The G.G series keeps on going, and next up is another shoot 'em up; yet this one presents a unique and dynamic combat system that's surprisingly engaging. In an experimental series that's pretty hit or miss depending on the genre being attempted, G.G Series ASSAULT BUSTER provides a fun, arcade style shooter that's easily the most rewarding and addictive entry yet.

The premise sees players take control of a nameless, green haired heroine as she takes on an army of machines armed with her trusty assault buster. Perhaps it would've been nice if a bit more context was given as to who this character is and why she's fighting the machines, but the frantic nature of the gameplay more than makes up for this omission. Spritework and animation is extremely detailed and fluid, with plenty of colour and a surprising number of enemy designs to keep things interesting and diverse. The upbeat electronic soundtrack that backs the whole thing is somewhat reminiscent of the Mega Man games, and suitably manages to match the pace of combat.

Gameplay is presented in a refreshingly unique take on the tired and saturated bullet hell genre. Stages take place on a single static screen and enemies simply phase in at different locations. A tap of the "B" button will boost the player in one of eight directions and also doubles as a dodge move that helps get the heroine out of tight situations, and the rapid fire assault buster that you carry can fire in one of four directions.

The controls are pleasingly responsive and the screen is always busy with activity - you'll rarely run out of things to shoot at. On top of this, supply crates that occasionally fly across the screen drop one-time-use bombs that help shake up combat and get the player out of tight spots. Stages are grouped in sets of three, meanwhile - the first two stages always end in a mini-boss while the third stage consists of a long battle against a main boss. These boss fights are reminiscent of the pattern based Robot Masters of the Mega Man series and are easily one of the highlights of the main game.