I'll start this review with some full disclosure: This review is long and gushing, but please, allow me to indulge my heartfelt desire to give this game the praise it deserves. Rayman Origins is, hands down, one of the biggest surprises in high quality gaming excellence I have seen in my life (much of which I have spent playing games), and definitely the biggest surprise this year. This game is special, and for so many reasons too. I've been a huge fan of Rayman for 15 years now, since
his first outing on the original Playstation, to his
stellar masterpiece Rayman 2 and beyond. For the past few years, however, Rayman has been on life support, barely eking out an existence through
hideously lazy rereleases/ports of past glories, and
as an afterthought inclusion with spotlight stealing Rabbids. Now though, the hero of light is back, this time with friends(!), by going way back to the beginning, and what a ride it is!
The story in Rayman Origin is as silly, perhaps even more, as we've ever seen from the series! You see, Rayman and his friends tend to make a lot of noise when they nap and laze around, to the point of creating snooze symphonies. This proves to be really bothersome to the old grannie who is boss of the land of the livid dead, a dark and dreary realm near the glade of dreams. Finally she has enough of her noisy neighbors and launches a full scale "darktoon" invasion of Rayman's homeland, and Rayman & co. are more than happy to oblige her desire to duke it out! Hence starts Rayman Origins' platforming euphoria.
First off, the art design in this game is outstanding. The environments are beautifully, fantastically dreamlike. Some places are majestic to the point of being downright breathtaking. Rayman has always been a series characterized by whimsy, goofiness, and imagination that is gorgeous and this game does not disappoint in the least. The character models and animation are equally charming. Watching it all reminded me so much of classical cartoon animation that feels fluid and spontaneously fun, playful, and adventurous. It also hearkens back to a time when animation followed a very important rule: the drawings must be funny. Yes, eyes pop out from the head, faces completely contort when characters are injured, enemies turn into big bubbles when defeated (and eventually pop like over-inflated whoopy cushions), the charm here is off the charts, and wholly appropriate for any age. This game is both beautiful and so very endearing, and the art design helps that immensely. I'll never get over seeing a tiny mosquito carrying the big, fat Globox who is the pellet shooter instead of the mosquito, or him flapping his arms like a chicken to stay afloat. Hilarious. Rayman and the teensies, as well as all of the supporting, non-playable characters (the nymph fairies especially, lol) are equally silly and joyous to behold.
The sound design cannot go unmentioned either. The music is both whimsical and eclectic, while still adding in that laugh-inducing humor. Little "Alvin and the chipmunk" voices lend their singing talent to the background music, and it is so very funny. You'll find little touches like these all over the game, and it's awesome. When characters speak, they speak in that immediately recognizable pig latinish "Rayman gibberish." As with the art design, humor is everywhere in the audio as well, be in it music or sound effects.
I'd say the most surprising thing about this game is how incredibly solid the platforming is. The original Rayman had a lot of charm, but the gameplay was definitely the aspect most lacking, but here? This is undoubtedly the best gameplay of any Rayman game. Rayman & friends learns new abilities as you progress, at a perfect pace I might add, and each of these abilities adds so much dimension to the traditional run-n-jump 2-D platforming genre. The control mechanics are really tight, as good as any 2-D platformer starring a
chubby Italian plumber or a
famous hairy ape with a necktie, and that is high praise indeed. You'll also be breaking cages to free the poor electoons and nymphs from captivity to progress through the various worlds you visit. The level layouts are outstanding, and playing this game just feels really good. It's also deliciously challenging in parts, but not to the point where it angers or frustrates you beyond the limit. Check points are frequent and there is an unlimited amount of lives to burn through (or "bubbalize," to be more accurate), and that also alleviates a lot of frustration you feel from dying a lot. Plus, even when the game is very difficult, it's so smile-inducing you won't care about dying for the tenth time trying to get past a tough spot. It's one thing for a game to be entertaining, but at the end of the day, if the gameplay isn't good, the whimsy and imagination matters very little. Thankfully Rayman is worth its weight in gold, and then some.
I also have to add that the co-op in this game is exceptional. Its silly craziness definitely compliments everything else in the game. My wife and I have had an absolute blast playing this together, and any game that my wife and I bond over gets extra points in my book. I can't even imagine how fun and crazy 4-player co-op would be! The ability to choose who you want to play as is a nice touch too, as there are tons of unlockable skins and characters in this game as you progress.
One more thing I must touch on is the value. Most games like this get the condescending remark, "should've been a downloadable title." Well, I can honestly tell you that this game is HUGE. I played quite a bit and figured I was nearing the end of the game, fairly satisfied with the length. Then, I found out that I was only HALFWAY through the game, with much, much more challenging levels awaiting me in the second half. When you consider there are major incentives to come back and see it all for completionists, this game is well worth the money it costs.
As a series, the Rayman games have always been known for their whimsical imagination, beautiful art design, silly stories, lovely humor, and an overall saturation of pleasant FUN. Rayman Origins has all of these in spades and much, much more. I think I may have found my new favorite Rayman game here, and to take Rayman 2's place in that way is no small feat to me. I don't think there's anyone on earth with a working, functional heart that won't have it captivated in some capacity by this game. It is one of the best games of the year. In every way and at all times, this game always focuses on you having fun, and it succeeds in that endeavor. Rayman Origins isn't just the triumphant return of one of video gaming's most beloved characters, it is a celebration of the very spirit of gaming and as such, it is everything a video game should be. Buy this game, have fun, and get lost in the joyous experience Rayman Origins has to offer.
