 Critics praised the game for its challenge and gameplay; these sentiments carried over into retrospective reviews where critics also highlighted the game's graphics, soundtrack, and overall intensity.Some negative critique was directed towards the hard difficulty, steep learning curve, and unorthodox gameplay, but many still recommend it to fans of "Gunstar Heroes" and the run and gun genre.The game's first re-release was on the PlayStation 2 in Japan for the "Sega Ages 2500" series which includes different regional releases and extra features.