upward-scrolling vertical stages in hori shmups are vanishingly rare, and this one makes me think the idea deserves more attention. at least, it suits the slow tactical gameplay of Delta very well.

but the part that really blows me away is how in the last third it transforms from mostly open space into new architecture and tunnels as blocks dynamically emerge from the background, reshaping the playfield into more stressful configurations almost second by second. i simply adore this idea and in retrospect wish the game ran with it yet further.

(two other "controlled chaos" shooter level designs touchstones for me are the flowing liquid stage and especially the ricocheting asteroid stage in Gradius V. was so 🤯 when i first saw the latter. know any other cool "dynamic" shmup stages i should check out?)

and yeah, the music is great too ofc