Under Defeat HD

 PlayStation 3
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 14 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 14
  3. Negative: 3 out of 14
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  1. TheOmegaMale
    Oct 8, 2016
    2
    Under Defeat is a Shoot Em Up or "SHMUP" that has gained a good reputation amongst the Dreamcast community as one of the best examples of it's genre. It is also hideously expensive to buy for the Dreamcast as it was released very late in that consoles life span and usually has to be imported from Japan. It has received a port to the PS3 some time ago and seemed like a great option forUnder Defeat is a Shoot Em Up or "SHMUP" that has gained a good reputation amongst the Dreamcast community as one of the best examples of it's genre. It is also hideously expensive to buy for the Dreamcast as it was released very late in that consoles life span and usually has to be imported from Japan. It has received a port to the PS3 some time ago and seemed like a great option for playing the game at a more reasonable price.

    I was super hyped to be able to pick up a digital download copy of this game in a recent Sony sale (about 10 pounds UK) and finally have the chance to play it. So imagine my disappointment when after jumping into the game I'm met with the most horrendous frame rate issues I've EVER seen in a PS3 game. The game literally ground to a halt when the screen got busy. I seriously haven't seen anything this bad in years (I'm talking NES / SNES era).

    While the game does have some great options for screen adjustment, for those that can rotate their monitor through 90 degrees for a more arcade experience, this doesn't hide the fact that more basic options are missing. An example of this is in the control method options. There really should be a way to rotate the angle of your helicopter buy using the controler shoulder buttons. It seems like such a basic omission. Arcade purists will scoff at this, but at least give players the choice!

    Of the different view modes on offer, the original arcade mode worked the best and interestingly seems to have the least slowdown. The "new order mode" which is a widescreen mode specifically for this port is the worst offender when it comes to the frame rate issues I mentioned earlier and was (in my opinion) all but unplayable.

    Sadly I can't recommend this game to anyone. Perhaps the only way to play this game as intended is on the Dreamcast. Which is crazy when you think how much more powerful the PS3 must be. I can only put this down to really sloppy porting. In which case the developer has massively let themselves down.

    It's very rarely that I find a game to be so frustratingly unplayable because of technical issues that I delete it from my console, but that's exactly what I did with this awful port of an otherwise great game. Just don't buy it. You'll only be setting yourself up for disapointment.    … Expand
  2. MiOdd
    Dec 3, 2012
    8
    Shmups are a niche genre that is better suited for digital releases. Nonetheless, I feel there is something special about owning physical copies of games and to see any shmup getting a retail package in this day and age is rare. I felt this reason alone was worthy of my purchase to show publishers that there is a market for this kind of thing. As for the game itself, I think it'sShmups are a niche genre that is better suited for digital releases. Nonetheless, I feel there is something special about owning physical copies of games and to see any shmup getting a retail package in this day and age is rare. I felt this reason alone was worthy of my purchase to show publishers that there is a market for this kind of thing. As for the game itself, I think it's excellent. Most shmup fans are content to just have arcade perfect ports but this developer went the extra mile to give us the straight up port and a fully rearranged 16:9 version of the game, this is no easy task considering the original arcade game was on a vertical screen. The game is a manic shmup and comes equipped with a unique control scheme where your character will tilt and lock direction when firing, this allows you to shoot across the screen at wide angles which lends itself to the new 16:9 ratio very well. The game is also very difficult (as good shmups should be) but never frustrating. Like most manic shmups, when you die, you know why you died and feel responsible, as opposed to other shmups like the R-Type series where certain deaths are unavoidable on your first play through. I much rather prefer the manic style of shmup that Under Defeat displays and I think fans of the genre will also be pleased with this release.… Expand
  3. williamflipper
    Jan 23, 2013
    7
    It looks great and fun.. but my disk version have a lot of frame rate issue during explosion .... kind of a shame for shooter... I still enjoying it.. but just for fanatic of the genre..
  4. JSXero
    Apr 7, 2014
    9
    Whilst many developers think that shmups have no place in modern gaming, that there is no demand for full release games with graphics made from the ground up rather that just polishing some old sprites and slapping HD on the box, Under Defeat really sets the standard for Shmup releases in the future, and not only that shows that the genre when done right has a demand in today's video gameWhilst many developers think that shmups have no place in modern gaming, that there is no demand for full release games with graphics made from the ground up rather that just polishing some old sprites and slapping HD on the box, Under Defeat really sets the standard for Shmup releases in the future, and not only that shows that the genre when done right has a demand in today's video game market.

    Under Defeat looks amazing, a lot of effort has been put into the visuals to make it feel in place in 2012. This isn't a downloadable version of a 20 year old game, some real love has gone into it. Gameplay wise you couldn't ask for anything better than Under Defeat for today's modern shmup fan. Intense and challenging sum up a session of this polished shooter, and it is rewarding to keep coming back for more. Other than being another bullet hell shooter lost in the shuffle, Under Defeat really offers some layers to how to keep your helicopter alive in a relentless assault that doesn't back away easily.

    It may break some controllers, but in a good way, if that is a thing. The standard bearer for a shmup release in this decade.    … Expand
  5. Dingytheman
    Jun 27, 2021
    2
    This game is supposed to have a reputation but tbh I did not like the weapon/powerup system, it was just boring to me, If you don't care much about power ups and this isn't enough to detract you, then good luck tolerating the absolutely TERRIBLE FRAMERATE! the game seems to hit 5fps when there's a lot of explosions on screen, totally unacceptable specially for a shooter.

Awards & Rankings

87
#87 Best PS3 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. Gaming Nexus
    Jan 15, 2013
    70
    This game really should have been a digital only release for $10-$15 dollars at the most. If you played Under Defeat back on the Dreamcast or even in arcades and want to play it again in its full HD glory then go right ahead but personally for anyone else I would suggest waiting till the price comes down because its pretty expensive for what you are actually getting.
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  2. Gaming Age
    Dec 27, 2012
    100
    Under Defeat HD has that special charm that is either loved or hated by shmup fans. Its different controls and high difficulty may be too heavy for those new to the genre, but veterans will feel right at home here.
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  3. DarkStation
    Dec 20, 2012
    65
    Unless you are a die hard fan, consider other cheaper, and most of all, better alternatives.
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