big fan of the original, and i've gotta say right from the beginning that this iteration is much improved. first and foremost, online co-op was added. in co-op, both players share health/ships so you're forced to carry your own weight. say goodbye to the peashooter single stream gun, it has been replaced by a double that covers more area. the drawback is that the gun's range seems shorter, though it does a great job of getting you out of sticky situations.
the level structure is ace. after completing a stage, you travel through corridors seamlessly to the next area. it feels like one big world as there's no loading between stages. after a certain number of stages is completed, you're brought to a new planet (where there's a little loading) that continues the seamless stage progression. i've read that the game is a bit shorter than the first. 16 or so planets with a minimum of 5 stages per planet.
i was very impressed by my first playthrough. they must have a had a bigger budget this time around because the graphics and effects blow the previous game's away. it still runs at a no-hitch 60fps and online play from my two matches was lag-free. the game's pacing is super quick and twitchy so don't expect any everyday shooter style elegance. but if you're a fan of superstardust HD and geo wars, it's pretty much a no-brainer.
