Developer: Data West Publisher: Data West Released: 06/06/92 Genre: Shooter
My anticipation for Rayxanber II was only matched by the crushing disappointment I felt once I played it and found out it was a bad game. So bad in fact that I avoided the sequel. As a Turbo Grafx-16 owner at the beginning of the 16-bit era I latched onto any title that looked good in a magazine. Rayxanber II certainly had the look but not the gameplay. Rayxanber III finally makes good on a flawed series and is not just an excellent game but one of the best shooters for the system, hands down.
There are no new mechanics are introduced however what is present has been refined. Rapid fire is now the default, no more fiddling with the turbo buttons. Aside from its convenience it also allows you to build up your charge meter while attacking which is beyond cool. A full charge now also releases a spread of missiles. These can expand into a group of heat seeking projectiles with a second button press. It looks like something out of Macross which is really cool. Not only is it good for clearing the screen but it can inflict massive damage on bosses.
Only some of the prior weapons return with some receiving tweaks. The awful Red Orb now gives you two short range but large flamethrowers that will flambé enemies in seconds. The Green Orb now fires homing orbs that are useful but weak. The Yellow Orb replaces the Blue which is a boring but extremely strong laser. The downside is they can’t pass through walls and other obstacles, lessening its effectiveness. The base strength of each weapon is greater; this was one of the main reasons Rayxanber II was so difficult. I am still not a fan of the directional system. Unless you already know what to expect it can screw you over and with few exceptions it isn’t necessary.
Looking at it objectively not a whole lot has changed. But at the same time it did not need to: as infuriating as the second game was underneath it was a good game with bad execution. This is simply a better game all around, one that seems to go out of its way to avoid frustrating players at every turn. Checkpoints are frequent with each level split into three parts although there is no transition in game. Each checkpoint has a few weapon drops so you are not helpless upon death.
The various quality of life changes do not rob Rayxanber III of any challenge but make it fair. Weapon drops are more frequent so you can experiment a bit. While I don’t like the directional system the game does a good job of providing a few instances where it is indispensable, most notably the reverse sections of stage five and the corridors of stage four. If you happen to enter a boss battle with a bad weapon prepare for a long, tedious duel. Yet in the end I would say this is one of the better balanced games out there.
The level design is exceptionally strong and while derivative at times presents some interesting ideas. Stage two is halfway submerged and slows your movement. The safe zone above is full of turrets that force you to fly undersea where groups of enemies await. The boss of stage four protects its weak spot with a rocky barrier with its opening guarded by a stream of colored balls. You can shoot these balls at the target but the boss will retaliate differently depending on each one. It’s a nice challenge and an innovative take on a well-worn trope. The final battle takes place in a small free roaming environment as you pick it apart to attack its core. The only negative I can really give is that I wish the game were longer!
Visually Rayxanber III is spectacular, featuring a level of detail in its pixel art that resembles a Neo Geo game. The stages have an organic theme overall, creating pulsating interiors and a few outdoor craggy caverns. The large motherships of the enemy fleet exhibit an insane attention to detail unusual for the system. And no matter how busy the screen gets it never slows down. If there is one criticism it is the overly brown color scheme straight out of an Xbox 360 shooter. But when the game looks this good I think the trade-off is worth it. The game is also has a fantastic soundtrack although that doesn’t come as a surprise; the music is one of the few things the prior titles got right.
In Closing
Rayxanber III is one of my favorite shooters on the system next to Air Zonk and Sylphia and an excellent game all around. Don’t pass up this game! It’s a bit expensive but if you find it at a decent price there are few better within the genre.
