Regarding the cab, it's cool looking, but the game.... got it myself, and it's quite boreing....
I can understand that many who not played and lived Xevious in the arcade in 82 when it came out
it can seems "asectic" and extremely minimal if compared to others shooters of that time
But,
as said before Xevious reveal itself only when you play it further
it is more in the game play (and its difficulty) that makes you go crazy for it than for his graphic or music
Maybe seeing it when it came out did not had lot of difference its music (That IMHO it is really japanese: minimal and repetitive (as all jap shooters style) that hang your attention and mind to the game with its hypnotic loop - when I play, it makes feel anxious)
since the gameplay in those days was the first thing to look at
even dragon buster (who implemented for the first time the level bar exploited then on Street Fighter I & II instead of the "usual" 3 life/death) was a innovative for that time in the gameplay
Today it would make a newbie smile..
That's how story goes
Xevious anyway is a great game, and I add extremely diffucult to finish as in the Japan tradition as Sega's Zaxxon
Mav