When you look back at gaming history, it's always interesting to see some of the big, well known franchises that just slipped away. Whether it be by a steady dip in quality & sales (Crash Bandicoot) or just a stubborn developer who refuses to capitalise on demand (Pikmin), some names can suddenly go from being big deals to mere relics of nostalgia. Rayman has been on that path for a while now. Although the Raving Rabbids series has been popular, it's since shed any association with the Rayman brand, and we've not had a proper, home console release for the Ubisoft icon since way back in 2003.
Rayman has always suffered from a bit of an identity crisis. Designed by Michel Ancel when he was a teenager, the limbless toon's first outing in 1995 was a typical platformer for it's era, bold and imaginative but with some awkward controls and messy level deign. The follow up, Rayman 2, took the series into 3D and delivered one of the best AAA platformers on consoles that didn't have the word Nintendo stamped on them. After just two instalments, Ancel left the series and would go on to direct great titles such as Beyond Good & Evil and King Kong. Rayman 3 suffered under a new development team, a forgettable game that focused more on action than pure platforming. Clearly the series had lost it's short lived lustre, and although Ancel began working on a fourth instalment, that project soon transformed into the first Raving Rabbids party game and was completed without him. The real Rayman, as designed and directed by his creator, has remained dormant – until now.
The 'Rayman Origins' project was originally intended to be an episodic downloadable title, until it became obvious that it was destined for a bigger platform. It was developed using the new UbiArts Framework engine, developed by Ancel, enabling artists to have greater control over the visuals without going through the same technical hoops to achieve their vision. The tool made the game easy enough to create that it's development was spearheaded by just five artists, in keeping with the small, garage-game spirit found in indie developers such as Team Meat. This focused, personal approach has resulted in one of the most beautiful games ever made and an instant classic of the platforming genre.
'Rayman Origins' fits in comfortably alongside it's ancestors. It's easy to see the shared traits with many classic 16-Bit platformers; not only the original Rayman but better games like Yoshi's Island, Earthworm Jim and Castle of Illusion. As with those titles, Origins is lengthy, varied and strives to be an interactive cartoon. However Origins is more than a throwback, it uses both modern technology and developments to achieve greater things. Unlike the regressive Mega Man IX or Sonic the Hedgehog 4 it doesn't rely on pure nostalgia, nor is it used as a visual or mechanical crutch. The game has more in common with the progressive new guard of the genre, titles such as Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat and Super Meat Boy.
It's art style is vivid, fresh and has the attitude of Nickelodeon cartoons such as 'Ren & Stimpy' and 'Rocko's Modern Life'. Every sprite is smoothly animated and bursting with character while the backgrounds are absolutely gorgeous. The settings never stray too far from the fundamental elements of most platformers (Water, Desert, Fire, Ice etc.), however the designs and details within are very abstract and lifted straight from the original 'Rayman'. The quality of the visuals are always impressive, their effect enhanced by the variety both between worlds and within levels. The worlds of 'Origins' manage to embrace the original aesthetic of the series while expanding on it in familiar ways; the musical instrument world Band Land from 'Rayman' is now relocated for The Desert of Didgeridoos for instance. Many designs from the first game return, brought to life by animation that is second to none within the genre and presented in rich, crisp HD. The music is almost as good, a solid collection of vibrant, catchy tunes that you'll gladly hum for ages. They're the melodic bow on this beautiful package.
'Origins''s co-op is heavily influenced by New Super Mario Bros. Wii, where up to four players can drop in and out and enjoy slight variations in control. As with that game however, more than two players can be too frantic, even if you eventually endure thanks to the greater odds of survival. On the other end of the spectrum, single player can be very unforgiving as there are one hit deaths as in Super Meat Boy, but stages are much longer and filled with moving enemies. The game really seems to have been designed just for two, a configuration that can take advantage of the excellent inflation/revival mechanic while still keeping the action focused. It's a rarity to see a game that only features local multi-player, a nice throwback and a faithful recapturing of the experiences to be found in classics such as Streets of Rage.
The gameplay is smooth, responsive and satisfying. As with the original, you gain new abilities as you progress and these new mechanics are all well introduced and soon become a natural extension of the fun. The levels are all divided into room based challenges such as those in Super Meat Boy, and like that game there are always optional goodies to tempt you down a more dangerous and skilful path. While there is no strict combo system, the collectable Lums are often enhanced by the special King Lum to be worth double for a brief window of time. As in Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat, you'll find yourself dashing around manically trying to snatch them all, a high score the only way to unlock new levels and discover the game's optional final world.
The enemies you encounter react to damage the same way you do – they expand into a rising inflated bubble. Jumping onto them brings new platform opportunities and can be chained in later levels to achieve amazing speed runs. There are also a good variety of tasks to be done, besides the standard platforming there are some Gradius-style shooting levels as well as the fantastic, auto-scrolling Tricky Treasures. These prove not only the greatest challenge, but the highlights of the game. They are fast paced obstacle courses that can take many attempts, but as with all the best games in the genre, the thrill of success is a feeling that you'll remember for weeks to come.
Until now I've never been a big fan of Rayman, but after 'Origins' I hope he never disappears again. This is not only the best Rayman title, but a better experience than any other 2D platformer of the last decade. From the breathtaking art design to the engaging co-op gameplay, this is a game that ought to appeal to newcomers to the genre and seasoned veterans. It's a fantastic first outing for the UbiArts engine, and I can not wait to see what is done with it next.
Rating: 5 Stars
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