DUX is one of those games that keep on popping up from time to time - just enough to keep me interested - but often without enough new information to really warrant a posting. It seems that whenever its release date comes just around the corner, we see it pushed back further and further causing the game to slip a bit from mind and view (remember this game was initially set for release in July 2008).This has perhaps been a bit frustrating for gamers who initially pre-ordered the title when it was first announced, but it is understandable considering the small development team and the independent nature of the project. Fortunately, this cycle of delays may finally be coming to a close as a new release date has finally been posted on the game's development blog and with an updated product listing on Play-Asia.com. DUX is set to be available sometime this month based on the early estimates.
DUX is the latest in a line of recent CD independent Dreamcast releases. Rene Hellwig, one of the game's developers, also worked on the 2007 release of Last Hope. While there was some criticism in general for the game, I personally enjoyed the efforts of NG:DEV.TEAM with the outing. Last Hope had a rather steep difficulty curve and also suffered a bit from some odd collision detection issues, but overall I felt it was generally satisfying. However it is a bit hard to recommend if you don't already appreciate horizontal shooters (and in specific - the NEO GEO horis).
DUX has taken pretty much the exact opposite color palette from Last Hope and instead of relying on a dark and gritty atmosphere has opted for bright whites and pastels. In addition, the combination of sprites and CGI really does make for a rather unique and visually stimulating look. It may be a bit much for some people, but it is different, to say the least.
When it comes to the actual game system however, DUX has some rather obvious influences with a few tweaks (R-Type in pink?). It won't win any rewards for originality, but as long as the experience from the Last Hope project is put to good use, DUX should be improving on a solid foundation.
The bullet-eating focus of DUX's play style is also promised to be well developed over the game's 6 stages. While there is some concern about the difficulty of the game due to the feature, Rene Hellwig has been quick to point out that since the game has been developed around the absorption feature, it was balanced with it in mind every step of the way. DUX seems to be a lot more immediately accessible than Last Hope - which is good considering the previous game's high difficulty level - however, it'll be interesting to see if DUX ends up being an over-reaction to that criticism at the cost of its own difficulty.
DUX can be ordered through Play-Asia.com. A limited edition version of the game will ship with the official soundtrack (which based on the trailers isn't half bad). As a reminder, due to the CD based nature of the release, DUX may not work on all Dreamcast models, so it is important to check the compatability (pre-October 2000) before ordering to ensure DUX will work. A boss rush trailer and the normal trailer have been included below. I'm crossing my fingers that DUX will stay on tract for a May release.
The game's official website can be found at DUX.hucast.net.
