I know this is considered one of the greatest shmups of all time but I just could not get into it no matter how much I tried. The 7 weapons with 3 buttons mechanic is very cool but the game feels clunky and complicated in a way that Ikaruga does not. I feel that it is a great step in the right direction but I could never play this when I could be playing Ikaruga instead. I suspect that this game's allure comes partly from the many many years after release when the only way to play it was to import it from Japan at incredibly high prices. I know my opinion of the game was higher before I got it and was able to really sit down and play it for a while. It is still a great shmup though.