Quite possibly, the most rage-inducing game I have on my Steam account. But of course, I keep going back to it.

Having been brought up on 2D scrolling shooters, this was a no-brainer for me. However, there are some misgivings about the design. The reliance on stars dropped by killed enemies to pickup, often masks the incoming fire from the enemies beneath. When you're trying to complete the level without being hit, this can get very annoying - more so when a bonus completion requirement is to collect 100% of the stars.

As the game ramps in difficulty, the requirement for special weapons no longer becomes a luxury, but a necessity - even as early as Stage 4 on the Insane difficulty sees previously straight-forward enemies becoming bullet sponges. It is possible to literally be hemmed into a corner with absolutely nowhere to go.

That said, it's a great looking and for the most part, very playable game. A fair bit 'grindy' - you'll find yourself repeating the same level again and again for the elusive stars and level completion to unlock the next stage. But overall, well worth playing.

A good 7/10.

Quite possibly, the most rage-inducing game I have on my Steam account. But of course, I keep going back to it. Having been brought up on 2D scrolling shooters, this was a no-brainer for me. However, there are some misgivings about the design. The reliance on stars dropped by killed enemies to pickup, often masks the incoming fire from the enemies beneath. When you're trying to complete the level without being hit, this can get very annoying - more so when a bonus completion requirement is to collect 100% of the stars. As the game ramps in difficulty, the requirement for special weapons no longer becomes a luxury, but a necessity - even as early as Stage 4 on the Insane difficulty sees previously straight-forward enemies becoming bullet sponges. It is possible to literally be hemmed into a corner with absolutely nowhere to go. That said, it's a great looking and for the most part, very playable game. A fair bit 'grindy' - you'll find yourself repeating the same level again and again for the elusive stars and level completion to unlock the next stage. But overall, well worth playing. A good 7/10.