POSTED 14/11/11


RAYMAN ORIGINS

Ubisoft
PS3 (also on Xbox 360, Wii)

As a wild youth, Rayman didn’t just go out and get legless, he was so hard he got completely limbless. Not that it appears to have limited him, he’s an agile little... umm, what the fuck is he?

The titular title thingy sums things up; Rayman Origins is a tale of the early days of this marvel of localised gravitational pull. Rayman and gang are kicking back in their own rhythmic style, which doesn’t please crotchety old Granny Underworld. So, she lets loose a big shop of horrors upon the idyllic Glade of Dreams. Chilled as he may be, Rayman ain’t gonna take this reclining, especially when babes are involved.

Babes? Yep, kidnapped cutesy buxom nymphs to emancipate for the spoils of rescue – special powers! Even Rayman’s little pink friends have been nabbed – cue much electooneering... Hello 2D interactive cartoon – it looks that good - with jumping, running, shrinking, parkourinating – erm, perhaps “wall-running” sounds less wee-wee - swimming, hovering, mozzie-piloting shooty-shooties and more.

All you really need know is that this is a delicious (thanks Bruce) old-school platformer that oozes class from every teensy pixelated square of its gorgeous high-def picture. It’s really something special (Bruce, enough!).

Some devs think old school means impossible. The savvy Ubifolk behind Rayman Origins know it’s more nuanced. Several levels here are utterutterutter bastards, demanding near-perfection to conquer, but you’ll get there. Four-player drop-in/out co-op means you can summon help, too. Others are more chilled – until you clamber to the end and find you missed mucho hidden bits. Sure, you can shoom without worrying about collecting currency and freeing electoons, but you’ll eventually thud into a locked levels wall.

Rayman Origins is one of the sweetest surprises of 2011. We’ll even go out on a limb... it’s one of the acest 2D platformers ever.

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