The 2D platformer has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence over the past couple of years. Super Meat Boy, 'Splosion Man and the likes on XBLA have shown that there is still a market for this type of game. Then at the back end of 2011 there has been The Adventures of Tintin and Sonic Generations. However it is the return of another gaming icon that shows of the best of 2D platforming.
Rayman Origins is set in the 'Glade Of Dreams', which is a world created by the Bubble Dreamer. The plot is a basic one, where Rayman and his friends disturb an old granny from the 'Land Of Livid Dead', so incensed is she, that she sends up an army of evil creatures, who capture the Electoons and Nymphs. Playing as Rayman, you are tasked with saving the Electoons and defeating all the evil creatures, thus returning the world back to its prior self. It is typical loose plot territory that many 2D platformers have, it is there purely to create a reason for traversing levels and beating the bad guys.
What really impresses with Rayman Origins is the visuals. If ever a game could show off why 2D isn't dead, then this is it. Every aspect of the game has been created with amazing attention to detail, from the characters themselves, to the level design, the backgrounds, the menus, everything. From the first level to the last, players are treated to some of the best art styles of this or any other generation. The animation too is really smooth, with seamless transitions and interactions with the world around. It is like playing a hand drawn high end cartoon, simply gorgeous.
There is a reason Rayman Origins looks so good and that is the introduction of the UbiArt Framework. Essentially this is a tool that allows artists to concentrate on being as creative as they want. The software handles the programming side of things, so artists only need to worry about creating the character poses, the software will automatically distort the image as needed. Of course the only thing that matters to gamers is that it helps games to look stunning, absolutely stunning. Which in this case it does.
Aside from looking special, Rayman Origins also plays well. There are no real new game mechanics, nothing that will redefine the genre. In actual fact it borrows a lot of gameplay ideas from other games. Namely 'New Super Mario Bros Wii', it has up to fours players at any one time, uses the death save mechanic from NSMB, as well as a few other too. It works too, by sticking to tried and tested formulas means that players are able to jump straight in and start playing. There are no long tutorials to work through, no needing to familiarise or anything.
Levels are set up in a similar way as previous 2D platformers. Players can simply get from start to finish in each level, progress through the game and be done. However within each level there are many extra tasks that can be completed. There are a number of cages to be found that release Electoons. There are awards for collecting Lums (see coins and rings in Mario and Sonic games), as well as the chance to go back and run the level again to a time limit.
At the start of the game, Rayman doesn't have his full arsenal of abilities, they need to be unlocked as the game progresses. At the start all he can do is run and jump, but the further the game goes the more that he can do. Unlocking the likes for punching and kicking, gliding and shrinking. There are also on rail shooting sections that sees Rayman ride on a mosquito, during these sections he will suck up and shoot out enemies. It changes up the gameplay a bit, but does feel a little out of place compared to the rest of the game, not enough to ruin the experience, but enough to question the inclusion.
None of this as mentioned, is anything new, but it is keeping to tried and tested that helps this be a great game. It was originally due to be an episodic XBLA (and PSN) title, but the decision was made to move it to full retail. Whether that pays off remains to be seem, as despite it being a fantastic 'must buy' title, it is fighting against the likes of Skyrim, Saints Row, Modern Warfare 3 and the other big players. It is a very hard sell and it feels like it should have been released in another window.
Rayman Origins is one of the best 2D platformers of this generation, a masterpiece of a game. It is a showcase for how they should be done, what can be achieved. Progress is balanced, levels are challenging without being unfair and it looks beautiful. Gamestyle urge you to pick this up.
