XBLA is not new to the world of side scrolling shooters, but it is, however, new to "new" side scrolling shooters. With most side scrolling shooter on XBLA, they've become nothing new to gawk at or bother spending your money on. Natsume and Hudson have put together a game designed specifically for Xbox Live Arcade. The result? Instant classic that's easy on the eyes, easy on your wallet, and hard to forget.

Omega Five reminds us more of R-Type, and since this is one of the most loved scrolling shooters, that's a great thing. For anyone who's ever doubted scrolling shooters, try the demo and dare yourself not to spend the points on it. The demo isn't enough to satisfy anyone, and this is the type of game you'll want on your Xbox always.

In Omega Five, you'll primarily use both analogue sticks. Your left analogue focuses on your player's movement, while the right controls their direction of fire (think Geometry Wars). There is, however, an interesting exception. In a trade for a small portion of health, the player can use the right bumper to transport across the screen to get out of harm's way and be temporarily invincible. You'll find that there will be plenty of situations where the exchange will be well worth it.

Each player is equipped with a weapon that can be upgraded up to three times. Each player's weapon varies, and will force you to rethink your strategy slightly. Tempest, for example, is stronger than Ruby, but Ruby has a longer range that Tempest. At your weapon's peak, you are virtually unstoppable, but be weary; after a single death you are stripped of all upgrades which can cause you a huge inconvenience at certain parts of the game. That is to say that you may be surrounded be enemies on all sides and forced to fight them off with a level one weapon. In this instance, you'll quickly become a fan of the right bumper and smart bomb. The smart bomb is aquired by collecting the little pink triangles that float across the screen from enemies you've slain.

At the game's start, your only character options are Ruby and Tempest. Ruby covers long range attacks, beauty, and lingerie. She is also accompanied by a satellite that can lock onto enemies. Tempest, the four armed alien, covers brute strength and short range attacks. One of his interesting features is his shield. Tempest's shield slows incoming bullets, and if the player can stop blasting long enough, the shield will reflect the bullets back to the enemies. Beating the game with Ruby will unlock R.A.D. who is faster than Ruby but aims slower and is also accompanied by a satellite. Beating the game with Tempest will unlock Sensei, a character who is unique. Sensei travels on a hover board with his dog. He wields a sword & ninja stars and is the most deadly force in the game. His downfall is that he must be much closer to attack enemies.