The most interesting evolution of any video game mascot is no doubt the creature who doesn’t sprout any limbs known as Rayman. This character creation from Ubisoft studios has been put to use in separate adventures and spin-off games with various results. Rayman’s first appearance was in a PS1 game released in 1995 under the same name. For someone who has played a little bit of the first game, I can say that it is a colorful and vibrant game but the extreme difficulty and the less than fair challenge made it hard for me to finish in its entirety. After some other lesser-known games and a few spinoffs starring Ubisoft's other mascot the Raving Rabbids, Ubisoft revitalized Rayman in a new way as they created a 2D platformer which in some ways is almost the definitive way to play a Rayman game that is challenging but fair and fun.
We find our hero Rayman and his friends snoring on a tree which disturbs an old granny in a world apart as she relates by sending evil Darktoons to wreak havoc on Rayman’s world. With the help of a mysterious Magician, Rayman and his pals must save the captured Electoons while stopping the Darktoons in their path.
This is the kind of story that’s not gonna be deep or thought-provoking, but that is not what Rayman was really about. This story is instead as silly and over-the-top cartoony which may seem absurd but I can’t deny that the game is having so much fun just being its true zany self. Sometimes you need a story that is simple and nonsensical and Rayman Origins knows how to bring to feelings into fruition.
The gameplay plays like how the original 1995 Rayman game played but the controls feel more smooth and responsive. Ubisoft took the strengths of the original Rayman and improved some of the flaws from the past Rayman games. Like the 1995 game, your main goal is to platform across imaginative worlds to save the Electoons that have been captured by evil forces. The game eases into being difficult later on which tests your skills to make it past challenging levels and enemies but it does so in a fair way that feels right. When you start, you’ll only have very few abilities but you’ll be able to gain more by rescuing fairies that have been captured. Your abilities can range from running on walls to swimming in the water and they can be very helpful to reach areas and even defeat bosses. Platforming across the levels feels so good and along the way, you’ll be able to collect lums which will help in unlocking extras and obtaining more Electoons. This is fun platforming at its greatest and shows there is more to Rayman than most of us gamers originally thought.
The Graphics boast that wacky and out there cartoony visualization that was made popular from previous Rayman titles and does everything it can to let gamers explore colorful worlds, unlike anything they’ve seen before. The worlds can range from a lush jungle to a fiery carven filled with fire-breathing creatures. I almost get the impression that the animators and designers were given full control to make everything look as unique and zany as possible to fit the cartoony aesthetic. If there was anything to nitpick about I would probably say that while each of the worlds is well designed I do wish I could have seen more variation as the game does tend to have us backtrack to worlds we have already visited before. Don’t get me wrong they do still change up the platforming to keep things fresh, but I felt like there could have been different worlds that are unique from the previous ones. This is such a colorful game filled with personality that will no doubt leave a lasting impact on you even when you stop playing the game.
The music was composed by Christopher Hearl alongside Billy Martain. This music is so happy and bouncy that it's super hard to resist, however, the game is not shy of trying to go epic and suspenseful, especially during the boss fights.
Rayman Origins brings the character back into existence in a fresh and imaginative way with creative platforming and an undeniable dose of charm and cartoony fun. You know this game was successful when it made every gamer around the world say that Rayman is back. As of now many fans still say that this is one of the best 2D platformers that is not Mario-related. Don’t be fooled by the game's cheery exterior because this game provides a fun and fair challenge that is great for gamers of all types. It was clear at the time that Ubisoft still cared about Rayman and I am more looking forward to playing the sequel than some say it might be even better.
(Final Grade: A-)