This is one of those super rare cases where I prefer the remaster more than the original. This is an update of the Genesis game, which was more or less a euroshmup featuring a military meets steampunk aesthetic. The visual overhaul is very comparable to some of the Natsume remakes of games like Pocky and Rocky Reshrined- I definitely appreciated the brighter color palate and better bullet visibility. Some of the slower portions of the Genesis game seem to have also been sped up a bit, which isn't a bad thing.

I'd recommend changing the default button settings (too easy to slip when trying to switch firing sides and accidentally bomb) and maybe turning the sound effects down as they are LOUD and kinda detract from the music. Speaking of which, while these remastered tunes aren't bad at all, I definitely do prefer the Genesis tracks.

Still, I had a lot more fun with this than I expected considering I felt like steel empire on the Genesis was simply okay. Definitely a good beginner game and even on hard this was an easy 1cc the first time I played.