Assault Suit Leynos
Assault Suit Leynos, released in the US as Target Earth, is the first game in the Assault Suits series. It consists of 8 stages. Much of the game mechanics are the same as horizontal shooters with some decent platforming elements. The player's performance after completing a stage determines which weapons, armor and accessories will be unlocked in the next stage. The game features 14 weapons, which meant a lot of firepower for an action game in the early 90s. The large selection of weapons increased the replay value, since it encouraged the player to experiment with different methods to defeat his opponents.
Story
The year is 2201, and advancing technology has given humans the ability to live anywhere in space. Against this background, the story of Target Earth starts with a war between Earth (and its colonies) and a cyborg army that returns from the farthest corners of space. In the early stages of the game, the nature or purpose of these cybernetic enemies, called Chron, is unknown. However, it later turns out that the Chron are the survivors of a failed space expedition (Outer Space Expeditionary Party) sent from Earth a hundred years earlier. The Earth Defense League fights to defend Earth. The centerpiece of the defense movement is the Assault Suit - a twelve foot tall armored fighting machine with incredible combat capabilities. You are Rex, a commander of the Assault Suit squadron and a master at fighting with the Assault Suit. The battle begins on Ganymede, but then shifts to battles in space, on Earth, and in enemy outposts.