Players choose a player character commander from either Lovett or Maverick and begin play, controlling a spaceship which can be moved up and down the screen, as well as left and right.[1] Airborne alien enemies and groundbased defensive weapons appear as the game scrolls upwards constantly, these can be destroyed by the player's weapon fire. More advanced weapons can be collected in the form of power ups. Hybris has a weapon enhancement feature, called "expansion"; once a new weapon has been collected it can be temporarily upgraded by the player rotating the joystick or pressing "Enter" on the keyboard, each weapon can be enhanced three times before a new weapon is needed in order to enhance again. Pressing "Space" on the keyboard activates a smart bomb that destroy every enemy (except bosses) and bullet on the screen: player starts with three of them.[2]
