RayForce (also known as Layer Section, Galactic Attack, and Gunlock) is the first game in the Ray Series but chronologically it serves as the sequel of RayCrisis. It was released first time for arcade in 1994 by Taito Corporation. This is reputed to be the first game to revolutionize the "two attack layer" system, where the player can shoot in two separate layers: the same level as the player and a lower level beneath the player. Subsequently, the player had to use two different weapons in order to attack enemies on those layers.
Story
December 24th, M.C. (Machine Century) 0185 - 77 years after Con-Human started its uprising against humanity and the subsequent events in Raycrisis, Con-Human consciousness has been compromised and now a second offensive phase following the failure of Operation Meteor two years ago has begun. The new fighter RVA-818 X-LAY has been launched to dispatch the remaining aspects of Con-Human. It's objective is to enter the remnants of Earth and destroy Con-Human's core before it can gather enough potential to seek out and destroy the remaining human colonies. Unfortunately, if this last-ditch assault is successful and Con-Human is destroyed, the Earth will also be vaporized due to the massive influence that Con-Human constructed to fulfill its vengeful mission. This final mission is called, Operation RayForce.
Spacecraft
Stages
- Area 1: RED POWER TO PIERCE THROUGH
- Area 2: THE GRAVITY OF BLUE SIDE
- Area 3: THE PHANTASM OF SILVER
- Area 4: THE FISSURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS
- Area 5: TOWARD THE DARKNESS
- Area 6: THE END OF DEEP LAYER
- Area 7: RELEASING INFINITELY
Bosses
- Area 1: Dual Lance
- Area 2: Guira-Sol
- Area 3: Giga
- Area 4: G.P.M.S.-2 (Ground Performed Mad Shell-2)
- Area 5: Odin
- Area 6: Dynamo
- Area 7: Con-Human
Ports
Rayforce has been ported to several platforms mostly under different names
- Sega Saturn - Rayforce was ported to Sega Saturn console one year after arcade version release. It was released in different region under different titles:
- Galactic Attack for US/European release
- Layer Section for Japanese release
- Windows 95 - Windows 95 port was done by Big Bang Software[1] and published under title Layer Section in 1997 by different publisher for each region:
- Japan: GAMEBANK CORP.
- USA: GT Interactive Software Corp.
- Germany: Rainbow Arts Software GmbH
- United Kingdom: Conspiracy Entertainment
- The Windows 95 is considered as the most inferior port between the three as the screen size has been reduced to 4:3 aspect resolution thus greatly reducing game screen visibility.
- iOS - The iOS port of Rayforce features two different game modes (Remix Mode and Arcade Mode), two display modes (Zoom and Original) and two control schemes (Auto and Manual fire).
- Smartphone (re)release - In April 2017, Famitsu confirms an enhanced rerelease for smartphone (both iOS and Android) featuring controller support and extra tracks from Zuntata will be released on spring 2017. An enhanced smartphone port of Raystorm and Raycrisis also will be released on spring 2017 and summer 2017 respectively.
Gallery
References
- ↑ Windows 95 Port Credits