Ray Series: Difference between revisions

{{tropework}}

The "'''''Ray Series'''''" is a trilogy of top-down, vertically-scrolling [[Shoot 'Em Up|shooters]] developed by Taito.

'''RayForce''' (1995, pictured on right) is the first game, and is set in a future in which the many nations of Earth assemble a supercomputer called "Con-Human" to govern the Earth's natural resources. As a result of an attempt to fuse Con-Human with the mind of a [[Cloning Blues|cloned human]], [[AIA.I. Is a Crapshoot|Con-Human goes apeshit]] and starts destroying living organisms all across the earth and transforming it into what it perceives as a newer, better version of it and its life forms. Humanity attempts to flee to space colonies, only to get hunted down by Con-Human there as well. Naturally, this being a Shoot 'em Up, [[ItsIt's Up to You|it's up to one or two ships]] to [[Earthshattering Kaboom|destroy the Earth]] in order to put an end to Con-Human.

''RayStorm'' runs on the Taito FX-1B board, and as mentioned, is the first ''Ray'' game in 3D, allowing for more varieties in stage scrolling and enemies. Furthermore, unlike the first game, in which you can only fire your homing lasers at enemies ''below'' you, any on-screen enemy is fair game for your lock-on attacks. If you find yourself in trouble, you can launch a [[Smart Bomb]] that inflicts massive damage to all on-screen enemies. ''RayStorm'' was ported to the [[Play StationPlayStation]] in all three major regions, Sega Saturn in Japan (under the name ''Layer Section II''), and finally Windows PC in Japan and Europe. The ports feature extras such as an arranged version of the original soundtrack, an "Extra Mode" with new versions of the stages, and a "[[Thirteen Is Unlucky|13-Plane Mode]]" in which you have thirteen lives, with every three lives (for the first twelve lives) using a different ship and the last life being a weaker prototype ship. The North American PlayStation version, handled by [[Working Designs]], had a contest for $10,000, and a form of [[Easy Mode Mockery]] to discourage players from BS'ing through the game and calling it a day. ''RayStorm'' also got an exclusive PS2 release, via ''Taito Legends 2'', but it's the arcade version and not the enhanced PlayStation version. An [[Video Game Remake|HD remake]], ''RayStorm HD'', has been released for [[Xbox Live Arcade]] and [[Playstation Network]]. The HD remake features the ability to play as two new ships, the R-GRAY 0<ref>(theThe prototype ship seen in the 13-Plane Mode of previous home ports in playable form, with a design reminiscent to the RVA-818-X-LAY fighter seen in [[Ray Force]])''RayForce''.</ref> and the R-GEAR <ref>(aA ship that serves as a namesake for the canceled true [[Ray Force]]''RayForce'' sequel).</ref>, online leaderboards, and sharable replays. This version loses the [[Easy Mode Mockery]] of it's previous ports, but also makes unlocking [[Cosmetic Award|Achievements and Trophies]] a moot task in the game due to not being difficulty-specific. An iOS port of the game is currently in the works.

'''RayCrisis''' (1998) is the third game in the series, and is a prequel to ''RayForce''. Set just before the events of ''RayForce'', ''RayCrisis'' takes the fight away from space and Earth and instead puts you in the role of a hacker striving to shut down Con-Human by using a computer virus. This being a shmup, said virus takes the form of a ship that flies through an [[Extreme Graphical Representation]] of Con-Human's systems and attempts to destroy it from within. {{spoiler|1=However, you don't completely succeed; by the end of the game, [[Doomed Byby Canon|the damage has already been done]], necessitating the events of ''RayForce''.}}.

A direct sequel to ''RayForce'' called '''R-GEAR''' was planned, but canceled early in favor of ''RayStorm''.

* [[AIA.I. Is a Crapshoot]]: [[Big Bad|Con-Human]] in ''RayForce'' and ''RayCrisis''.

* [[Battleship Raid]]: Stage 2 in ''RayForce'', as a midboss. ''RayStorm'' has more battleships in Stages 4 and 5, with Stage 4's boss being a huge battleship. [[Darius|It's not approaching fast, though.]]

* [[Bittersweet Ending]]: {{spoiler|1=In ''RayForce'', after destroying Con-Human, the ship is hit by the blast of [[Earthshattering Kaboom|Earth's explosion]] before it can escape. After the credits, the camera pans to the what remains of the heroine's RVA-818-X-LAY fighter and seeing it die out. There's also the matter of the Earth exploding in the first place.}}.

* [[Doomed Byby Canon]]: {{spoiler|1=The Earth in ''RayCrisis''.}}.

* [[Downer Ending]]: {{spoiler|1=''RayStorm's'' Extra Mode ending ''seems'' like it's a [[Bittersweet Ending]], with the enemy forces (and millions of inhabitants) being destroyed by having their capital colony dropped into the sun. While your badly damaged ship moves away into the distance. Then you see the text after the credits:}}:

{{quote| {{spoiler|Earth and Secilia have vanished. Likewise, those that developed the "RAY" technology and all evidence of its existence have been wiped away. No record of R-GRAY craft was found, and no R-GRAY craft has ever returned.}}.}}

* [[Dynamic Difficulty]]: Survive long enough in ''RayForce'' and the difficulty goes batshit. [[AIA.I. Is a Crapshoot|Notice a parallel with the story?]]

** In ''RayCrisis'', you have the Encroachment Meter, described in the North American manual as [[Crowning Moment of Funny|"determining the amount of suckage]]"." The lower it is, the more enemies will pop up.

** ''RayStorm'' also has a similar ending, except it's for the bad guys. {{spoiler|It's also a [[Bittersweet Ending]] considering the collateral deaths of the enemy colony's population. That is, according to the end report.}}.

{{quote| {{spoiler|[[A Million Is a Statistic|70% of the seven billion inhabitants have lost their lives already, and the remaining 30% have no clear hope for survival.]]}}.}}

** {{spoiler|Not just Secilia, Earth got destroyed as well, if the text after the end credits is true.}}.

* [[Engrish]]: The stage names in ''RayForce'' (e.g. "The Gravity of Blue Side."). Also, the background sound clip that plays at the start of the game and periodically throughout: "This is the control tower. Make a left turn. Over."

* [[Justified Title]]: Working Designs added the "Series Termination" subtitle to ''RayCrisis'', the last game in the series. In the Japanese version of ''RayCrisis'', the game bore the subtitle "-The End of RAY-".

* [[Self -Plagiarism]]: The [[Rail Shooter]] ''Zeitgeist'' (a.k.a. ''Jupiter Strike'') isn't set in the same universe, but the plot, art style and enemy desisndesign all are very similar to ''RayStorm'', and the player ship in that game use the same lock-on laser. [[They Changed It, Now It Sucks|Unfortunately, it was a bad move on Taito's part]], especially when trying to complete a single level is just a [[Nintendo Hard|test of willpower]].

* [[Suspicious Videogame Generosity]]:* Right before the [[Final Boss]] of ''RayForce'', the game gives you a lot of harmless pods for you to lock-on and destroy, all of which contain enough [[Power -Up]]s to power ''both'' characters to full ''multiple times''. [[Nintendo Hard|You're so gonna]] [[That One Boss|need them]].

* [[Thirteen Is Unlucky]]: In home ports of ''RayStorm'', there is an unlockable '''13'''-Plane Mode where you must go through using a total of thirteen ships under one credit, and every three ships changes to a different ship for the first twelve ships. On the thirteenth ship, however, you're given a weak prototype ship to use.

* [[True Final Boss]]: {{spoiler|1=Infinity in ''RayCrisis''. It's a... [[Sinister Geometry|spherical... thing with pretty golden patterns on it]]. Accompanied by [[Ominous Pipe Organ]].}}.

[[Category:TropeShoot'Em Up]]