Rating:

RayHound is a shooter but not really. Your ship reflects enemy shots back in their own robotic faces in a very interesting and fun take on a simple and probably overdone genre. Elegant, simple graphics and fun gameplay from a well known Japanese developer.

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Full Review

Spend some time looking at any list of 'the best' independent games and you will more than likely find reference to Warning Forever. As I recently learned, this was the work of Hikoza T. Ohkubo, otherwise known by his handle Hikoza'n-Chi X. As chance would have it, I've played many of the man's games and they are all very good. They all take some daring chances in meddling with an otherwise tried-and-true genre, that is shoot 'em up or shmups.

RayHound is no exception.

Some have called RayHound a 'non-shooter' in that you don't actually shoot anything. In this game, your weapon is gravity. Your small, pixelated ship flies around an otherwise plain but nicely rendered field of hexagons, providing a sort of interspace feel, similar to Tron. It works, as the main feature of the game is redirecting enemy shots and use them against them. It's a simple but brilliant game mechanic and for me, a hockey fan, a familiar concept as many NHL goals are scored by redirecting pucks into the goal.

You find essentially two tools at your disposal: your 'gravity field' and your charge ability. The gravity field neutralizes any incoming shots and keeps them from striking your ship. Flicking the mouse (which controls the ship) causes you to 'charge' and directly reflects and incoming shots. This is often the easier way to get things done but is not as interesting a tool to play with.

Each stage features a different arrangement of turrets blasting these long, trailing shots your way. The open-ended nature of the gravity tool lets you have a lot of liberty in destroying your enemies and the game gets very exciting when you have dozens of shots coming in at once and only a precisely timed shot will save your little ship from timed defeat.

You do not have health, in the traditional sense, as the game is entirely a time attack. If your ship is struck by an enemy blaster then you lose ten seconds from your timer. When you complete a stage, you gain more time. The game ends when your timer runs out. Fun and far less frustrating then a health bar.

Such an interesting take on an otherwise unshakable genre is worthy of your immediate time and download. It is a fine example of a simple concept executed with near perfection.