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.
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: Rayman
Origins. 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?
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
ESRB: E 10+
PEGI: 7
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montipellier
Release Date: November 15, 2011
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