The peak of the genre. Incredible OST.

The patterns on display are some of the most creative and intricately laid out in any shmup. This should seriously be required reading for anyone making a game. The enemy placement, timings, and patterns are designed so intricately and click together like one big puzzle, guiding the player along. The scoring system encourages you to play aggressively and really engage with the enemy patterns to survive. Just a masterclass in game design