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Rayman: Origins is something of an anomaly. During a holiday season with tons of epic AAA titles depicting expansive 3D worlds, we have a 2D platformer that aims to compete for retail shelf space. Ubisoft is going against the grain by putting it out not as a downloadable title or a handheld romp (though that port is coming later) but as a full-priced game for all three current-gen consoles. And it’s worth every penny. The production value and amount of love and careful design put into this thrilling experience shows that the aging genre doesn’t have to be a niche these days...as long as it’s done right.The first thing most people will notice about Rayman: Origins is how gorgeous its visuals are. It's practically manditory for developers to illustrate contemporary 2D platformers with colorful graphics to get the final product to stand out. With this in mind, Ubisoft cranked it up a couple of notches. Luscious jungles, windy deserts, and serene, mountain-temple levels look as if they’ve been pulled out of Disney’s best hand-drawn films. This is all thanks to the UbiArt Framework technology which lets the development team’s artists easily translate their drawings into the game. The fact that Ubisoft invested in creating and using a new graphics engine in order to make Rayman: Origins look so good speaks to the company’s belief in the project.
It’s the little things that give this title a sense of depth. Take sound, for example. The well-composed soundtrack touches on a wide variety of styles: island, lounge, funk, and even a good old fashion banjo-chase theme. Scattered throughout the game are rich sound effects as well. Running across a giant xylophone in the sandy "Dijiridoo" (Rayman spelling) area produces a cute melody. And jumping atop exotic, neon green birds who sit upon a floating music staff produces a nice, subtle chord. Touches like this are completely unnecessary as far as the gameplay goes, but they do wonders to flesh out the feel of the game and set it apart from its peers.
Rayman: Origins is like the rightful heir to a long lineage of 2D platformers. It picks and chooses the best and most fun parts of the past and interpolates them. I found plenty of references to Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong Country, Sonic the Hedgehog, hell, even Aladdin. Some levels dip into runner (see Canabalt) and shoot-em-up territory. Though most of these homages can easily go over the heads of the uninitiated, for those who know their games, it’s obvious that Ubisoft did its homework.
And it's this kind of quality design, combined with the wonderful pacing and variety of 60+ levels, that justifies Rayman: Origins’ price point. The title is full of meat and offers plenty of challenge for seasoned gamers who might still be hungry afterwards. It cunningly raises the bar set by New Super Mario Bros. Wii by improving on Nintendo’s formula. (For starters, it does away with the clumsy wiggle controls and the tenedncy for players to accidentaly bump each other off ledges in multiplayer.) We’ll see if this kind of craftmanship can translate into sales.
For folks who came of age during the Super Nintendo and Genesis era, this game is really for you. It’s for you to share with your kids, old-school gamer friends, and family members who still enjoy a good 2D adventure.
I remember when Wario Land: Shake It! came out, and I thought it looked like fun. Then, I believe I was chatting with Shane Bettenhausen, who was a former editor with Electronic Gaming Monthly at the time, and he asked me if I thought it was worth $50. I realized that no, I wouldn’t have paid that much even though I knew I would enjoy the game...just maybe not enough to justify that cost.
But with Rayman: Origins, I realized what the current generation is capable of when it comes to 2D platformers. The game and sheer amount of care and love that was put into it are easily worth full price. Playing and enjoying this one gives me hope for the 2D-platforming genre.
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