Omega Boost, at first, appears to be an into-the-screen blaster in a similar mould to another Sega game, Panzer Dragoon. The fact that you can rotate 360 degrees doesn't seem to count for much.

Attacks generally approach from one axis at a time, so the business of rotating appears an arbitrary nicety. Until, that is, you hold down the L1 button. This, effectively, locks your robot to a target. Now, by using the directional control, you can swoop, strafe and swing past your targets. It's an incredible experience. Running at 30fps at least, it's totally astounding when played on a reasonably expansive TV.

You know how most games save the 'big' Boss character until last? Omega Boost, visual prima donna that it is, usually offers these at early points in the levels. Successive Bosses, obscenely, get more preposterously large and convoluted. Just check out the screenshots on the FG website for evidence of that. Polyphony's shoot 'em up is a virtuoso piece of coding.

Of course, this is the perfect juncture for a 'but...', followed by a reservation or two. Omega Boost has a lot going for it. Unfortunately, it's also shockingly easy to beat. The Japanese, oddly, seem to subscribe to a 'beat it, then complete it' blueprint. Western gamers usually demand more than a handful of levels, no matter how thrilling (or aesthetically astounding) they may be.

If points and minor 'secrets' to unlock are satisfactory incentives to complete a game, you'll love Omega Boost to bits. It's stunning to look at - in fact, as a piece of showmanship, it's irreproachable. In a historical context, and it's pretty odd to say this, it also has the virtue of being pretty novel by modern standards. But sadly, with only nine or so levels (although they work while they last) it just doesn't have quite enough to offer.