Gleylancer is decent in just about all respects. it looks and sounds good, it has manga cutscene panels that pop up between stages every now and then (but just not constantly) it has really wicked looking enemies, and several weapon upgrades.

It also has a game mechanic that lets you lock your options into position, so when you move you can directly attack threats that you wouldnt otherwise be able to target. Fighting with these things can be a lot of fun if you have certain option upgrades+weapon combinations (try the reverse options with the laser for example!) This alone makes the game worth a look at because its different from any other SHMUP in the sense you can directly target bosses with a light saber just be using a reverse option with the continuous laser.

It looks and sounds better than most Genesis/MegaDrive Games and while it is hard, the player has a lot of agency with the ability to aim their options to target enemies. Worth a look.