I haven't played a Rayman game since the first release in 1995 on Playstation. This was all during a more simple time in video games when the platformer genre had a powerful reign. They have since taken a backseat to enable the rise of refined and new genres as the industry and its consumers have evolved. As a fan of the more modern and popular genres, I wasn't really sure what to expect with Rayman Origins. Especially amongst the overload of titles released this Holiday. But let's be honest; most of the larger titles released are far from family oriented content and can't exactly entice the youngest of gamers. Rayman Origins is certainly not a children's game, but a well executed platformer for gamers young and old to enjoy. In Rayman Origins, players will control the title character and a host of other wacky accomplices in a whimsical world that keeps to the original vision of Rayman in glorious high definition 2D animation.
It didn't take very long after booting up the game to find myself continuing on in the various themed levels reminiscing about an era when gaming was so much more casual, innocent, and just as time consuming. The art design produces strikingly colorful imagery, backgrounds, and bizarre characters that traverse balmy jungles, oceans, deserts, ice lands, and other various locations which immediately remind players that 2D animation is far from extinct and very capable of still pleasing the eyes. It also helps that the animations and controls are smooth with hardly a hiccup in gameplay as you quickly race through each of the 60+ levels while collecting Lum coins, save silly pink ball-people called Electoons, slap enemies around until they bubble up, fly buzzing mosquitoes, and battle eccentric boss characters. To add the cherry, the frame-rate is constantly stable and didn't stutter once in my time with the game.
There aren't a whole lot of popular platforming characters on the Xbox, so Rayman definitely aims to gratify fans of the genre who want a more substantial experience than what they can find on Xbox Live Arcade. Playing the game solo and challenging yourself to gathering all of the collectibles and unlocking extra characters should garner anywhere between 12 and 16 hours while also extending playability to beat your original completion times. As you progress to new areas you will also unlock additional maneuvers and attacks specifically for particular levels, but can traverse back to completed areas to replay them with a new style. Adding to the fun is some 2-4 player co-op which will have you and your friends competing while also having a “slaptastic” good time defeating enemies while didgeridoos, banjos, and a rhythmic music score bounce along the levels just as you do.
Just because you may be familiar with platforming doesn't mean you should expect Rayman to be a breeze. The earliest levels will give no cause for concern and as you move forward there will be new challenges to await which will require more patience and timing to keep your composure intact. Collecting health flasks will give you second chances to your mishaps but there are also the unforgiving Tricky Treasure trial levels to unlock which warrant experienced players with some pretty stellar challenges. I had a blast playing Rayman Origins, and it certainly stands out as a game that developers should take notes from if they're aiming to rejuvenate 2D gaming. If you're a fan of the classic genre and looking for something wholesome and just flat out fun to play this season, Rayman Origins comes highly recommended.
