Remake of strange, rare R-Type Tactics 1 & 2 to release in Fall 2024

The modernized and remade PC version of tactical shoot 'em up R-Type Tactics 1 and 2 is clearly not coming this year as previously listed. Developer Granzella has announced that R-Type Tactics I - II Cosmos is in fact coming in fall 2024, instead, during a recent livestream.

Kind of a shame, because we had it on our lists of both Strategy RPGs and games to look forward to more generally for this year, not least of all because they're both PSP games that are a lot of work to get your hands on nowadays. The release of R-Type Tactics 2 will be the game's debut outside of Japan.

"If you thought Metal Slug and Gears of War were odd choices for turn-based spin-offs, let me introduce you to R-Type Tactics and its wonderfully named sequel R-Type Tactics 2: Operation Bitter Chocolate," wrote a fresh-faced, optimistic Jody MacGregor at the start of the year.

The bundled remake by developer Granzella will use Unreal Engine 5, among many other improvements. They'll include multiple campaigns for each faction, each of which has branching storylines in R-Type Tactics 2. The remake also includes the multiplayer mode for both games—which is kind of wild, to be perfectly honest. I can't imagine it's the most important bit, but the commitment is admirable.

R-Type Tactics is a weird bird, though. The R-Type series is a classic of the shoot 'em up genre, with a spaceship moving relentlessly from one side of the screen to another while shredding as many enemy ships as it can. The tactics spinoff doesn't change the relentless pace of moving left to right, but it does make it happen on a turn-based hex grid instead—no turning to change direction or face backwards allowed.

You can find R-Type Tactics I - II Cosmos on Steam.

Jon Bolding is a games writer and critic with an extensive background in strategy games. When he's not on his PC, he can be found playing every tabletop game under the sun.