Ray'z Arcade Chronology Reviews
Three great 2D shooters, lovingly recreated and, in the case of RayStorm and RayCrisis, updated for the modern era – even if some corners have been cut.
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
So if you ever wondered what made the Ray series of shmups so special, then this collection should hopefully help you with that, along with an abundance of homing lasers.
This collection is more than worth the time even if the digital version feels incomplete. It was great revisiting these classic shooters all in one place. They are not as in-depth as other shooters, but are still a ton of fun. Definitely worth checking out for anyone that still clings to that classic genre.
Ray'z Arcade Chronology is a great collection of the best vertical scrolling shooters, to replay and discover them. Only the last two chapters are in HD, but this does not prevent immediate and addictive fun.
Review in Italian | Read full review
While it’s not a must-own shoot ’em up collection, any shmup fan will have a good time with Ray’z Arcade Chronology.
This is the best of it in regards to home ports of the Ray series, spit-polished by M2's dedicated commitment to quality. It offers very accurate arcade ports of three superb, nuanced shoot 'em ups, famous for their fantastic soundtracks, engrossing gameplay mechanics, and visual showboating. Lag is minimal enough to have no impact, and the HD upscaling is wonderful. With no training modes, historical bonuses or rearrangements, however, it falls shy of being the ultimate package. But only just.
Ray'z Arcade Chronology does what it should as a shmup. Lots of things shoot at you and you shoot at lots of things as you learn the required patterns. There's desperation and frustration to overcome as you deal with the copious dying. And it all leads to the thrill of finally taking out the boss. While not every aspect of the game is stellar for what it contributes, this is a fun collection that's worthy of a spot in your Switch library.
Ray’z Arcade Chronology is a great collection of vertical shoot ‘em ups but one that could’ve been even better. The games here have great emulation quality and will provide plenty of hours of shoot ‘em up fun for any fan of the genre. It’s just that it could’ve been even better if all the titles were included in the digital version and if there was more extra content like Museum type stuff.
A trio of classic shoot 'em ups revamped for a new generation
Ray'z Arcade Chronology is one of the best shoot 'em up collections you can get thanks to a phenomenal trilogy of games that have defiantly stood the test of time and can appeal to a wide range of genre enthusiasts. I just don't know who this Ray fellow is...
Ray’z Arcade Chronology is a series that fit the HD treatment well. It was innovative in its time and still is an excellent choice for those who love Taito's classic shoot ‘em ups. Keeping the collection from being impeccable, this edition doesn't highlight the console versions of the trilogy and all the options they offered, and it could have invested in its historical value, sharing a little more of the Ray franchise's trajectory.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Overall, Ray'z Arcade Chronology is great collection of some classic Shmups. No matter which game you like best, you will find something to love here.
Needless to say, it’s hard not to recommend this compilation to older players who have nostalgic memories of this era – you definitely won’t find better versions of these games in earlier compilations or on emulators.
In an obvious perception of evolution, M2, Taito and Inin Games offer both for PS4 and Switch (the analyzed version) a compilation of proven quality, with minimal latency times, impeccable sounds and a section of options and progression parameters that make visible the segments where the gains and failures happened, in the always essential repetitions. Infinite credits are almost essential to start playing, but the time invested here is regained in this realm of art between continuous firing and "lock on" attacks. Some more content would give other reasons to play or replay, still an edition enhanced with three good games, which is not only for Japan.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
While perhaps carrying a bit of a premium price, this distinctive arcade shooting series is a blast to play without much doubt
Still, the stuff you get here is top notch, and M2 nailed everything they could; from play control, emulation, DIP Switch settings, and the quality of the HD remasters, Ray’z Arcade Chronology may be a pricey package, but one that’s well worth the cost at the end of the day, especially if you’re a fan of scorechasing shooters.
It’s just a very good compilation of fun, but overlooked bullet hell shooters. I did like RayStorm and RayCrisis more than RayForce, but all of the games included in Ray’z Arcade Chronology are leagues better than the vast majority of arcade shooters released back in the 90s. Add in M2’s godlike ability to remaster seemingly every single game they touch into ultimate improvements upon their original releases, and you know you’re in for a good time.
Even without console ports or the mysterious R-Gear, Ray'z Arcade Chronology is a remarkable collection. It features three entertaining arcade games, including one of Taito's very best, surrounded by a bevy of options, special features, and settings that make those games more accessible and interesting than ever before.