Rayman Origins

Rayman Origins
A review by the Space Janitor, aka King Nerd (Nerd King is also recognized)

Rayman has been around long enough that most gamers are familiar with our propeller headed, limbless friend or they have at least heard of him. For those of you who still have no idea what I’m talking about, here is a brief history. Rayman has been around since 1995, at least. That’s all you’re getting out of me. If you want to know the skinny on Rayman and all his multiple console adventures, including a limited series of educational games, check out http://www.rayman-fanpage.de/history/storye.htm .

Now that the familiarities are over and done with, we can crack this bitch open and see what’s cookin’. My immediate attraction to this game is the abundant use of colors and artistic style. I remember following this game since I first read a preview in one of those nerd magazines and they were breaking down how they were giving artists full creative control to just be able to create masterpieces and breathe animated life into them, using some fancy new technology, the UbiArt Engine. (I don’t know all the details of this engine, but I’m sure this guy, the creative director, does. http://www.gamespot.com/rayman-origins/previews/rayman-origins-qanda-with-michel-ancel-creative-director-6336549/ )

All of this control and freedom gave birth to some of the most beautiful games I have ever laid my eyes on.  Yes, that includes epic games of madness like Skyrim or Gears of War 2, or Crysis 2 or  ( I didn’t play 3 yet, so suck it) or or or whatever game you may consider visually stunning, just not in a 3D or technical way (meaning you won’t be awestruck by the lighting and reflections and shadows and all that technical crap that looks so pretty for us nerds). The colors bounce off the screen from the very beginning. The title screen and intro, hums with creative energy. The jungles are super lush, actually look soft in some places, and the use of greens are outstanding. The sky in various levels is brilliant, the clouds of marshmallows are touchable. Underwater levels are sights to be withheld. Blues and the ancient feel of lost civilaziations is enough to make you feel like Jacques Cousteau when traversing through a maze of illuminated jellyfish, avoiding their hunger and dodging falling rocks, eager to crush you.

Initially, like any classic platformer, you do a lot of running and jumping and the like, but as you progress, you learn new abilities, like hovering, running upside down on ceilings and up walls, you know, all the cool shit that made people fall in love with Rayman to begin with. And it all works lovely. The controls are as simple and basic as any early Mario game and just as much fun. As I mentioned earlier, the art design is just phenomenal. Floating through the sky with your propeller during desert sand storms while avoiding orange birds that look more like abstract street art than enemies, is a blast to see. Speaking of the desert, it’s alive with music. Native drums haphazardly tossed in the sand provide opportunities for super jumps, enemies sit on music line and horns are known to blow when they please.

While I’m on the topic of music, let’s visit this superb soundtrack for a few minutes. Whoever put some of these songs together, is a complete genius. Some of the underwater songs are so breathtaking that they literally make you feel submerged. Not only submerged but exposed to a new alien world of communication as songs in unimagined languages fill your head while you avoid spikes, oversized monsters do back flips while collecting yellow and red lums, Rayman’s version of coins. Collect enough lums and you unlock new characters to play as, new areas to explore and bonus levels. Collecting lums seems easy peasy at first, but believe you me, it gets tough. And although this game looks like an animated masterpiece and has just as much wacky fun as the 16 bit Earthworm Jim series, it packs a punch in the challenge department. Like most platformers, it starts out simple enough, and then the next thing you know you’re cursing like a sailor and getting ready 2 stomp a hole in your floor in frustration. I’ve been there, it happens, and I’m not afraid to admit it. You know what though; I fucking love that about this game. That it looks harmless, the mechanics of the game play are smooth like butter, it’s an absolute treat to see the artwork throughout the levels and yet it can kick your ass. I have been trying to beat this one boss for a while now. He’s a bastard. A relentless, reptilian bastard and I hate his guts, and when I’m done writing this review, I’m going to try and kick his ass again, and will probably be so frustrated that I end up playing something else, but damn it, I love the challenge. And that’s all it is, a challenge. It’s not impossible, it’s just a challenge, and that’s what games should do, and Rayman Origins does it well. They provide an absolutely gorgeous world for you to play in, and a soundtrack to match the never ending creative energy (although I feel it could have used some more songs). Some of these tracks come straight out of paradise, in the most ironic of places, which just takes scene setting to new heights. Being in an arctic environment and seeing slices of fruit floating in the water with blossoming purple plants, and being soothed by tropical island music was awe inspiring for me. As was listening to Mexican music so spicy it makes me want to have a fiesta or raid a village of mamacitas while flying on the back of a pink mosquito that shoots stuff.

Word to mosquitoes. I would like to take a moment to give props to the Mosquito levels of this game. While we all love running and jumping and diving and hovering and climbing stuff, there is nothing better than a good, old-fashioned shooter side mission, and there are quite a few of these gems scattered about the game. In my opinion, the developers borrowed heavily from Earthworm Jim here. For those of us old enough to remember Earthworm Jim’s 16 bit glory, think back on the sequel, and the level where you had to fly through a field of hot air balloons that had been armed with bombs and make sure you didn’t get weighed down by the catapulted obese island people. Well, it kind of reminded me of that, but then again, Rayman always had awesome level design now that I remember it.

I feel that I’m getting to ramble mode so I’d like to bring this latest transmission to a proper closing. In order to do that, I need to remind all of you that Rayman Origins, a highly slept on game that performed weak in the sales department is a gem. Its simple gameplay, brilliant colors, gorgeous level designs, satisfying soundtrack and a solid challenge ( I still haven’t even beaten this game yet, I’m definitely close though, and if I’m not close, well then that will just make this game even fucking better) make this game a definite keeper. It’s also being sold for about twenty or thirty dollars brand spanking new at your local store, so I implore all lovers of platform games, music and art to support this game and the creative team behind this amazingly simple and fun game. I hear that there is co op mode too, where you and up to three more friends can all play at once, and kick the crap out of one another while its done, but like an idol of mine once said, “I’m a loner Dottie, a rebel.”

Space Janitor

Graphics: 10 I’m giving this a 10 point rating because of the artistic design implemented in the levels. Sure it’s a 2D game and it doesn’t push the hardware to its limits, but its breathtaking and a true joy to look at.

Sound: 8 I love this soundtrack, I only wish there was more of it to hear.

Overall Fun: 9 As I mentioned, I haven’t even experienced the multiplayer and I already have a blast playing this game. It accomplishes what good games are supposed to do. Allow you to have fun while progressing through challenging experience.

Final Thought: Buy that shit, its classic, inspiring and will go down in history as a timeless game experience in an age of gorgeous, visually capable consoles. And it’s affordable.