Cyborg 009 (Mega CD review)

Developer: Nihon Telenet
Publisher: Riot
Released: 1993

Cyborg 009 is an action-platformer that was only released in Japan.

+ Ability to dash through the air is great for platforming and also acts as a fun evade mechanic to get you out of harms way.

+ The auto-scrolling stages are intense due to the constant threat of incoming enemies, and the speed is exhilarating.

+ The bosses have interesting attack patterns and it's enjoyable figuring out their tendencies throughout.

+ Great use of parallax scrolling, and the impressive cut-scenes convey a gritty, emotional tone that carries the story.

- The game is very short and there's little in the way of challenge once you've mastered the dash manoeuvre.

- Some enemies wait in plain sight at the edge of the screen and allow you to blast away with no resistance.

- There's an unacceptable amount of slowdown, even during sections where there's basic backdrops and few enemy sprites.