Wow, I was surprised by how much you learn between playthroughs. I finished the game on my third run but I just missed out on a B rank, but you still get the same ending on C rank regardless. The game taunts you with the prospect of more if you get a higher rank, which is exactly what I want.
So after another three runs I just cleared the game - with its two extra extended stages - with an A rank average! But I did also use weapon set D, which you unlock after beating the game once. The heaven laser weapon - used exclusively to lock on to aerial enemies - is ridiculously powerful here, to the point of upgrading my average rank on almost every stage from a B rank to S rank! I feel a bit like a fraud, but it is what it is…
