The Bydo threat returns, sending an R-90 fighter through stages where the environment can be as dangerous as the enemies. Before departure you select a Force type, changing the protective unit and its attacks for the entire attempt. Attaching that unit to the front or rear, or sending it out independently, gives positioning a substantial tactical role.
Charged fire offers heavy damage, but knowing when you can afford to prepare it is part of learning a stage. The scrolling routes repeatedly force deliberate choices about space. Its enormous mechanical forms feel intimidating because they are obstacles you must understand, not just scenery passing behind a firefight.
