Yeah, it's like if Gradius V had intermittent breaks for the Parodius crew. It'd kill the atmosphere. Aside from the enemy chaining my major complaint with this game are the sharp contrasts that don't work and make it seem sloppy (Tactics-ish soundtrack with futuristic/time traveling setting, the nice 2D-blocky 3D divide, the seriousness with the cutesy stuff). Taking it all the way back to the original subject, it just isn't half as focused as Ikaruga.
