the upgrades make or break the run, and they seem too random- ie, first game, first red ship gave me a "repair" upgrade, then nothing until I died in wave 4. Second game, again first red ship gave me "repair" upgrade, but discovered both a shot and speed upgrade that wave, and several others until I died in wave 8. by wave 4 in that game, I had 2 speeds and triple shots, as well as a couple melees.