Too... Difficult...
4/5 Nice graphics. Pfft.
It is too hard, though. There should be difficulty levels, and a choice to replay earlier levels for experience.
My upgrade pattern: (And it's a good one.)
1. Allies
2. Cannon
3. Triple shot
4. Cannon
5. Cannon
5. Shield (Now go after the outer ring of orbiters)
6. Engine
7. Max the cannon (Go after second and third ring. Kill Brood Mother)
Great game.
Pretty hard to aim at the beginning, but once you get tri-shot, you don't need to aim.
I found the best way to get ether without dying is to stay in between the space station and the Brood Mother. Once you've picked off some, or most, of the yellow orbiters, you can just go right in with a maxed gun and high shield (You'll also need a good engine to keep pace with the orbiters. They're pretty fast.), and sustain shooting at the brood mother's generating orb thingy. You'll kill everything pretty much immediately, and get 4 ether per spawn (4 enemies come out every time). It spawns somewhat quickly.
Or, you know, you could just charge in and obliterate everything once you've maxed yourself out.
Nice little game.
4/5
Could use more enemy types, and enemy discriptions. Also, markers to tell you prey (Green mark) from predator (Red mark) based on wherer you can, or can't eat them, and if they can or cannot eat you. Also, a white neutral marker.
Could be permanent upgrades...
Easy. But I suppose that's a good thing...
The main thing making it easy are the oil barrels/checkpoints. You only have to drive NEAR them to activate them.
Piple, you've just chosen the wrong way to upgrade. Loser.
Just because you can't customise, or lack the skill to beat a level, doesn't mean the game sucks.
It hurts my eyes!
4/5
Still a good game. I noticed that enemies and your controlled things, like energy balls etc. can get looped around rocks. They're on the inside of the rock (They went in from outside the screen), and they can't get out.
 "Frantic"){kind=icon}
 "Shoot: the Shootorial Game"){kind=icon}
 "Warfare: 1917"){kind=icon}
 "Orchestrated Death"){kind=icon}
 "Ether War"){kind=icon}
 "Z-Rox"){kind=icon}
 "Microbe Kombat"){kind=icon}
 "Warlords: Heroes"){kind=icon}
 "Mud and Blood 2"){kind=icon}
 "Dotz v2"){kind=icon}
 "Now Boarding: First Class"){kind=icon}
 "Bumble About"){kind=icon}
 "SandStorm Racing"){kind=icon}
 "Momentum Missile Mayhem 3"){kind=icon}