While I have know for a long while that Shmups simply aren't for me, there are just some that are so famous that you kinda have to see what the craze is about. From my understanding there are harder shmups to look out for, but at the least Ikaruga seems to be one that anyone could probably pick up and beat given time. The game focuses heavily on it's dualed mode system in which you absorb bullets of either light or dark, but take damage from the other one you are not. You can play this game in a free play mode, and while that is how I beat it, the game doesn't lighten up on you at any point. If you don't defeat a boss in enough time, that will be it, including the final boss. While it is frustrating, it also gives you something to work toward and practice in this mode. Overall Ikaruga hasn't sold me on shmups, and frankly I'm done with it knowing how blink and unfeeling it is. There isn't as much arcade feeling that I usually feel with most treasure games, and while I won't deny that it's probably a good game, it's just in a genre I don't care for, and presents itself far too seriously for my taste.