For many players, the name R-Type instantly conjures memories of brutal side-scrolling shoot ’em up action, gigantic alien monstrosities and some of gaming’s toughest space battles. But R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos reminds us that the long-running sci-fi series once took a very different route – and now that tactical detour has arrived on modern consoles and PC for the first time.
Available today on Xbox Series X|S for £41.74, R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos bundles together two strategy-focused entries from the franchise, including the first Western release of R-Type Tactics II.
It’s a package packed with campaigns, branching storylines, hundreds of units and enough turn-based warfare to keep strategy fans busy for dozens of hours. You’ll also find it on PC, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.
At A Glance
- Game: R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos
- Price: £41.74
- Platform: Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch
- Genre: Turn-Based Strategy
- Publisher: NIS America
- Game Pass: No
A Different Kind Of R-Type
While most (pretty much all!?!?) entries in the series focus on dodging impossible bullet patterns and blasting through alien forces, R-Type Tactics slows things down considerably.
Instead of piloting a lone fighter through hostile space, players command entire fleets across strategic battlefields, carefully positioning units, managing resources and planning attacks several turns ahead.
The collection includes both R-Type Tactics and R-Type Tactics II, bringing the former PSP releases to modern platforms with updated visuals and features. More importantly for Western audiences, this marks the first official release of R-Type Tactics II outside Japan.
Choose Your Side In The War
Across multiple campaigns, you’ll command both the Space Corps and the terrifying Bydo Empire, offering different perspectives on one of gaming’s longest-running sci-fi conflicts. Branching storylines and multiple routes through the campaigns add replayability, while helping flesh out the wider R-Type universe and the origins of its alien threat.
And once you’ve exhausted the original content, Cosmos introduces an entirely new post-game storyline that continues the saga beyond the events of the second game.
From Arcade Legend To Tactical Battlefield
It’s remarkable to see how far the franchise has travelled since its beginnings.
Back in our retrospective looking at the original 1987 arcade release, we highlighted how R-Type became one of the defining shoot ’em ups of its era, helping establish a reputation for challenge, atmosphere and unforgettable enemy design.
R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos takes that same universe and approaches it from a completely different angle. The iconic ships, enemies and locations remain, but victory now comes through careful planning rather than lightning-fast reflexes.
A Welcome Return For A Forgotten Spin-Off
While modern R-Type releases have largely focused on returning the franchise to its shoot ’em up roots, R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos shines a spotlight on one of the series’ most overlooked chapters.
Whether you’re a long-time fan of the franchise or simply a strategy enthusiast looking for something a little different, this collection finally gives these cult tactical entries the modern platform they deserve.
R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos is available now on Xbox Series X|S, downloadable through the Xbox Store. You won’t find the game in Game Pass at launch, but it is also kicking around on the digital fronts of PlayStation, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
NIS America has also confirmed that two free DLC packs will arrive on June 29th. Players will be able to download a Unit Color Variation Fighter Pack, alongside the ARROW-HEAD G (GRA Ver.) unit and its dedicated Force without spending in-game resources.
