Rayxanber II is a 1991 horizontally scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Data West for the PC Engine CD-ROM². It is the sequel to Rayxanber, which was released earlier in 1990 for the FM Towns. In the game, the player assumes the role of a fighter pilot controlling a Eliminate Scanner AD space craft to protect Earth against an alien invasion led by the returning Zoul Empire. The title was created by Team 50, a group within Data West that previously worked on the first entry for FM Towns. The music was scored by Yasuhito Saito, who composed for the original entry and also worked on titles such as Layla and The 4th Unit series.
Rayxanber II is a sequel to Rayxanber. Like its predecessor, it is a horizontally scrolling shooter that puts the player in the role of a lone fighter pilot who has to protect Earth against the invasion of biomechanical aliens serving the Zoul Empire. As in most games of its kind, the action revolves around shooting waves of continuously attacking enemies, facing bosses to terminate stages.
The player can collect colored power-ups that will modify the ship’s weapons, turning them into an explosive gun (red), flame laser (green), and multi-way fire (blue). These power-ups are constantly rotating, and picking them up at specific moments will change the direction they are facing – up, down, left, or right. By holding the attack button the player can charge the ship’s power, unleashing explosive attacks. It is also possible to increase the ship’s speed for a quick thrust, which makes it easier to evade enemy fire.