I have mixed feelings on this game, but overall it has grown on me over time. I see this one recommended at a starting point a lot, and while it wasn't mine, I've met people who did start with it who agree with the sentiment.

Overall, it's a good game. The bullet patterns are a bit more dense then they are in other games, but this is because you essentially have an unlimited amount of bombs as long as you use them smartly. As power is tied to bombs in this game, as opposed to being a separate resource.

Initially, I found myself hating this new bombing system, but as I got used to it [and stopped being extremely stingy with my bombs] I found myself enjoying it a lot more. I still do not prefer it to the traditional bomb/power split, but it's a perfectly acceptable alternative.

The final spellcard is also uncharacteristically sinister. So look forward to that.