Catch up on the latest shmup news, including BIRDCAGE, Gley Lancer: Overdrive, and Metal Crisis.
I’m not committing to doing this weekly, but there was enough shoot’em-up goodness that I felt it was warranted to make one large post to shine some light on these interesting releases. Well, at least they’re interesting to me!
First up is BIRDCAGE from POLYGON BIRD. “Work it, own it, and sell it” … oh wait, that’s from the movie, not the game, which aren’t related in any way, I don’t think. Why is everyone shouting at me with their titles lately? Looking at you, Ayaneo Pocket BLOCK!
The important stuff you need to know: BIRDCAGE is a fast-paced, vertical scrolling shoot ’em up that blends the explosive action of ’90s arcade classics with modern gameplay and storytelling.
BIRDCAGE launched September 23 on PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox on PC. It originally released on Steam in November 2025. The console version is $14.99, and a physical PS5 edition is planned for March 2027.
| Stages | 6+ |
| Bosses | 11 |
| Game Modes | Story, Arcade, and Score Attack |
| Playable Ships | 2 |
| Lore Database | Unlockable entries |
| Leaderboards | Online leaderboards |
| Soundtrack | 45-minute original soundtrack |
According to the description on Steam, Gley Lancer: Overdrive’s full title is Advanced Busterhawk Gley Lancer: Overdrive. Why, you ask? Because it’s a reimagining of the classic Mega Drive shmup, Gley Lancer, that’s why!
Like any reimagining worth its salt, this one has been built from the ground up. What a relief! I thought we were getting some half-assed build from the middle up, or worse, from the up-up. Don’t take an up-up before bed. Trust me.
Back to serious business. The game has been built from the ground up, by Nalua Studio, for the Neo Geo and ported natively to modern platforms, no emulation required. It features new stage, enemy, and boss designs, along with a new soundtrack, new mechanics, and additional modes of play.
| Neo Geo Reimagining | A new take on Advanced Busterhawk Gley Lancer developed for Neo Geo AES and MVS hardware before being brought to modern platforms. |
| 11 Reimagined Stages | Eleven redesigned stages with new pixel art, music, enemies, environments, and other surprises. |
| Overdrive | A new mechanic that can be used both offensively and defensively, while also playing a role in the game’s risk/reward scoring system. |
| Movers and Gunners | Multiple weapon types and behaviors allow players to customize how their ship handles combat. |
| New Modes | Includes Score Attack, Boss Rush, Speedrunner, 1CC, Gunner Mode, Core Pickup Run, and additional modes. Modern versions also include a Bullet Hell mode. |
| Modern Enhancements | Modern releases support 16:9 widescreen or a 4:3 Neo Geo-style presentation, along with CRT filters, haptic feedback, mouse aiming, and Steam Deck support. |
Metal Crisis by Mad Rabbit Digital now has a playable demo on Steam . I desperately want to make a comparison to Earth Crisis, because they’re metal too, but that’s for another day.
When you’re tired of vertical shooters, maybe you’ll fire up Metal Crisis for some variety in your life, as this one is a side-scrolling shoot ’em up inspired by the 3D space shooters of the ’90s. Thank your lucky stars they weren’t inspired by the current 2020s. Can you imagine the slop?
While no release date has been announced, you can fire up the demo and pilot what is being hailed as “the most advanced ship Earth has created.” This potentially badass-sounding ship can acquire enemy weapons during battle. Enjoy yourself as you take part in the rebellion, battling hordes of fighters and bosses.
| POLYGON BIRD | Official BIRDCAGE developer website |
| eastasiasoft | Official BIRDCAGE game page |
| Nalua Studio | Official Gley Lancer: Overdrive developer website |
| Gematsu | Gley Lancer: Overdrive announcement and details |
| Steam | Official Gley Lancer: Overdrive Steam page |
| Steam | Official Metal Crisis Steam page and playable demo |