I'm not a fan of Tron, but the right stick can be changed in the options menu. Switch it over to absolute control and aiming function will change to directional control.

I noticed that as well. Oddly, when you switch to the Enhanced Graphics mode, the music at least is corrected and sounds like it should. The sound effects are all wrong though.

Omega Five is pretty cool, it's easily one of the best XBLA games they've released. It does seem to be way too easy though, it was probably made with the casual-but-think-they're-hardcore Xbox 360 audience in mind. Oh well.. Castle Shikigami 3 is coming to the Wii soon and I still have my Cave PS2 games. Omega Five is a very nice change of pace from the more typical "bullet hell" games that come from Japan these days, so it gets a bonus for that. But the scoring mechanic doesn't seem that intuitive, which means simply doing a 1CC of the game is probably the most value a true shmup fan will get out of it.

I thought it was kinda tough, and I tend to be pretty good at games like, say, Ikaruga - but mostly because your character in O-5 is so big and moves so slow, it's tough to dodge stuff compared to other shumps. But I didn't play it for much, maybe it'll get easier.

You need to get used to positioning your drone to block the incoming bullets.

The character's big size and monstrous hit box is a bit startling at first (especially for me compared to the shooters I'm used to), but after a couple times through the first level I was already going through it only getting hit a couple of times. You can also shoot most enemy bullets and Ruby has a rotating shield, not sure about the other character(s).

There are rumblings of Ikaruga this week.

Unless you play it horizontally, it'd be horribly pillarboxed on a 16:9 display.

Not any more than the numerous vertical monitor games that are already available on XBLA.

If by Ikaruga you mean Boogie Bunnies, then you are correct sir!

Just saw the press release - and I was thrilled when i scanned the headline thinking it was Bust a Move coming out.

I figured as much, I was just repeating rumors from other sites.. apparently Ikaruga is complete and ready but I thought it would be a bit strange releasing it the week after Omega Five. Apparently Ikaruga, Rez HD and Trigger Heart Exelica are all complete or near-complete but I still expect them to be spread out since they're all of the same genre (with Rez being slightly off-center in that regard).

I wasn't aware that any existed, ones as narrow as Ikaruga anyways.

Ikaruga has a ratio of 3:4, the exact same ratio used on most arcade games of the 80's.

The achievements for Ikaruga are insanely easy for this epic game.

Target: Eboshidori - Destroy Eboshidori! (10G)
Target: Buppousou - Destroy Buppousou! (10G)
Target: Uzura - Destroy Uzura! (15G)
Target: Misago - Destroy Misago! (15G)
Target: Tageri - Destroy Tageri! (15G)
Good Grade - Complete Chapter 1 in any mode with a grade of A or better. (20G)
Final Grade - Complete Chapter 2 in any mode with a grade of A or better. (20G)
Excellent Grade - Complete Chapter 3 in any mode with a grade of A or better. (20G)
Stellar Grade - Complete Chapter 4 in any mode with a grade of A or better. (20G)
Star Player - Complete the Final Chapter in any mode with a grade of A or better. (20G)
Unstoppable - Clear the game in any mode without using Continue. (25G)
Dot Eater - Clear a certain chapter in any mode without shooting at all. (10G)

I probably would have bought Omega 5 by now if it had online co-op. Those games are so much more fun two player and I rarely have friends over that want to play them. Maybe Ikaruga gets online co-op added. I wish.

I'm not even sure why modern shmups have co-op modes anymore.. they completely ruin the scoring mechanics most of these games are based on nowadays (like Ikaruga) and having a second person actually makes it harder to dodge stuff (in bullet-hell games, at least.. of which Ikaruga is definitely classified as). It's definitely very fun for casual play when playing without regard to the number of credits/continues used.. but it's a useless mode for hardcore/scoreboard play.

If the game is built for co-op, like Mutant Storm Empire, it totally rocks though.

Can't you just not play co-op instead of worrying about scoring mechanics of those that do?

Well, I know you're Mr. Hardcore shmup, but the reason they do it is because it's fun. I'm not going to get any more competitive at these games anyway. Isn't it better that they include the feature, though? This way everyone's happy. You play the game your way, and I can play my way.

I did say that it was very fun for casual play and I have played co-op on Castle Shikigami 2, Dodonpachi Dai Ou Jou and Mushi Hime-sama of the ones that I have for the PS2. But that doesn't discount that the mode kind of feels like it's simply shackled on as an adherence to the genre's roots. One modern shooter that worked extremely well with co-op was Graidus V because Treasure made the game play so similar to the originals rather than updating it to match the current bullet-hell trend in Japan.

Thank Digital Eclipse for that. All that worthless company does is emulate old games, yet they can never, EVER get the sound right. I really wish people - whether consumers or the publishers contracting with them - would put these guys out of business.

<3

These guys need to be stopped from continuing to disgrace classic games. Everything they touch is imbued with sheer mediocrity. By the way, the now do non-emulated games under the name Backbone Entertainment and their lack of polish and care is apparent even in these products, such as Bomberman Live.

Have they announced if Ikaruga is going to be 400 or 800? I would get it for 400, but 800 I'd have to think about.

LOL, Pixy. I've lurked here forever and I thought that might get a response from you.

Regarding Ikaruga, I'm sure it will be 800 points. It's a major title as XBLA releases go.

800 is a bargain for Ikaruga, 400 is a steal.

I'll have to look a little more deeply into it. I'm sure I'll like it, I love Gradius III on the VC.