i feel like that's the last thing i'll want to write about that game, but it also caused me to finally buy zeroranger. which is also largely clever, well constructed, and fun, but feels a bit more held back for me by being so full of homages that are extremely obvious to me as a person who's played a lot of shmups over the last 18 years or so. (though it seems like the majority of people who've played it aren't in that boat, which is actually pretty cool. i ain't out here keepin gates.) i'll write more on that when i've played it a bit more though...