Another one of M2's work to preserve arcade and old school games. In this case, the classic Ray/Layer Section series from Taito. These are all the arcade versions so they differ a bit from their console port counterparts (which, at the time of the writing of this review, I hope they will eventually add like they did with G-Darius if I'm not wrong) and they are considerably harder as well.

The two-layered lock-on action is amazing and we've seen the mechanics repurposed and heightened in many later STGs like the legendary Kamui or Crimzon Clover.

Pad support works perfectly. (edit: in fact, a controller is pretty much mandatory and you do get a warning to plug in one before starting the Chronolgy), I used an Xbox One controller and you have a plethora of options to configure in the menus so most boxes are ticked thankfully. The sides of the screen now feature some useful data about bosses, rank, lives, BGM, etc., which is a welcomed addition. You have the usual quick save/load which is perfect to practice but will disable your online scores. The input lag, at least while using this Samsung Odyssey G4 monitor I have (which allows for TATE mode), didn't feel too egregious but I'm not an expert on that front so please take that with a grain of salt.

The games feature some slowdown which I assume is part of the original hardware although not so sure if intended as in CAVE STGs. Either way, yeah, these games are hard, especially RayStorm and RayCrisis due to their 2.5D POV that makes it hard to see the bullets and flak coming your way.

Another aspect that heightens the challenge (perhaps a bit too much) is the rather veiled rank system present (now thankfully visible!), more noticeable in RayForce towards the end where my aging reflexes can no longer process anything anymore. The longer you power up and stay alive and blast those full chain lock-on combos, the harder things get to the point it borderlines danmaku but with an old school, much bigger ship without the speed to account for. A 1cc here is possible but certainly not an easy task.

If you are in just for the achievements, they are thankfully doable without the need to 1cc but will still provide several hours to plod through all three games, with RayCrisis being the more esoteric of the bunch with its approach to stage orders.

Speaking of, there are some interesting graphical differences between the arcade and home ports obviously, especially on RayCrisis (which features none of the cool boss warnings which now I realize are probably to hide CD loading times) and it flows quite seamlessly with its cyber/network aesthetic, giving it a very unique feel.

RayStorm on the other hand feels detached from the series, not just because the story takes pleace in another setting but also because it was the first attempt at polygon graphics and feels overall less polished. It has its charm, and it still features the missile barrages, great fleet battles and robots so I can't blame it on that front.

RayForce is pure 2D greatness and a tour-de-force for those who want to check how it looked before being ported.

Either way, if you're not convinced, pick the collection on a sale, but if you love STGs perhaps it may be worth it at full price. All in all, recommended!

Another one of M2's work to preserve arcade and old school games. In this case, the classic Ray/Layer Section series from Taito. These are all the arcade versions so they differ a bit from their console port counterparts (which, at the time of the writing of this review, I hope they will eventually add like they did with G-Darius if I'm not wrong) and they are considerably harder as well. The two-layered lock-on action is amazing and we've seen the mechanics repurposed and heightened in many later STGs like the legendary Kamui or Crimzon Clover. Pad support works perfectly. (edit: in fact, a controller is pretty much mandatory and you do get a warning to plug in one before starting the Chronolgy), I used an Xbox One controller and you have a plethora of options to configure in the menus so most boxes are ticked thankfully. The sides of the screen now feature some useful data about bosses, rank, lives, BGM, etc., which is a welcomed addition. You have the usual quick save/load which is perfect to practice but will disable your online scores. The input lag, at least while using this Samsung Odyssey G4 monitor I have (which allows for TATE mode), didn't feel too egregious but I'm not an expert on that front so please take that with a grain of salt. The games feature some slowdown which I assume is part of the original hardware although not so sure if intended as in CAVE STGs. Either way, yeah, these games are hard, especially RayStorm and RayCrisis due to their 2.5D POV that makes it hard to see the bullets and flak coming your way. Another aspect that heightens the challenge (perhaps a bit too much) is the rather veiled rank system present (now thankfully visible!), more noticeable in RayForce towards the end where my aging reflexes can no longer process anything anymore. The longer you power up and stay alive and blast those full chain lock-on combos, the harder things get to the point it borderlines danmaku but with an old school, much bigger ship without the speed to account for. A 1cc here is possible but certainly not an easy task. If you are in just for the achievements, they are thankfully doable without the need to 1cc but will still provide several hours to plod through all three games, with RayCrisis being the more esoteric of the bunch with its approach to stage orders. Speaking of, there are some interesting graphical differences between the arcade and home ports obviously, especially on RayCrisis (which features none of the cool boss warnings which now I realize are probably to hide CD loading times) and it flows quite seamlessly with its cyber/network aesthetic, giving it a very unique feel. RayStorm on the other hand feels detached from the series, not just because the story takes pleace in another setting but also because it was the first attempt at polygon graphics and feels overall less polished. It has its charm, and it still features the missile barrages, great fleet battles and robots so I can't blame it on that front. RayForce is pure 2D greatness and a tour-de-force for those who want to check how it looked before being ported. Either way, if you're not convinced, pick the collection on a sale, but if you love STGs perhaps it may be worth it at full price. All in all, recommended!