Maker - Hucast / Kontechs   Catalogue No. - None

Type - Shooting Action

Released in June 2009, DUX promised so many features and was delayed so many times that by the time it was released, shoot'em up fans wanted perfection.  Unfortunately they didn't get that.  Apparently DUX has a score bug on the first level that gives you whopping big points making the game pretty much pointless for those who like to play for score.  The good news is that this bug apparently only appears on PAL machines (^o^)  So for us using NTSC system there shouldn't be a problem.

So how is the game?  Well, the graphics are very pretty, especially through VGA.  The vibrant colours add much depth to the image plus the pre-rendered CG sprites are well designed however I do wish that most of them had more animation.  Still, what we have does the job well enough.  What does the job more than well enough though is the audio.  While sound effects are pretty much bog standard, the BGM is fantastic!  Atmospheric to no end, really enhancing the game play.  It's so good that you could listen to it on your CD player.

The gameplay mechanics in DUX are basically the same as those found in R-TYPE.  In fact the first level starts off very much like R-TYPE.  Your little pod can be attached to the front or rear of your craft and can be used to absorb enemy fire.  You can also shoot off the pod for some "option" style action.  Pretty much like R-TYPE really.

Overall, DUX is a very challenging and enjoyable shooter that most people will enjoy, especially the old school shooter fans that find games such as Cave "doge the maze of bullets" type shooters a little too much bother.