Poor Rayman. Poor, poor Rayman. The guy can’t seem to catch a break. His first game debuted on the original Playstation at a time when anything less than cutting edge 3D graphics were looked down upon. Thankfully, some saw that the game could hold its own, playing as well as any 2D platformer at the time and using the PS1’s graphical capabilities to create a matte-painting aesthetic that still holds up today. Hardly something you could say about the “cutting edge 3D games” so many were distracted by when overlooking Rayman’s first Playstation adventure.





Rayman still was able to spark a franchise; just one that didn’t quite understand where it stood in the world. Later games tried to push into 3D, completely abandoning the gameplay and art style that made the original so charming and fun to play. Then after a few sad Gameboy launches (and even a Rayman golf game), the final blow came when someone at Ubisoft decided that the best way to revive Rayman was to fill his next title with a bunch of annoying, babbling ‘Rabbids,’ effectively turning the franchise into a series of mini-games designed to show off Nintendo’s motion controls. The new games sold decently, mostly due to the first Rabbids game debuting on the enormously successful Nintendo Wii, but in the process, losing the platformer audience that the series appealed to from the beginning and ultimately losing its new casual audience after the demand for such trivial compilation games reached sequel saturation. Poor, poor Rayman seemed destined to fade away.





Rayman Origins. Developed by By some amazing stroke of luck, though, or perhaps an Ubisoft producer looking to make a quick buck with name recognition alone, someone green-lit a new game in the Rayman franchise:. Developed by Ubisoft Montpellier , the same devs behind From Dust and the as-yet-to-be-released Beyond Good and Evil 2, the new game was announced as an episodic XBLA and PSN title. The French team really put their best foot forward and it showed. The game ended up being so much more than Ubisoft had hoped for that it was released as a full-priced retail game. Praised for its endless attention to detail in art, style and gameplay, Rayman Origins has received outstanding reviews since its release. But once again this beautiful 2D platformer was released alongside cutting edge AAA games during its holiday opening week: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and even Ubisoft’s own Assassin’s Creed 2: Revelations.





Can this 2D platformer hold its own against today’s modern games just as its predecessor did all those years ago?





Story

Rayman Origins begins with what I would call one of the shortest and sweetest opening cinematics of all time. Not one word is uttered, yet over the course of two minutes you glean the entire story, atmosphere and humor he game has to offer. Rayman and his friends are snoozing in the Glade of Dreams when their snoring causes an old hag, far beneath them in the Land of the Livid Dead, to do what all old hags want to do to noisy neighbors: sic an army of nightmarish creatures on them. The world is overrun, every friendly creature is captured, and it’s up to Rayman and his cohorts to save the day. The opening exemplifies the drive behind Rayman Origins: fast and fun. I cannot remember the last time I laughed out loud during a video game and this one opens with a great laugh, setting the tone for a truly enjoyable game.

Story 8/10





Gameplay

The platformer genre has a cyclical lifecycle. A new console generation booms and with it comes and emphasis on graphics and showcasing the hardware capabilities of new systems. First person shooters and third person adventures reign over innovation and creativity. But as the years roll onward and consumer interest in familiarity wanes, publishers dig through their archives and end up at the same decision: nostalgic platformers are a safe bet. How else do you think Nintendo stays in business?





When playing Rayman Origins, two games kept coming to mind: New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Super Meat Boy. The game is practically the pair’s love child, and I mean that in the best way possible. It has the speed and platforming finesse of Super Meat Boy with all the multiplayer and nostalgia of NSMBW.









Keeping with Super Meat Boy, Rayman Origins is hard, at times frustratingly so. It’s one of those platformers. You know the kind I’m talking about. The kind that can kill you fifty times and yet never leave you feeling ripped off or cheated. The controls are so precise that every mistake is yours and only serves to harden your resolve and push you to do better the next time around, all of which makes each accomplishment that much more rewarding. The game doesn’t hold your hand and at times –many times—may even seem as if it’s purposefully punishing you. It’s a welcomed –although difficult to swallow—relief in today’s gaming scene. Most games play as if they’ve been required to get the player to the end credits at any cost. But the sense of accomplishment evaporates once a game has the difficulty of watching a movie. Like many games of yore, though, you may never see Rayman’s last level, or slay the last boss. And you know, it’s your own damn fault.





Origins, being a 2D platformer, is based on a tried and true level structure. A half dozen or so levels in six different settings that range from ice levels to factory levels and the obligatory lava levels. Half way through the game, new levels of higher difficulty open in each setting too, effectively doubling the number of locales to visit and explore.





Your goal in each level is to free the imprisoned electoons in their cages. There are three cages in each level, one being at the end and the other two carefully hidden or in hard to reach areas. Your secondary goal is to collect lums. Lums are Origin’s point scale -- or coins if you prefer -- that can be exchanged for electoons at the end of each level, given you have the required amount. The developers put a big emphasis on collecting as well as being speedy. Extra electoons will be granted to hot-heeled players gunning for high scores and lower times. Hidden throughout each level are also special Lum Kings which turn all lums red for a few seconds while a catchy little tune plays. Luckily, it’s a likable song that is a reward unto itself for catching such a lucrative lum. Beware, though: it will get stuck in your head.









Also scattered throughout the game are special stages which differ from the main platforming levels: Mosquito levels, which are side-scrolling, shoot-em-up stages that find Rayman riding a giant mosquito (one that can shoot or suck up enemies), and boss stages, which aren’t just boss battles but rather levels that revolve around an enormous boss. One memorable fight sees Rayman running from firebirds which requires lightning fast reflexes and memorization to get past. Upon escaping the birds, he’s swallowed by a giant pink Italian Godzilla monster; a small reprieve in the form of a traditional level that familiarizes the player with their ooey gooey surroundings. When Rayman finally reaches the stomach of the beast, he’s forced to dodge fire blasts and acid while trying to hit vulnerable areas. When that feat has been accomplished, Rayman has to escape the dying monster by running up its digestive tract, all while being pursued by fire racing up from below; much in the same way the beginning of the level started, but this time vertically. Other boss stages are comprised of similar multi-level mechanics; tests that require the player to be quick on their feet and learn from their mistakes, which again, there will be a lot of.





Death, although frequent, is only a minor setback. The game has no noticeable load time between death and checkpoint-restart, so the frustration of days long past of having to wait after every death is almost completely eliminated. When Rayman takes damage, he swells up and pops. You can collect hearts which follow Rayman and give him an additional hitpoint, but he still isn’t far removed from death. Use these hearts wisely.

Gameplay 10/10





Presentation

Origins utilizes a Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic in every way, from characters to animations and even to the backgrounds. Playing this game on a high definition television is an absolute treat. The matte painting backgrounds are seemingly infinite in detail; from the way every plane has its own unique look and atmosphere right down to the bits of dirt being kicked up by the characters and the puffs of Rayman’s breath that form small clouds during ice levels.









Origin’s soundtrack is perfectly complementary. The art and gameplay are the obvious stand-out innovations, although the same can be said for the music. It fits the tone of each level, whether it feature a ukulele for a tropical water world or a didgeridoo for an area made of, what else, didgeridoos. Clever, right? Like most components of this game, the score fits together with everything else like an impeccably cut puzzle piece and doesn’t overshadow any other element. It only enhances the experience, making itself known when the gameplay calls for it and retreating when more subtlety is required. Boss battles often have their own themes too, setting the tone and making each duel to the death impactful. Oh, and let’s not forget the Lum Kings and their cheerful little point-multiplier melodies.





The replayability of Rayman Origins lies in collecting items and medals, unlocking rewards, and giving multiplayer a go. During your first play through, it’s all but impossible to collect enough electoons or lums to unlock every character and extra level. Going back to beat your high scores and grabbing everything you’ve missed is the only way to squeeze every ounce of goodness out of the game.







Moreover, where most multiplayer platformers merely graze what could be an amazing cooperative experience, Raman Origins excels. Games like New Super Mario Bros. Wii tend to have players fighting over powerups or even causing each other to lose lives when bumping into each other. Origins allows players to rely on each other in a multitude of ways. If you get hurt in single player, your character will pop and you’ll be sent back to the most recent checkpoint. In multiplayer, when your character swells and is on the verge of a life-losing pop, another player (or players) can swoop in and slap you back to the land of the living. Other advantages include being able to grab each other, which can be very useful when making perilous jumps, and even bouncing on each other’s heads to get a little boost.

Presentation 10/10



Overall

Rayman Origins comes close to perfection doing exactly what it sets out to do. It gives a damn near flawless platforming experience, in fact. Its flaws are merely subjective, due solely to gameplay taste. Sure, it’s linear and doesn’t have hundreds of hours worth of material, but it never attempts to do so. I have trouble faulting it for something Ubisoft never intended it to be in the first place. Rayman Origins is a small yet incredibly well polished run-n-jumper who’s flaws, just like the deaths that come during any challenging run, can only be attributed to individual ability or taste.

Rayman Origins 9.3/ 10





Game Info

Platform: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Windows, 3DS, Playstation Vita

ESRB: E 10+

PEGI: 7

Publisher: Ubisoft

Developer: Ubisoft Montipellier