RayForce[lower-alpha 1] is a vertically scrolling shooter by Taito for the Taito F3 arcade hardware and released in 1994. It was ported to the Sega Saturn in 1995, Microsoft Windows in 1997, then rereleased for iOS in 2012 and Android in 2017.
Due to trademark problems, when the home version was released in Japan it was renamed Layer Section. The Windows version was released outside Japan retaining this name, but when Acclaim published the Saturn version for the North American and European markets, it was renamed Galactic Attack. The game was also titled Gunlock in European arcades.
Gameplay
Gameplay screenshot
The player is provided with a ship called the RVA-818 X-LAY, which is outfitted with two weapons: a primary weapon that fires straight lasers and increases in power when the player accumulates power-ups, and a secondary lock-on laser launcher, which can also be increased in power, that can target up to eight enemies at once by moving the targeting reticle. This weapon is used to attack enemies that appear on a lower plane than that of your craft, which are inaccessible to the player's primary weapon.
Plot
In the distant future, human governments, across the planet Earth, construct a massive supercomputer, named "Con-Human". The purpose of this computer is to govern the planet's environmental systems, verifying proper nutrients and care is provided to ensure the culture of humans and animal alike.
However, disaster strikes when, after a cloned human's mind is linked with the system, Con-Human becomes sentient and insane. It begins to induce calamities across the planet, constructing corrupt clones of existing organisms, destroying its human masters and exterminating the nature it was intended to protect, apparently intending to replace everything with what Con-Human considers improved versions of themselves.
After prolonged war, Con-Human has succeeded in exterminating 99.8% of humankind, with the remnants fleeing to space colonies. Meanwhile, Con-Human remakes the very interior of Earth. As a result, Earth, as humanity knew it, has utterly ceased to exist, transformed into a planet-sized mobile fortress that is in fact Con-Human's body. Con-Human intends to use the transformed Earth to seek out and destroy the colonies, erasing all remaining traces of old life from the universe and leaving only the new life that it personally created. Now, taking the full-scale offensive, mankind develops powerful ships, one of them the RVA-818 X-LAY starfighter, to fight the oppressive machine by destroying the now-infected Earth entirely.
Development
RayForce was directed by Tatsuo Nakamura, assisted by designer and planner Tomohisa Yamashita and graphic designer Hideyuki Katou.[1] During the mid-1990s, Japanese developer Taito had split up their development teams into three groups, one of which was the Kumagaya Research Group in Saitama; the three were moved to this division of the company.[1] Taito specifically stated that the Kumagaya team wouldn't be able to make any shoot'em up games, to the dismay of several employees within the division;[1] they tried multiple times to get the green light for a new shooter, but Taito executives denied these requests for not being "feasible". Even with these requests being denied, Nakamura and the others were determined to make a shooter, and decided to make a set of design documents to present to Taito higher-ups for approval.[1] Looking for inspiration, Nakamura turned to Taito's earlier game Master of Weapon for its aerial top-down perspective, which he thought would work well with 3D visuals.[1] He was also inspired by Namco's Xevious, which had a targeting reticule for firing bombs at ground-stationed targets; not wanting to simply repeat this, Nakamura decided on a lock-on laser that destroyed multiple enemies at once.[1] Before presenting them to Taito, he showed the documents to the character designers and planners for additional feedback and to iron things out.[1] After having it polished further from the project head of the Kumagaya group, he showed the game to company management, who liked the idea and allowed development to continue.[1]
In contrast to most other shooters from the time period, the team chose not to include screen-clearing bombs for the players, so as to return to the older format of shooters where such weapons weren't present.[1] When designing the lock-on laser, the production staff intended to make it so that players weren't able to lock onto more than four different enemies.[1] One of the programmers shared their opinion to Nakamura for it being too difficult to implement, leading to the laser instead being able to target more than four enemies.[1] A single laser shot out of the player's ship when using the lock-on as a visual cue for when to fire.[1] The team chose to make the game world themed around "inorganic" substances, an idea previously used in Konami's Gradius.[1] Nakamura intended to participate in the construction of the setting later on, however his boss instructed him to focus on programming instead. Due to their experience with designing Darius II, the production staff had little issue with balancing the game's difficulty.[1]
For the game's graphics, Katou chose to use a metallic-esque look similar to Darius, despite the disgruntlement of the management.[1] Nakamura created the software tools for making the graphics, with Katou cycling through different palettes and showing Nakamura which ones looked good, who promptly entered the data into the game.[1] Katou used mostly white for enemies from a far distance so as to prevent them from blending into the background.[1] The limitations of the Taito F3 System arcade hardware proved to be difficult to work with when designing levels, due to the hardware's scaling techniques with backgrounds and objects.[1] As a work around, background objects were made to be simple geometrical shapes and cylinders, using similar techniques in Sega's Space Harrier.[1] The arcade game Metal Black was the inspiration for the dust cloud effect in the second level. Early versions of the game were titled Layer Section, a nod to the multi-layered level designs.[1] The team thought of using pre-rendered computer graphics for the visuals, however Namco's NebulasRay already employed the idea to the anger of Katou, leading the game to instead feature all-2D visuals.[1] The music for the game was composed by Zuntata, Taito's "house band".[1]
Release
RayForce was presented at the 1993 Japan Amusement Machine Association (JAMMA) tradeshow in Japan.[1] Before trademarking the title, Nakamura and the others requested all three Taito arcade departments to come up with alternative names for the game; Gunlock and RayForce were chosen, the latter becoming the official title.[1] The game was officially released in Japan in February 1994, and in North America and Europe later that year.
In Japan, Game Machine listed RayForce on their April 1, 1994 issue as being the third most popular arcade unit at the time.[5]
The Saturn version of the game received mixed reviews, with critics typically caught between its high quality design and its antiquated gameplay and stylistics. Rad Automatic of Sega Saturn Magazine stated that the game is fun but severely outdated in terms of both graphics and gameplay, though he did praise the absence of slowdown and the authentic arcade feel of the tate mode.[4] A reviewer for Maximum similarly commented that the game falls into the retro genre without offering the nostalgia value found in most such releases, and further criticized that the tate mode "isn't very practical in execution (and not particularly healthy for your television)." While he acknowledged the game is fun, he noted it was being released alongside a host of top-quality Saturn titles (including Virtua Fighter 2 and Sega Rally Championship), and concluded, "Come on - be honest now - is this really the sort of game you coughed up £300 to play with your high-tech next generation gaming system? Playable it may be, but it's not really worth buying."[3] A Next Generation critic agreed that Galactic Attack is dated and would appeal only to die-hard shooter fans, but nonetheless took the time to explain why shooter fans would enjoy it more than most games in the genre: "Aside from the fact that Galactic Attack is a super-fast action game, there is a definite feeling of quality development and several elements of smart game techniques that are displayed with this title. The best part about Galactic Attack, however, is that it offers everything a good space shooter should without any problems that may have shown up on a 16-bit system trying to do the same ... which means no slow down, even when a load of sprites are on the screen at once."[2]GamePro gave the game a positive review, saying it "features gorgeous, space-themed backgrounds and a rockin' soundtrack. Although your ship is nothing to write home about, the enemies fly at you fast and furiously, giving your eyes a treat and your thumbs a workout. Resounding explosions, crisp voice-overs, and sharp laser blasts round out this quality game."[6]
Though they did not review the game when it was released, in 1997 Electronic Gaming Monthly editors ranked the Saturn version as the 86th best console video game of all time, citing its dual-layer mechanic.[7]
Legacy
Taito initially worked on a sequel named R-Gear, again using sprite-based graphics. At some point this concept was abandoned in favor of RayStorm, which instead sported polygon-based 3D graphics.
This game was also released on Taito Memories in Japan, as well as Xbox and PC versions of Taito Legends 2, but these releases all run in upscanned 640x448 resolution, which results in slight flickering, no scanlines and slightly blurrier image compared to the arcade and Sega Saturn versions.
Radiant Silvergun is a shoot 'em up developed by Treasure. It was originally released in Japanese arcades in 1998 and subsequently ported to the Sega Saturn later that year. The story follows a team of fighter pilots in the far future who are battling waves of enemies summoned by a mysterious crystal dug up from the Earth. The player hosts an arsenal of six different types of shots to choose from, and a sword to destroy nearby targets. The stages are tightly designed to present players with scenarios that can be approached differently with the various weapon types.
Darius II is a 1989 arcade shooter video game developed and published by Taito. It is a direct sequel to the 1987 title, Darius. It was later released as Sagaia in Japan in 1991 for the Game Boy as well as non-Japanese ports. A remake was released for the PC Engine Super CD-ROM² as Super Darius II in 1993.
Virtua Cop is a 1994 light gun shooter game developed by Sega AM2 and designed by Yu Suzuki. It was originally an arcade game on the Sega Model 2 system, and was ported to the Sega Saturn in 1995 and Windows in 1996. The Saturn version included support for both the Virtua Gun and Saturn mouse, as well as a new "Training Mode" which consists of a randomly generated shooting gallery.
Darius Gaiden is a 1994 horizontal-scrolling shooter arcade game developed and published by Taito. The fifth entry in its Darius series, players control a starship named the Silver Hawk in its mission to destroy the Belsar empire before it wipes out the population of planet Darius. Gaiden adds several new features to the core concepts of its predecessors, including screen-clearing black hole bombs and the ability to capture mid-level bosses. The game has been ported to several consoles, including the Sega Saturn and PlayStation.
Darius is a 1987 horizontal-scrolling shooter arcade game developed and published by Taito. Players control a starship named the Silver Hawk in its mission to destroy the Belser empire before they wipe out the planet Darius. Its gameplay involves traversing through a series of scrolling levels while destroying enemies and collecting power-up icons. It is notable for its unique three-screen panoramic display, upbeat soundtrack, and cute anime-influenced graphics.
Die Hard Arcade, known as Dynamite Deka in Japan, is an arcade beat 'em up video game released by Sega. It was the first beat 'em up to use texture-mapped 3D polygon graphics, and used a sophisticated move set by contemporary beat 'em up standards, often being likened to a fighting game in this respect. It also features quick time events, the ability to combine items to make more powerful weapons, and in two-player mode the ability to perform combined special moves and combos.
Virtual On: Cyber Troopers is a 1996 video game developed and published by Sega. A 3D shooting and fighting game featuring robots, it was released in arcades and for Sega Saturn and PC, in both America and Japan. There were also two-player online versions of the game released in America and Japan for the Sega Saturn using the NetLink and XBAND services. Initially the game was to be released under the title "Virtual On" in Japan and "Cyber Troopers" in North America, but ultimately these two names were combined into a single title for both regions.
Steam-Heart's is a shoot 'em up and eroge developed by Giga and published by TGL. The story follows two siblings as they fight off a virus that is possessing the people in their world. The game features shooter gameplay paired with ample erotic cutscenes with scantily clad women. Steam-Heart's was initially released on PC-98 personal computers in 1994. It later made its way to the PC Engine Super CD-ROM² System in 1996 and then the Sega Saturn in 1998. All releases have been limited to the Japanese market. Critics generally found the gameplay to be average, with the erotic content being the sole distinguishing feature.
Time Gal is an interactive movie video game developed and published by Taito and Toei Company, and originally released as a laserdisc game in Japan for the arcades in 1985. It is an action game which uses full motion video (FMV) to display the on-screen action. The player must correctly choose the on-screen character's actions to progress the story. The pre-recorded animation for the game was produced by Toei Company.
Twin Cobra II is a vertically scrolling shooter arcade video game developed by Takumi Corporation and published in 1995 by Taito in Japan, Asia and Europe. It is the sequel to Twin Cobra from 1987. Taking place after the events of the previous game, players assume the role of two pilots taking control of their respective attack helicopters to overthrow the returning enemy forces.
G-Darius is a shoot'em up arcade game, released by Taito in 1997. It is the fourth arcade installment of the Darius series and the first in the series to feature three-dimensional polygonal graphics.
Sōkyūgurentai, also known as Terra Diver, is a vertical-scrolling shooting game by Raizing originally released as an arcade game for the ST-V platform in 1996. The game was ported to the Sega Saturn and PlayStation in 1997, with neither port being released outside of Japan.
RayStorm is a 1996 vertically scrolling shooter arcade video game developed and published by Taito. It has been ported to several consoles, including the PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and Xbox 360. Players control a starship, the R-Gray, in its mission to destroy the Secilia Federation before it destroys Earth.
Elevator Action Returns, also known as Elevator Action II, is a 1994 run and gun video game developed for arcades and published by Taito. It is the sequel to Elevator Action (1983) with a grittier, more realistic setting. It retains the elevator-based gimmick from the original, but expands the gameplay system and replaces the spy motif with a new scenario involving a paramilitary team fighting against a terrorist group.
Gekirindan is a 1995 vertically scrolling shooter arcade video game originally developed and published by Taito in Japan, America and Europe. Set in the year 3195, where a robot known as "Huge Boss" stole a newly developed time machine to travel back in time and rewrite human history, players assume the role of one of the six fighter pilots taking control of their own space fighter craft in an effort to overthrow the evil entity from altering history.
Hyper Duel is a Japanese video game developed by Technosoft and released in 1993. It is a horizontally scrolling shooter which takes inspiration from the Thunder Force series. The game has the player take control of a ship that can transform between a humanoid mecha and a space ship. The game was released in arcades in 1993, running on the TEC442-A hardware, then was ported to the Sega Saturn in 1996. It has never been released outside of Japan.
Skull Fang is a 1996 vertical-scrolling shooter developed and published in arcades by Data East. Skull Fang is the third and final entry in a loose trilogy of games beginning with 1989's Vapor Trail. It was released for the Sega Saturn in 1997.
Space Gun is a 1990 first-person shooter arcade game released by Taito. The game is set aboard a crippled space station that has been overrun by hostile alien creatures. The objective is to rescue human crew members while destroying the alien creatures. The game lets the player shoot limbs off the creatures, resulting in blood splatters.
Night Striker is a 1989 shoot 'em up video game developed and published by Taito for the Taito Z System. In the game, the player flies an armoured car shooting enemy invaders to destroy a terrorist organisation. Night Striker combines gameplay elements of Sega's Space Harrier and Out Run. Versions were released for the Sega Mega-CD in 1993, Sony PlayStation in 1995, and Sega Saturn in 1996. A version was released on the Taito Memories II Gekan compilation for the PlayStation 2 in 2007. Night Striker received mixed reviews, and the Mega-CD version in particular was heavily criticised, primarily due to poor graphics. The music was composed by Taito's Zuntata sound team, and has been released separately.
Terra Cresta 3D is a 1997 vertical-scrolling shooter video game developed by Nihon Bussan and published by it's main publishing label Nichibutsu for the Sega Saturn in Japan. It is the fourth game in the Cresta series, following the 1992 game Terra Cresta II: Mandler's Counterattack for the PC-Engine. The player assumes control of three starships as they must complete six stages while destroying enemies and avoiding collision with them and their projectiles. By collecting small "F" icons the player can merge the three ships into one and gain access to new, more destructive weapons.
↑ "100 Best Games of All Time". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No.100. Ziff Davis. November 1997. p.107. Note: Contrary to the title, the intro to the article explicitly states that the list covers console video games only, meaning PC games and arcade games were not eligible.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
