slug, although it is much more energetic, with a multitude of vehicles to destroy the enemy. And when I say it’s the successor, I mean it literally, since several of the developers of the first Metal Slug were involved in this sequel.

Irem did a great job including other versions other than the typical recreational versions. This is what we see with the port released on SNES. On a technical level, it’s well below the arcade original, but it’s nice to see the different design changes and see how the studio racked its brains to transfer this dance of balls to a console lower performance living room models. If you like carrying a gun in each hand and blowing up everything in your path, I think there’s nothing more to say.

Air Duel – Propeller or motor?

Although it may seem that this third work remains a little in the shadows, the truth is that it is a very well thought-out shooter. It’s the typical vertical-scrolling “little boat” game, except that Here we will control a plane or a helicopter, each with its virtues and its faults. While the aircraft focuses more on direct forward fire, with the helicopter we can “tilt” the shot to significantly rotate the trajectory. Small changes that make a difference and make us think about how to face the fight against the enemy. We are not faced with a bullet hell as such, but it requires a lot of concentration because Whichever vehicle you choose, its movements are heavy and we will have little time to avoid enemy bullets.

More after eliminating the bad guys?

And that’s the big problem we have with these types of compilations. There are no challenges, added extras, or any other incentives that make them replayable. Being arcade games, we can complete each title in half an hour. This means that In one afternoon we can complete Irem Collection Volume 2 if we insert infinite credits.

Conclusion of the Irem Collection Vol.2

Lovers of proposals for action cannot lose sight of this collection that Irem presents to us. We are faced with several games where the balls come and go in different ways. Although Air Duel takes up the ship shooting mechanics as we saw in Irem Collection Vol 1, in this pack we have two other titles that draw inspiration from the classics. run and shoot of the time. Gun Force and Gunforce 2 are two hidden gems that will give us a good dose of adrenaline, whether individually or in local co-op. It may not attract much attention at first, but if I say that behind its development are members of the original Metal Slug, you might be more interested.

And although in general the games presented in this compilation offer good quality and are entertaining, an additional incentive or addition is needed that goes beyond the port. I’m not saying add new phases or remaster them, but a little history of each game, illustrations or optional challenges would have been wonderful. Despite these flaws, if all you want is to release some adrenaline with a “old schooll”, don’t lose sight of this collection.