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Doujin shmup Spolous has a sequel, and it's free to download.
As spotted by Crypticus on social media, Spolous II is a side-scrolling 2.5D shooter with music by Naoya Kamisaka. The visuals hint at a fusion of Konami's Gradius and Techno Soft's Thunder Force, which is no bad thing in my book.
"By collecting capsules (items) that appear throughout the stages, the gauge displayed at the bottom of the screen will fill up," explains the game's itch.io page. "Once the gauge is filled, you can power up your ship by pressing the power-up button."
In this 0.5 version, only Route A is available. "Clearing it will unlock a higher difficulty version of Route A," adds the developer. "At the start, you can choose from 3 different ships. By earning in-game credits, you can unlock additional ships, allowing you to select from up to 14 ships in total."
The developer singles out Kamisaka's contribution to the game. "His passion for shoot 'em up games and creative musical style have greatly enriched the atmosphere of the game, bringing each stage and its world to life. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Naoya Kamisaka for his outstanding work and generous contribution."
Version 1.0 is expected to arrive in 2028 and will include Route B, ship customisation, a stage select and practice mode.