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RAY TRACERS (PS)
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Publisher: Sony.
Developer: Taito. Released: July 1997 (Europe). Genre: Vehicle Combat. Posted 20th March 2023. By Tom Clare © 2023 |
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Ray Tracers is very Taito. The hallmarks are unmistakable, even in a genre so far removed from their familiar mid-nineties haunts. Whilst the popular and prolific Japanese developer made scrolling shoot ‘em ups and puzzlers their forte throughout the period, a combat racer isn’t as alien to their heritage as you might imagine. To say Ray Tracers acts as a 3D successor to Chase H.Q. might be affording it a bigger billing than is strictly fair. However, the two are similar in spirit, whilst RT also borrows a considerable amount of its framework from Ridge Racer.
This short-lived effort delivered a bright burst of arcade racing fun, something we would surely have described in 1997 as an ‘ideal rental’. The game proved endearing for its lack of guile, especially during a period when the media were demanding a level of cutting edge from PlayStation racers. There’s no pretence of sophistication or originality, it’s unapologetically an arcade title at heart. The handling isn’t perfect, as slides can be quite difficult to judge with consistency and more complicated rough sections can feel a bit sketchy as a result, but it is nippy and relatively responsive.
Never mind the physics: Ray Tracers foregoes realism for fun at eye-watering speeds
Chase mode forms the main crux of the game, splitting its purpose between checkpoint racing and smashing other road users to accumulate points. Here the player is tasked with carving their way through levels filled with hazards, with skilled players holding on to as much nitro boost as possible. Reach the culmination of a stage and, in a move very much at home in Taito’s Darius shoot ‘em up series, a big warning message is splashed across the screen, indicating imminent contact with a giant mechanical foe. Tanks, helicopter gunships and armoured vehicles are the order of the day here. You know the drill: bash into them, deplete their energy bar before the time runs out, and it's on to the next stage. Despite contrasting appearances, one boss is much like the next and as the only means of inflicting damage is through ramming them, there isn’t a great deal of scope for variety.
It’s neither as smooth as Ridge Racer Revolution nor as stylish as Porsche Challenge. Visually, it lacks polish: there’s loads of track tearing and a noticeable amount of pop-in and whilst the car models are acceptable in terms of detail, they’re nothing special. It may be rough around the edges, but Ray Tracers is plenty of fun and blisteringly quick. Its high frame rate helps create a truly exhilarating sense of motion, aided by a beefy quartet of motors and a small but reasonably diverse range of locations. Perhaps fittingly given its name, RT uses a progressive lighting engine to cast an impressive array of reflections in the windows of the cars. It may not have been shouted about in ‘97, but the effect works really nicely and, in retrospect, was well ahead of its time and its peers.
It’s neither as smooth as Ridge Racer Revolution nor as stylish as Porsche Challenge. Visually, it lacks polish: there’s loads of track tearing and a noticeable amount of pop-in and whilst the car models are acceptable in terms of detail, they’re nothing special. It may be rough around the edges, but Ray Tracers is plenty of fun and blisteringly quick. Its high frame rate helps create a truly exhilarating sense of motion, aided by a beefy quartet of motors and a small but reasonably diverse range of locations. Perhaps fittingly given its name, RT uses a progressive lighting engine to cast an impressive array of reflections in the windows of the cars. It may not have been shouted about in ‘97, but the effect works really nicely and, in retrospect, was well ahead of its time and its peers.
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The first three stages are enjoyable, distinctive pursuits. A city freeway kicks things off, followed swiftly by an undulating mountain pass and then a sequence replete with Ridge Racer-style tunnels and suspension bridges, as well as an aqueduct. By stages four and five things have started to become more simplistic, recycling content with a familiar boss rush vibe on city highways. The final stage is more exciting, however, playing host to a breathless, one-vs-one takedown event on the fearsome Kaiser’s Road course. It’s like something out of an anime action film.
There’s a likeable, full-beans philosophy that Ray Tracers commits to. It’s a corny, over-the-top racer that delivers plenty of carnage, massively over-the-top bosses and cars that are like saloons on steroids. One of them is genuinely called Spanker. The moodiest of the protagonists routinely responds to Cyndi’s helpful mission briefings with “shut up”, presumably because he’s baaad. The protagonists try so hard to be edgy, but I suspect something was lost (or perhaps gained?) in translation. Attempts at banter during the end sequences remain, twenty-five years later, every bit as confoundingly funny as they were at the time of its release. Some of the voicing would make Resident Evil’s cast blush.
There’s a likeable, full-beans philosophy that Ray Tracers commits to. It’s a corny, over-the-top racer that delivers plenty of carnage, massively over-the-top bosses and cars that are like saloons on steroids. One of them is genuinely called Spanker. The moodiest of the protagonists routinely responds to Cyndi’s helpful mission briefings with “shut up”, presumably because he’s baaad. The protagonists try so hard to be edgy, but I suspect something was lost (or perhaps gained?) in translation. Attempts at banter during the end sequences remain, twenty-five years later, every bit as confoundingly funny as they were at the time of its release. Some of the voicing would make Resident Evil’s cast blush.
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It’s super-accessible and perfect for a quick blast. But alas, a quick blast is all you’ll get. Just as things are starting to warm up, the end credits roll. It’s easy and very short: you’ll likely be through the campaign in half an hour. The lack of a two-player mode is a bit of shame, albeit not an unfamiliar one amongst early PlayStation racers. Whilst the Chase mode isn’t especially long, however, there is some incentive to return. Each main character has a unique FMV ending and should you finish the game with all four of them, you’ll unlock the final boss as a playable character.
Indeed, Ray Tracers may look like it derives from an arcade game, but in reality, its DNA is that of a console-specific creation, which yields it some unexpected advantages in terms of longevity. Unusually, its Time Attack mode offers a clutch of courses that aren’t available in the story. As well as offering some more conventional, against-the-clock action, the main lure here is the opportunity to challenge the demonically fast Tsumujikaze. For all intents and purposes, this is a shameless rip-off of Ridge Racer’s Devil car challenge, but at least it showed Taito had been paying attention! Beat him over a three-lap race, and you’ll have another car to race with, as well as another ending to unearth in Chase mode.
Indeed, Ray Tracers may look like it derives from an arcade game, but in reality, its DNA is that of a console-specific creation, which yields it some unexpected advantages in terms of longevity. Unusually, its Time Attack mode offers a clutch of courses that aren’t available in the story. As well as offering some more conventional, against-the-clock action, the main lure here is the opportunity to challenge the demonically fast Tsumujikaze. For all intents and purposes, this is a shameless rip-off of Ridge Racer’s Devil car challenge, but at least it showed Taito had been paying attention! Beat him over a three-lap race, and you’ll have another car to race with, as well as another ending to unearth in Chase mode.
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Elsewhere, a nineties-anime-action BGM makes for a great selection screen theme, though otherwise, the music is a little below-par. Tunes trundle along in decidedly uninspired fashion, whilst the whiny engine notes are not much better. Still, it’s the gameplay you turned up for and, though Ray Tracers can’t claim to be the best in class, it’s a fun and engaging journey with all right Taito quirks.
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VERDICT
"It may be rough around the edges, but Ray Tracers is plenty of fun and blisteringly quick... whilst it can’t claim to be best in class, it’s a fun and engaging racer with all right Taito quirks." OVERALL: 6/10 |
OTHER CLASS OF 1997 RACING GAME REVIEWS
Rage Racer (1997, PlayStation)
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Total Drivin (1997, PlayStation)
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