Taito vertical shmup with an ingenious target-lock system. Fast-paced and satisfying gameplay, well-paced progressive difficulty. Near-perfect Saturn port of the arcade. One of the console's best shmups.
Your verdict
Category
Shooter1 player7+
Co-op
Description
Vertically scrolling space shoot-'em-up featuring chain lock-on targeting mechanics. Published by Taito, released in Europe in 1995. Lock-on system allowing simultaneous targeting of multiple enemies before unleashing chain lasers, seven stages, two firing modes and an atmospheric soundtrack. Saturn port of Layer Section, the Western release of Rayforce.
This US release closes the Layer Section lineage, the Western take on Taito's Rayforce and its chain lock-on system. Acclaim shipped few copies into an already thin North American Saturn base, leaving the NTSC disc far scarcer than its Japanese counterpart. Demand rests on the cult standing of the Taito shmup and on its limited circulation under the Galactic Attack title, prized by lock-on enthusiasts.
Is Galactic Attack still worth playing in 2026?
Galactic Attack, alias Layer Section or RayForce, is a Taito vertical shoot'em up with a chain target-lock system, in which you lock multiple enemies on a lower plane before pulverizing them with a devastating salvo. This multidimensional lock mechanic, the polished aesthetic and the striking soundtrack make it a genre reference, deep and exhilarating. The demanding difficulty calls for mastery. For fans of retro vertical shmups and tactical scoring, it is a cult classic of the machine, brilliant and singular.
