We have a triple header today. No, I’m not talking Fluffy. he is taking a nap now This triple-header isn’t much of a headache, but it will get you over your silly pace. Welcome to the Ray’z Arcade chronology from Taito. Yes, this is a direct throwback to his mid-’90s original arcade games, but it’s better than it sounds.
If, like me, you’ve never played a Ray’z game, give it a go. The original release took place some time ago. Rayforce appeared in 1994, Raystorm in 1996, and Raycrisis in 1998. It’s a pretty straight forward port to Switch, so it looks a lot like his ’90s counterpart, but don’t feel bad because it was at the top of the graphics curve at the time.
Sure, pixels are a little heavy, but “almost” is important here. Developers have added enhanced graphics modes to Raystorm and Raycrisis. This goes a long way to smoothing out the look without making the game look too clean or modern. The Rayforce is in its original state and is fine as is. As for other titles, the studio has been praised and I appreciate the enhanced graphics. This is the kind of look I really want to see when older games are refurbished for modern platforms.
Another advantage of this collection is the story element. Most schmaps I’ve played have some sort of story, even if it doesn’t make much of a twitchy flight as you navigate your own personal projectile purgatory. Still, the story fits the game’s look and theme very well. The basic gist is that people created an AI to regulate the climate, and that AI went crazy (predictably) and decided the world would be better off if all of humanity went extinct. Mankind cannot leave this unattended, and conflicts are occurring, such as some fleeing to space colonies. Some time later, the colony decides to make a nice revolution to get out of under a nasty Earth-based government. Former settlers aren’t always happy with their newfound freedom. No, they feel the need to visit Earth and reap the rewards. Now is your turn. That’s right, you are here to protect the entire planet (no pressure).
With all that in mind, some of the action you see on screen makes a little more sense and is more epic than the graphics convey. And with everything happening on screen, the game communicates well to begin with. Most schmaps I’ve played are relatively simple. Targets he is on one plane, navigate the path and shoot all.
The first difference from the Ray’z series is the multi-level targeting scheme. You can use your main gun/laser to shoot objects flying at the same altitude as you, but you’ll need to use secondary weapons (guided missiles) to hit ground/low-level targets. Oh, and if you want, you can also use missiles on objects flying through your level. What makes the game more difficult than simple schmap is targeting missile locks. There is a sighting sight in front of your ship. To lock onto a target, the ship must be steered so that the aiming reticle passes directly over the enemy. Weapon systems are registered and target locks are displayed. All you have to do next is press the fire button and let the missile fly a little.
This is one area where customization has an immediate impact on the game. You can access and control some ships and some firing patterns. Raystorm has two ships, R-Gray1 creates up to 8 target locks and R-Gray2 creates up to 16 target locks. Of course, there are trade-offs with other abilities, so choose wisely. You can also choose projectile venom using either machine gun or missile melee, or laser or lightning. Either way, there are plenty of explosive things going on to keep Schmapper happy for a while.
As expected, all gunfire and explosions require dodging enemy fire to power up and level up. The higher the level, the bigger the guns and, of course, the more fun. You’ll find out when you reach the boss at the end of the level. All previous avoidance patterns are destroyed by creative destructive means aimed at you. But hey, you’re a fool, and this is where you grow. The only thing I feel in this type of game is the huge disparity between the number of bullets you need to fire at your enemies to destroy them. But if it’s enough to damage the ship’s paint, hmm! You are done.
Ok, this game is for those who are passionate and perfectionist. Anything to get the right pattern, destroy all enemies and get through it with as few deaths as possible. In this regard, the game does not disappoint.
Raycrisis, the third release in the Ray’z series, is actually a prequel. Even though the game came out just a few years after the original, the advances in graphics rendering are evident. The game delves deep into the virtual reality of the computer world, and as a result is a little surreal. It may not look like a reality-based environmental vehicle that seems to be a reality-based vision of a futurist, but it still remains a general visual aesthetic. A little more trippy. With this installation, anything goes, as you fight your computer from within.
One of the additional features of Raycrisis is the ability to play the game to the end and save the results. Replaying the game lets you play through different levels, so every time you play it completely feels almost like a new game.
As of this writing, Ray’z Arcade Chronology is available on the Nintendo eShop for $49.99. That might sound expensive, but this is a 3-game set with tons of customizations, challenges, and replay time, so it’s actually a relative bargain. The action is fast-paced and multi-layered. The music is pretty good, and the game’s sidebar also shows what you’re listening to. These sidebars display all sorts of information, so pay a little attention while you’re playing (or when you’re taking a break from waves of enemies trying to kill you). If you play in handheld mode, no problem. It really gets better when you dock it to the big screen and play it.
