Death's frosty hand will grip us all in due time, but, fortunately, it's a one-and-done situation. We fight the inevitable but ultimately succumb without a repeated struggle. However, if you fire up Mushihimesama, a 2D shoot 'em up (or "shmup") from the shooter masters at developer Cave, you will die a lot, but may eventually cheat death should you master your guns and the ability to weave between waves of fat, neon-colored enemy bullets. This excellently crafted PC game doesn't do a very good job of introducing newcomers to its systems, but seasoned pilots will enjoy this game's huge enemies, awesome firepower, and many thrills.

Shoot Your Payload

Mushihimesama (literally translated as Bug Princess) is the story of a princess who rides a giant bug into battles against other giant bugs. That's all you need to know of the paper-thin plot. Here's what's really important: Mushihimesama is a member of the bullet-hell shmup sub-genre, which is the category that currently dominates the 2D shooter space. The genre is known for its outrageous difficulty, and for the sheer number of enemy projectiles that make bobbing, weaving, and daredevil piloting essential.