Ray Tracers Review

Ever play Chase H.Q., that old Taito arcade game where you were driving an undercover cop car, and you had to drive fast enough to catch up to a criminal, then ram him off the road before time ran out? Then you should feel right at home with Ray Tracers. There are only a few differences here. Instead of three one-shot nitros, you now have a continuous stream that you can use at will, and instead of ramming other cars off the road, you now have to ram tanks, helicopters, and jets off the road.

At six levels, the game is incredibly short, and anyone with any driving skill should be able to blow through it in under an hour. Each level "challenges" you to race against a clock, passing occasional checkpoints that give you more time. At the end of every level, you go up against one of the boss vehicles, which occasionally shoot at you but not enough to even pose a threat. Why a helicopter or jet would hug the road long enough to let you ram it into submission is beyond me. The final level pits you against a supercar that can easily outrun you, forcing you to use your turbo wisely, but even this isn't difficult. Beat all the levels, and you'll be treated to a short dialogue presented in hilariously broken English.

The graphics in Ray Tracers are blocky, but they run at an incredibly fast frame rate. The game moves at blinding speeds and makes great use of light sourcing in tunnels and other overhangs. Shadows move as you would expect them to, and the sunlight slowly changes color as the day wears on. The sound effects are your typical screeches, explosions, and other car noises, and the music is favorable, but nothing spectacular.

While Ray Tracers is a pretty neat game, it's way too easy and far too short to purchase. Rent this one, finish it, and forget it ever existed.