If you were thinking the industry has gotten a little stale when it comes to proliferating new genres or ways to play, the nearest thing to something that's really making a mark are Roguelikes. Any game where death is guaranteed as your progress carries over towards an eventual endpoint tends to count, and although high difficulty is usually a must, they're rewarding as hell. For 17-Bit's Galak-Z, they took the formula into deep space, twinning the idea of an incremental progression with gameplay that's every bit your favourite space-shooter of choice (just think Asteroids or Geometry Wars and you're almost there). Every level is randomly generated, and it's up to you to decide how far you want to press forward exploring vast caves and structures, knowing that just around the next corner there could be an enemy that'll have your ship for breakfast. The basic shooting gameplay (which would've been fun enough) is bolstered by the ability to transform into a whopping great laser-sword wielding Gundam for any more intense combat scenarios - reminiscent of the "Man, that's so freakin' COOL" feeling Future Cop L.A.P.D hopefully gave you on PS1. A ton of abilities and pickups can extend your time out in the field, and offensive options include everything from a whip that can smash enemies against walls to a missile-barrage that'll toast an entire screen's worth in one go. It's all wrapped up in a manga/anime-aesthetic that makes every laser blast pop, and the feel of controlling everything is spot-on. You need to see Galak-Z in motion to truly 'get' it, but once you do, it's one hell of a keeper.
