Why do the most beautiful one's always seem to be the most shallow and difficult? So it goes with Hudson's easy-on-the-eyes side-scrolling shooter, Omega Five.
There is little doubt that Omega Five is the most gorgeous of what Live Arcade has to offer. From the lush backdrops, where even ice and snow look more interesting than what most games offer, to the unique and varied enemies, the game is a visual stunner. At least initially, there is not quite as much substance behind the beauty as you may hope. The game opens with just two playable characters, thong-clad Ruby and burly R.A.D., and one mode, Arcade. Success eventually unlocks two additional modes and characters, but they do not come easy. Many who pick it up will never see through to the end of the game's four stages.
The game is a love letter to side-scrolling shooters of yesteryear, with little touches like Ruby's encircling pod pulled from R-Type and an unlockable character actually named Tempest. The game pulls its difficulty from the eighties, as well. You begin Arcade Mode with just one life, two continues, and a prayer; well, the prayer you will supply on your own after plugging away for an hour and not having made it to the end of the first stage. The game is brutally unforgiving, to the point where you will let out a shout of joy and accomplishment after finally beating your first boss. After your continues are gone, it is game over and restart at the first stage, regardless of what level you made it to.
There is no story here, just a kill 'em all laser-fest. Enemies come from all sides, rolling in from the front and behind you, as well as occasionally dropping in from the background to put a hole in your plans. Gamers will need to keep a keen eye on the screen at all times, or die by the attacks of a ship they thought was only background fodder. Blasting through the smaller oncoming ships is rather easy, and requires more attention than skill. Taking on the larger-scale baddies is another issue, as they are typically large enough to engulf seventy percent of the screen with their size and attacks. In that way, the game is somewhat reminiscent of old platform games, where the repetition of the enemy attacks will reveal themselves to you the more you play. Eventually levels that you hardly ever made it half through become passable while hardly being hit.
Despite being one of the toughest games on the Arcade to get through, you will happily keep plugging away. Each character has their own unique set of weapons, and learning them along with the pattern of the enemies is the key to victory. The left stick controls your movement, although moving too far away from the middle of the screen is hazardous in most situations, and the right stick controls your main weapon. There is no bullet count to worry about, so keeping your main weapon firing at all times is the way to go. In addition to your 360-degree main weapon, players have the ability to use two other weapons and a shield. Your bumpers work the shields, although they are not nearly as effective as just shooting your way out of trouble.
