Ray Crisis (V2.03O 1998/11/15 15:43)

Taito’s Ray Crisis, released in 1998, is a vertically scrolling shooter that plunges players into a desperate struggle for Earth's survival. As mecha-neurologists piloting advanced starfighters, two players engage in Operation Raycrisis—an attempt to infiltrate and disable the Neuro-Computer Con-Human, a supercomputer gone rogue after a disastrous experiment involving human cloning. The game serves as a prequel to the RayForce series, revealing the events leading up to that earlier conflict. Gameplay centers around navigating through increasingly challenging stages filled with enemy forces and massive structures while battling to upload computer viruses known as Waveriders into the Cybernetics Link. Players utilize a lock-on secondary weapon system alongside standard weaponry, carefully managing firepower against overwhelming odds. The narrative unfolds as humanity is pushed from Earth, ultimately culminating in a final assault on Con-Human—an effort that will result in the planet's destruction. Running on Taito’s G-Net hardware, Ray Crisis delivers intense action and detailed visuals characteristic of late 90s arcade shooters. Secrets can be unlocked by entering specific button combinations after inserting credits, revealing all stages or activating an Expert Mode for a greater challenge.