Compact Plasma Gears

Gameplay is kept simple because you only have movement and basic fire, which you can hold down for continuous shooting. A special weapon is also available, but it needs to recharge by dealing damage or destroying enemies. Unlike the normal weapon, which can be changed during a mission by collecting power-ups, the special weapon depends on which of the two pilots you choose. The choice of pilot does not matter much because one has slightly better speed while the other has slightly better attack power. The main difference is their special weapon. The male pilot fires a laser across the screen, while the female pilot causes area damage around her. Both attacks also clear enemy bullets. New weapons can be useful, but it is often best to stick with the basic one. For instance, the triple shot covers more ground, but it also fires more slowly. The same goes for the laser, although it has the advantage of piercing through multiple enemies. If you collect a special power-up or another copy of your current weapon, it will be upgraded. However, picking up a different weapon resets it to the basic type. The same reset happens when you die, which is something you want to avoid. Enemies are nothing special, consisting mostly of standard flying ships in all kinds of sizes and shapes, along with the occasional ground enemy such as a turret. Some stages also introduce environmental hazards, including terrain and moving obstacles like pistons. One frustrating aspect is that enemy ships can pass through all terrain while your ship is destroyed on contact. This creates unfair situations where you are overwhelmed by enemies but cannot fight back because they are hiding behind the stage's terrain. At the end of each stage, there is a shop with several upgrade options that do not explain what they actually do. The currency used for purchases is your overall score. Another unexplained feature, like much of the game, is the medal system. You can earn medals for each stage, but the requirements are never revealed. I somehow earned one in the first stage without ever knowing why. In the end, this is still an early access game, and it needs a lot more work.