Indeed. If the items were to block off certain regions for shooting would be okay, but having them weave back and forth with the enemy targets felt sadistic ;)
Want to re-emphasize again how well you set the mood with the writing and the music. The game page black background green text was simple but effective. I look forward to seeing how you integrate some of those aspects into a bigger project in the future.
By the way, have you ever heard of Guardian Legend? It combined top down Zelda-ish elements with SHMUP sequences. It also had a really cool omnipresent mood of mystery since you were exploring a planet with a dead civilization. This game gives me similar vibes.