Last Resort Longplay (Neo Geo) [60 FPS]

Developed and published by SNK in 1992

Follow me on Twitter:   / al82_retro  
Add me on Google+: http://bit.ly/1tPwL1u

Far in the future, mankind has continued to push the boundaries of science and technology ever further in the pursuit of intergalactic space travel and the colonisation of other worlds. Unfortunately, a computer virus manages to infect the computer systems running man's principle space station, activating it's on-board defence systems and becoming a serious threat in the process. To make matters worse, the sentient AI manages to convince the humans present on the station to ally themselves with it and to launch an assault on Earth.

Non-too happy with facing the prospect of facing threat of annihilation at the hands of their new cyborg overlords, Earth's remaining defence forces scramble in a last-ditch effort to destroy the repel the attackers and ensure the the continued future of humankind. As pilot of one of the attack ships repelling the invasion, the player must destroy wave after wave of enemy ships, robots and bio-mechanical abominations across five stages of horizontally scrolling, shoot 'em-up action.

The first thing anyone will notice about the game is quality of the artwork and graphics, which are, in short, stunning. The Neo Geo was easily the most graphically capable of the 16-bit era consoles, but Last Resort was released relatively early in the machines lifetime and it already looks absolutely stunning. With vibrant colours, multiple levels of parallax scrolling and attention to detail synonymous with SNK titles, Last Resort looks every bit the top-tier arcade shooter it aspires to be.

The game also features some genuinely excellent audio effects and music. The thumping bass-line and sirens in the opening level's backing track really helps get the adrenaline pumping as the player's ship cruises above the highway of a futuristic city that bears more than a passing resemblance to Neo-Tokyo from seminal anime/manga, Akira.

Although not quite a clone, Last Resort is clearly influenced by the R-Type game series, developed by Irem. Once collected, the player's ship can equip itself with an attack module/satellite that acts as both a defensive barrier against enemy projectiles, as well as an offensive weapon that can be fired at enemies by charging up the ship's power gauge. Unlike R-Type, however, the satellite module is not simply fixed to the front or rear of the players ship, but can rotate 360 degrees around the craft, allowing the player to launch it from just about any position.

Moving the player's ship causes the satellite to move around the main craft, but it can also be locked in place by pressing the 'B' button. Mastering control of the satellite becomes absolutely essential as later levels become increasingly difficult, with enemies attacking from every conceivable angle.

The player's ship can be upgraded with power-ups dropped by certain enemies, including missiles, homing rockets and missile batteries. Other collectables affect how the satellite's charge-up attack works, causing it to either ricochet or stick to the scenery.

Should you manage to beat all five of the game's levels, you're sent back to the beginning and made to play through the game for a second time before you get to witness the game's proper ending. The second loop is largely the same as before, although there are more enemies and some of the bosses gain new attack patterns that might catch you off guard. It's a shame that there aren't more levels, but this really is a case of quality over quantity.

With it's killer visuals, pounding soundtrack and fantastic gameplay, Last Resort is easily one of the best shoot 'em ups you can play and and certainly a title that all fans of the genre will be sure to love.
#retrogaming