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Rayman 2 is without a doubt one of the finest 3D platformers ever made and that is high praise considering the company it shares: Mario 64, Banjo Kazooie and Donkey Kong. If you are like me, you probably tend to turn a blind eye to any 3D game that doesn't have the Nintendo or Rare magic touch. However, Ubi Soft did their homework and kept this game in production until it was finished, resulting in an instant classic for fans of 3D platformers everywhere.
I was not a fan of the first Rayman so I didn't go into this review looking all that forward to spending a lot more time with the character. Needless to say, my attitude abruptly changed once I started playing; unlike the main character, this game has legs. Not only is Rayman 2 one of the best looking games on the N64, but it plays like a dream. The control is tight and responsive, the camera is almost flawless and the innovative gameplay will keep you constantly entertained. In fact, I found myself pining for the tightly structured gameplay of Rayman 2 while suffering through the mindless repetition of a certain other 3D game that stars a big barrel throwing gorilla and four of his pals.
The beauty of Rayman 2 is in the execution. It is not a difficult game by any means, but that's not to say it's a cakewalk either. I found it to be one of the best balanced games I've played in a long time. Rayman's goals are certainly not original; he must collect Lums (tired game mechanic alert!), rescue creatures and eventually find 4 enchanted Masks that will awaken a God who will help him restore peace and eliminate the plethora of pirates inhabiting his world and their evil master, Razorbeard. It is the games play mechanics that raise this game so high. Simply put, as Rayman you will be doing a ton of different tasks, all the while trying to use new objects in exciting and creative ways. Generally the most frustrating element in a 3D game is jumping; thanks to a camera that doesn't want to cooperate. In Rayman, not only will you be jumping and gliding with ease but also swinging around in 360 degrees of movement, with nary a sweat. And it doesn't stop there. The multiple mini-games that inhabit Rayman 2 are ingeniously fun. You'll do everything from riding robot horses, to swimming, to riding rocket barrels to eventually ending up in some freaky rotating chair thingy. The game is loaded with the usual puzzle fare; how do I get up there to get this or what can I can use to get that etc. It's not brain surgery and that's a good thing because the last time I checked, Rayman 2 was not a prerequisite for med school.
As I'm not going to do the game justice by describing the graphics, which use the expansion pak to enhance them up the wazoo, I'll let you decide how awesome they look by either viewing the screenshots or by the preferred method: playing the game. Graphics are one thing, but if they aren't completely in sync with the animation then you've got trouble. Luckily, the fluid animation and control in Rayman are top notch. The sound is equally impressive. I personally detest the mumblings of the characters; it's on par with Banjo Kazooie's nonsensical ramblings, but the music and sound effects are brilliant. There are many instances of environmental music, which means the music will change depending on where you are at the time, instead of playing a loop throughout an entire level. Rayman 2 is littered with goofy sound effects that do the cartoony look of the game justice. Yes this game looks and sounds horrifyingly cute and will probably have a garlic to vampire effect on the Limp Bizkit crowd, but give it a chance.
Complaint Dept. My biggest gripe with Rayman 2 is the collecting mechanic. Yes it's great that the Lums have different abilities, but come on, do we really need to collect 1000 of them to "really" finish the game? Of course, you can finish the game without getting all of them, but the true anal-retentive gamer won't be able to get on with his or her life until this is completed. Video games have gone from mildly entertaining people to creating a world full of shut-ins for goodness sakes. The collecting must stop!!
Rayman 2 is a sugary sweet descent into lushly designed madness, and for once, that's a good thing. You may not forget how cute this game is, but you'll probably stop caring when you discover how much fun you are having. Rayman 2 is definitely worthy of your gaming dollar! Why? Because the Doe said so! (That's my all new, all powerful, WWF tag-line).
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