History VideoGame / RaySeries

* SpeedrunReward: In ''[=RayCrisis=]'', defeating a boss (other than the FinalBoss and TrueFinalBoss) will award a reduction in Encroachment if done quickly enough, with the maximum reduction being 20%. This is required to get 0% Encroachment and thus an S rank and its 1,000,000-point bonus for the level, as Encroachment slowly rises over time, including during boss fights.

* AutoSave: ''[=RayStorm=]''[='=]s and ''[=RayCrisis=]''[='=]s [=PS1=] and PC ports have this feature as an option to save progress between sessions when enabled.

!!This series feature trope examples of:

** ''Ray'z Arcade Chronlogy'' for [=PS4=] and Switch compiles the arcade versions of all three games into one package, with optional HD upscaling for the latter two games. Each of the three games has a choice between the original arcade soundtrack or an arranged version of it: ''[=RayForce=]'' gets the Saturn arrange, ''[=RayStorm=]'' gets the ''Neu Tanz Mix'' version originally made for the [=PS1=] version, and ''[=RayCrisis=]'' gets arranged from the ''rayons de l'air'' album and its stages use ".BLUE -the day you live on Earth-", which was originally used for Special Mode of the [=PS1=] and Windows versions.

** Averted in ''[=RayStorm=]''; if you want that one-credit clear, you have to make it all the way through without dying more than twice, except in 13-Ship Mode.

* OneUp: Found in the Special Mode of ''[=RayCrisis=]''.

* SpeedrunReward: In ''[=RayCrisis=]'', defeating a boss (other than the FinalBoss and TrueFinalBoss) will award a reduction in Encroachment if done quickly enough, with the maximum reduction being 20%. This is required to get 0% Encroachment and thus an S rank for the level, as Encroachment slowly rises over time, including during boss fights.

* SpeedRunReward: In ''[=RayCrisis=]'', defeating a boss (other than the FinalBoss and TrueFinalBoss) will award a reduction in Encroachment if done quickly enough, with the maximum reduction being 20%. This is required to get 0% Encroachment and thus an S rank for the level, as Encroachment slowly rises over time, including during boss fights.

* BlackAndGrayMorality: While the Secilian Federation wants to destroy Earth and its inhabitants, it's hard to say that this action went without provocation. It was the result of the Star Federation imposing martial law on its colonies, including Secilia; what exactly martial law entailed is never explained in detail, but if it caused colonies to mutiny against the Star Federation, then that martial law couldn't have been conducted in a way that could be considered particularly benevolent for the colonies. [[spoiler:The destruction of Secilia and the dooming of the planet's population to death by crashing into a gas giant makes the Earth forces [[WellIntentionedExtremist Well-Intentioned Extremists]] ''at best''.]]

->*BOOM* ''[[JustifiedExtraLives RAY 2]] to continue present tactics.''

* TrueFinalBoss: [[spoiler:Infinity in ''[=RayCrisis=]''. It's a... [[SinisterGeometry spherical]]... thing with pretty golden patterns on it. Accompanied by OminousPipeOrgan.]]

In 2022, Taito announced ''[[https://www.taito.co.jp/mob/topics/25344 Ray'z Arcade Chronology]]'', a CompilationRerelease of all three games for UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch and UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, ported by Creator/{{M2}}. In addition to straight emulation ports of the three games, it will also include remastered versions of the latter two games, ''[=RayStorm=] Neo-HD''[[note]]The "Neo" part is to differentiate it from the earlier ''[=RayStorm=] HD'' for Xbox 360 and [=PS3=][[/note]] and ''[=RayCrisis=] HD''. ''Ray'z Arcade Chronology'' was released on March 9, 2023 in Japan and is planned for a Western release, with a cheaper version containing only the latter two games set for a June 2023 release. Those who pre-order the game through Amazon Japan during Prime Day between July 12 and 13 received a download code for the previously unreleased ''R-GEAR'' and a playable version of its first stage. Everyone who pre-orders the Western release through Strictly Limited Games will also get ''R-Gear'' included on the physical copy.

In 2022, Taito announced ''[[https://www.taito.co.jp/mob/topics/25344 Ray'z Arcade Chronology]]'', a CompilationRerelease of all three games for UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch and UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, ported by Creator/{{M2}}. In addition to straight emulation ports of the three games, it will also include remastered versions of the latter two games, ''[=RayStorm=] Neo-HD''[[note]]The "Neo" part is to differentiate it from the earlier ''[=RayStorm=] HD'' for Xbox 360 and [=PS3=][[/note]] and ''[=RayCrisis=] HD''. ''Ray'z Arcade Chronology'' is scheduled for a March 9, 2023 release. Those who pre-order the game through Amazon Japan during Prime Day between July 12 and 13, will receive a download code for the previously unreleased ''R-GEAR'' and a playable version of its first stage. Everyone who pre-orders the Western release through Strictly Limited Games will also get ''R-Gear'' included on the physical copy.

* VanityWindow: The Windows 95 port of ''[=RayForce=]'', which features HUD elements on the right side of the window due to running at resolution that is wider than it is tall (the PC version runs 320x240, while the arcade version runs at 224x320) while the game screen on the left is squished down a square as a result.

''[=RayForce=]'' uses the Taito F3 hardware, and eventually ports to the UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn and [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer Windows 95]]; a re-release of the original arcade game was also featured in ''[[CompilationRerelease Taito Legends 2]]'' for UsefulNotes/PlayStation2, the original UsefulNotes/XBox, and Windows PC. It uses two-dimensional graphics, but because of the game mechanics, the game uses a lot of Mode 7-like graphics to simulate three dimensions. [[SceneryPorn It works very, very well]]. A minor quirk of the game, however, lies in its naming; due to [[ExecutiveMeddling copyright problems]], it has no less than ''four'' [[MarketBasedTitle different names]]: ''[=RayForce=]'' for the Japanese and North American arcade releases, ''Layer Section'' for its Japanese home ports and North American Windows port, ''Galactic Attack'' for the North American Sega Saturn port, and ''Gunlock'' in Europe. On January 13th, 2012, ''[=RayForce=]'' was re-released for iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire OS devices. Another port of the game was released as part of Taito's Egret II Mini microconsole in 2022. The Saturn versions were rereleased as ''Layer Section & Galactic Attack S-Tribute'' by City Connection for UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne and PC via Steam on April 28, 2022; this version features slowdown and rewind assist options.

* KillEmAll: [[spoiler:The ending of [=RayStorm's=] 13-ship mode. Virtually everybody on Earth and Secelia are dead or doomed, and the pilot never returns]].

--> [[spoiler:"[[ShootTheShaggyDog Earth and Secilia have vanished.]] [[KillEmAll 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."]]

* RandomlyGeneratedQuests: In the arcade and mobile versions of ''[=RayCrisis=]'', every time you start the game, a random sequence of three intermediate stages is chosen for you. The next time you play on your user account, you can either generate another random set, or play a sequence that you've already played. This was scrapped in the [=PS1=] version in favor of letting the player freely pick their three stages.

In 2022, Taito announced ''[[https://www.taito.co.jp/mob/topics/25344 Ray'z Arcade Chronology]]'', a CompilationRerelease of all three games for UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch and UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, ported by Creator/{{M2}}. In addition to straight emulation ports of the three games, it will also include remastered versions of the latter two games, ''[=RayStorm=] Neo-HD''[[note]]The "Neo" part is to differentiate it from the earlier ''[=RayStorm=] HD'' for Xbox 360 and [=PS3=][[/note]] and ''[=RayCrisis=] HD''. ''Ray'z Arcade Chronology'' is scheduled for a March 9, 2023 release. Those who pre-order the game through Amazon Japan during Prime Day between July 12 and 13 will receive a download code for the previously unreleased ''R-GEAR'' and a playable version of its first stage.

* PunnyTitle: The titles of the first two games' console releases, ''Layer Section'' and ''Layer Section II'', take advantage of [[JapaneseRanguage "Lay" and "Ray" being pronounced identically in Japanese]].