Haven't played very far yet since the game is tough as nails and I suck at it, but it's, err... a shmup made from a developer specialized in rpgs.undamned wrote: A true mark of Falcom fandomIs it fun?
-ud

That means, as a shmup, it's bad. Filled with many features that are considered bad for a STG and let the game play like those worse "euroshmups" out there that are just less fun to play than your typical arcade STG of that time period.
The player follows a seemingly light plot in a basic, typical PC-88 adventure styled presentation. In adventure mode the player can choose where to go next(what planet), chat with NPCs or go shopping for new weapons that can be equipped on your ship before taking off. The shmup parts are initiated whenever the player chooses to depart for another planet. That's it, from what I played.
On the positive side, the music kicks ass and there's some fine PC-88 pixel art to be found, too. Really, for being a shmup, the "old school falcom" atmosphere is still there at all times - you could switch from playing Sorcerian to this and wouldn't feel an all too abrupt change.
Also, the game's box really looks good with it's minimalistic looking(if you want to call it like that) cover-art and there's goodies like Star Trader stickers, a travel map printed on a very soft paper(feels almost like a cloth) and a "Falcom Catalogue". In said catalogue you'll find old shots of their recording-studio, various dev pics, a short Star Trader manga and other tidbits. It's like you put it before, a mark of falcom fandom, even if it's a crap-shmup.
I think the X68k version probably plays better, too bad it just existed as takeru release.