Otomedius Excellent coming to 360 later this year

Side-scrolling shooter fans will have another game vying for their attention later this year when Otomedius Excellent shows up on Xbox 360. The game is the sequel to Otomedius G, which was released two years ago in Japan.

The ships you pilot through waves of enemies and seas of bullets in this shooter are called vipers, and they are piloted by a variety of different anime ladies. These characters embody a range of anime stereotypes, from bubbly blonde to bookish brunette, and many of them are well-endowed and scantily clad. Goofy outfits and exaggerated proportions abound in both the pilots and the bosses you encounter, and an extensive photo gallery (apparently more than 150 images) will give you plenty to look at outside of the game proper.

In addition to the nine characters that come with the game, a number of downloadable characters, levels, and skins are planned (some of which will be taken from other anime franchises). Up to three players can play competitively or cooperatively on one screen, online, or through system link. The action consists of blasting enemies and dodging bullets, all while trying to manage a unique upgrade system that lets you power up your viper.

With old-school action and remixed Gradius music combined with modern visuals and eye-catching characters, Otomedius Excellent is hoping to garner your side-scrolling attention when it arrives on the Xbox 360 later this year.

[CORRECTION]: This article originally reported that Otomedius Excellent would be an Xbox Live Arcade game. GameSpot regrets the error.