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Last Hope (video game)
Encyclopedia
Last Hope is a single-player side-scrolling shoot 'em up
video game for the Neo Geo AES
, Neo Geo CD
, and Dreamcast systems. It was developed by German
indie
developer NG:DEV.TEAM in 2006. While the Neo Geo version was self-published, the Dreamcast version was released by redspotgames
in January 2007, as an unlicensed title. In 2009 The Dreamcast version received a reprint in the form of a Directors Cut called Last Hope Pink Bullets. This edition features improved on screen visibility in comparison to its 1st print due to pink bullets etc. That and various other features make the game easier to allow a more accessible gameplay experience with emphasis on scoring.
Unlike the previous release Last Hope Pink Bullets came in a Pink DVD Case instead of a Jewel Japanese Style Dreamcast casing.
Some of the changes are:
January 30, 2007 RedSpotGames published 2500 Units of the game (500 copies were reserved for sale with the limited edition)
May 3, 2007 The limited edition of Last Hope was released with 500 Vinyl Style Compact discs containing the soundtrack.
November 19, 2007 NGDT Produced 500 units for NeoGeoCD
September 4, 2009 NGDT Produced 1000 Units of Last Hope Pink Bullets which were distributed Internationally by RedSpotGames.
550 (around $
730). It was only available from the developers.
In contrast, the Dreamcast version sells for $40, and the "Limited Edition" with bundled soundtrack CD was sold for $80. Van Basilco and Play-Asia
were the only online stores approved to sell Last Hope for the Dreamcast. The Limited Edition was limited to only 500 units and is already a highly sought after item. It sold out 5 days after the release day and currently prices up to $259.
Currently Last Hope Pink Bullets is retailing for 25$ via NGDev Direct
and Gradius
, but especially of Pulstar
, with its "tactical" gameplay
and pre-rendered
backgrounds and sprites
.
The game has been criticized for featuring very hard to distinguish enemy-bullets which are almost the same color as explosions/debris.
Some reviewers have commended Last Hope as technically impressive for Neo Geo standards, while others focus criticism on gameplay issues.
The NeoGeo CD version of this game features higher visibility due to pink colored bullets, which are better to distinguish between explosions/debris. In response to the criticism Last Hope Pink Bullets was released in 2009 for Dreamcast.
The ratings range from 54% (MAN!AC, Germany
) to 80% (GamesTM, UK) or second best score "good" (PC Action, Germany
)
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
video game for the Neo Geo AES
Neo Geo (console)
The is a cartridge-based arcade and home video game system released on July 1, 1991 by Japanese game company SNK. Being in the Fourth generation of Gaming, it was the first console in the former Neo Geo family, which only lived through the 1990s...
, Neo Geo CD
Neo Geo CD
is a game console from SNK that was released in 1994, four years after its cartridge-based equivalent, in an effort to reduce manufacturing costs. It is the second console of the Neo Geo family. The system was originally priced at US$300 new. The unit's 1X CD-ROM drive was slow, making loading...
, and Dreamcast systems. It was developed by German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
indie
Indie game
Independent video game development is the process of creating video games without the financial support of a video game publisher. While large firms can create independent games, they are usually designed by an individual or a small team of as many as ten people, depending on the complexity of the...
developer NG:DEV.TEAM in 2006. While the Neo Geo version was self-published, the Dreamcast version was released by redspotgames
RedSpotGames
redspotgames is a video game publisher, distributor and promoter based in Munich, Germany. Established in 2005, the company is known for releasing new games for the long discontinued Sega Dreamcast video game system, recently redspotgames have also branched off publishing to digital services such...
in January 2007, as an unlicensed title. In 2009 The Dreamcast version received a reprint in the form of a Directors Cut called Last Hope Pink Bullets. This edition features improved on screen visibility in comparison to its 1st print due to pink bullets etc. That and various other features make the game easier to allow a more accessible gameplay experience with emphasis on scoring.
Story
An evil empire from another galaxy is heading towards Earth. Barely 24 hours beforehand, they had penetrated the last line of defense in Earth's galaxy, the Arsion Laser Belt. Millions of innocent people perished in outer space colonies. 70% of earth's fleet was destroyed during first contact. Intelligence reports six days until their arrival. Conventional weapons cannot stop them. The last hope is in your hands: The Z-42 Warpstar. Warp into their territories and destroy their leader before they reach Earth.Features
- Free 360° rotary protection unit for shooting and dodging enemy fire
- Six stages with checkpoints
- Four difficulty levels
- Hand-drawn backgrounds
- Fully animated CGIComputer-generated imageryComputer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
enemies
Technical
- Both CD versions feature a high quality CD Digital Audio soundtrack
- Region-free
- Constant 60 frame/s with up to 4 parallax layers
- Lighting and transparency FX
- Smooth plasma FX
- Dreamcast version is a pixel-perfect port, with 240p scanlines in progressive mode
- Dreamcast VGA, NTSC and PAL systems on 60Hz are supported
Pink Bullets edition
As a response to criticism regarding the game's difficulty, the developer released an updated version titled Last Hope: Pink Bullets for the Dreamcast on September 19, 2009. This edition features improved on screen visibility in comparison to its 1st print due to pink bullets etc. That and various other features make the game easier to allow a more accessible gameplay experience with emphasis on scoring.Unlike the previous release Last Hope Pink Bullets came in a Pink DVD Case instead of a Jewel Japanese Style Dreamcast casing.
Some of the changes are:
- Instant respawn
- Permanent rotary protection unit
- Higher ship speed from beginning
- Reduced difficulty
- Changes in background and bullet colors for higher visibility
Release
July 10, 2006 NGDT Produced 60 Units of the game for NeoGeo and sold it directly via their website.January 30, 2007 RedSpotGames published 2500 Units of the game (500 copies were reserved for sale with the limited edition)
May 3, 2007 The limited edition of Last Hope was released with 500 Vinyl Style Compact discs containing the soundtrack.
November 19, 2007 NGDT Produced 500 units for NeoGeoCD
September 4, 2009 NGDT Produced 1000 Units of Last Hope Pink Bullets which were distributed Internationally by RedSpotGames.
Pricing
Only 60 copies of the Neo Geo AES version were produced, making this is an extremely rare and collectible title. Since that, and the high cost of producing the cartridges, the game was sold for €Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
550 (around $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
730). It was only available from the developers.
In contrast, the Dreamcast version sells for $40, and the "Limited Edition" with bundled soundtrack CD was sold for $80. Van Basilco and Play-Asia
Play-Asia
Play-Asia is an online retailer for entertainment products from Asia. The website sells import games, DVDs, music, CDs, gadgets, groceries, books, gaming console accessories, cables and toys...
were the only online stores approved to sell Last Hope for the Dreamcast. The Limited Edition was limited to only 500 units and is already a highly sought after item. It sold out 5 days after the release day and currently prices up to $259.
Currently Last Hope Pink Bullets is retailing for 25$ via NGDev Direct
Reception
Comparisons were drawn to "old school" shooters like R-TypeR-Type
is a side scrolling shoot-em-up arcade game produced by Irem in 1987. The player controls a space fighter named R-9a "Arrowhead" to defend humanity against a mysterious but powerful alien life-form known as "Bydo", which was later discovered to be not entirely alien in origin...
and Gradius
Gradius
The Gradius games, first introduced in 1985, make up a series of scrolling shooter video games published by Konami for a variety of portable, console and arcade platforms. In many games in the series, the player controls a ship known as the Vic Viper...
, but especially of Pulstar
Pulstar (video game)
is a shoot 'em up developed by now defunct Aicom Co. Ltd and published by SNK for the Neo Geo, Neo Geo CD and arcade; it is the prequel of Blazing Star. Pulstar, as well as its sequel, are often regarded as among the best-looking shoot 'em up games for the Neo Geo.-Story:In the year 2248, the first...
, with its "tactical" gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
and pre-rendered
Pre-rendered
Pre-rendering is the process in which video footage is not rendered in real-time by the hardware that is outputing or playing back the video. Instead, the video is a recording of a footage that was previously rendered on a different equipment...
backgrounds and sprites
Sprite (computer graphics)
In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene...
.
The game has been criticized for featuring very hard to distinguish enemy-bullets which are almost the same color as explosions/debris.
Some reviewers have commended Last Hope as technically impressive for Neo Geo standards, while others focus criticism on gameplay issues.
The NeoGeo CD version of this game features higher visibility due to pink colored bullets, which are better to distinguish between explosions/debris. In response to the criticism Last Hope Pink Bullets was released in 2009 for Dreamcast.
The ratings range from 54% (MAN!AC, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) to 80% (GamesTM, UK) or second best score "good" (PC Action, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
)
See also
- DUX (video game)DUX (video game)DUX is a scrolling shooter video game Independent developed by HUCAST.net & KonTechs Ltd. for the Sega Dreamcast. The game was released on 17 June 2009 worldwide. There is also a 500-print limited edition DUX with a game soundtrack on a separate disk...
- Wind and Water: Puzzle BattlesWind and Water: Puzzle BattlesWind and Water: Puzzle Battles is an Independent developed commercial videogame developed by Yuan Works, a company based in Costa Rica. It is a puzzle game for the GP2X and Sega Dreamcast that combines strategy and action. As of January 31st, 2011, the game is freely available for Windows...
- List of commercially released independently developed Dreamcast games