"GameSpot"s review of its Japanese release called it "easily the best shooter currently available on the PlayStation". The website's staff praised its "Intense lighting effects and marvelous explosions fill the screen" and its two soundtracks by Zuntata, but said some of the music lacks "the urgency and intensity you'd expect from a fast-paced shooter." They added that "even with variable difficulty settings, the game is nowhere near as difficult as its predecessor ["RayForce". Additionally, the main weapon doesn't seem to be as much of a necessity as it was in the original." Reviewing the North American release, Dan Hsu of "Electronic Gaming Monthly" agreed that the game provides no impetus for using anything other than the lock-on attack, and is generally lacking in variety of weapons and power-ups. He summed up that "Playing "RayStorm" is like dating a gorgeous girl with zero brains. It sure looks good, and it's a lot of fun for a short while, but you'll soon realize that you'll be wanting more out of it." His co-reviewers Crispin Boyer and Sushi-X were more positive, as they focused solely on the graphics and music. Scarry Larry of "GamePro", however, said the music "tries to impress but comes up short." Similarly to Hsu, he found the graphics cutting edge and attractive but the gameplay too dated to appeal to fans of modern shooters.