"This game is simply a classic and Konami have really outdone themselves here, I mean, we were very positive about Gradius and how it signified a real push forward for the shmup genre, but Life Force just adds tons of stuff and builds on Gradius in so many ways. The game adds multi-directional scrolling, a welcome two-player option, some additions to the power-up system (with you able to double buy some weapons), and the boss fights are far superior here with a range of different designs. There are piles of set-pieces here, with you flying across a sun with flames shooting across the screen or dodging giant claws in the biological themed levels. They really went above and beyond with this and created one of the pinnacle home shooters for the time"
