Rayman Game by UBI Soft Reviewed by Iwan iwan@lamble.demon.co.uk Size: 32 megabits Save: Long passwords Released: 2000 Works with: Gameboy Color only **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: I never played the first Rayman game, but I loved Rayman 2 on the PC. I think GB Rayman is more like the original, but I'll probably end up comparing it with Rayman 2. Sorry :-) **************************************************************************** Gameplay Description: Rayman must surely be one of the lamest big-name computer game characters around. Lacking any likeable qualities, charisma or, in fact, limbs the funny French fellow has mystified reviewers for years as to how this pathetic excuse for character design has seemingly captured the public's imagination. UBI are even making him into a kids cartoon... Part of Rayman's success is its lush worlds and very European feel. There really is no 3D platformer like Rayman 2, and while GB Rayman isn't quite so unique, it hasn't lost all of its charm. Rayman is a competent plaformer, with a few twists. Rayman can throw his fist around to attack enemies or grap hoops for a start and there are plenty of novel touches on the levels to make this a satisfyingly different experience to the usual Gameboy fare. Some levels have rising water or lava levels (not a particularly new feature, but one that hasn't been used for many years now). Sometimes you can fly around at will. Other levels see you being blown back and forth like sonic. On one level you're chased by a shaddow of yourself that does every move you make delayed by a few seconds - if he touches you you die. That's just the main things... there's little stuff too like the way you have to punch some platforms to get them swinging before you jump on them or numerous puzzles involving a bizarre, but rather versatile, purple fruit. Overall, the game is pretty solidly built and plays really well, but there are a few flaws. Rayman's jumps seem a little too short. This is countered by the helicopter ability later on in the game but is annoying at the start. Also the levels don't just follow a straight line - they wrap around themselves so you often get confused where you're supposed to be heading. There also seems to be an awful lot of spikes, lava and deadly water around, but maybe that's just me. There's no learning curve as such either... the levels are all roughly the same difficulty, with some of the later ones even slightly easier than the earlier ones. Also there's no save slots and horribly long (10 digit) passwords. Also, to be even more annoying, the passwords use both upper and lower case letters. UBI can afford to pack in a glossy sticker book and pages of stickers with every cartridge but won't stretch to something that would have really improved the game :-( But Rayman provides a good, solid platformer with plenty of novel touches. And, given the graphics quality that's more than enough to recommend it. Liked: Solid gameplay, lots to keep you interested Hated: Usual third-party platformer problems (on a small scale) **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: From the moment you switch the game on and see a 3D Rayman dancing around in some FMV you know this is going to be a cut above the rest when it comes to graphics. And it certainly is. Rayman is smoothly animated (not quite as smooth as Tarzan, mind you) and inhabits some gorgeous locations, filled with plenty of movement and more colour than you would have thought possible on a gameboy screen. Unlike most CGB games you can't tell it's tiled. One very nice touch is the way there are foreground details that rayman walks behind. It's a bit sad to see that the highly stylised graphics of Rayman 2 have been toned down for the Gameboy outing (the purple fruit is particularly disappointing) and Rayman's enemies lack the character of Rayman 2's robo pirates. Also, the graphics can be a little confusing at times. It's hard to know if you're going to walk behind an object or bump into it, or which objects are background detail and which are platforms. Paricularly nasty is the fact that often the game uses the same graphic for platforms that disappear when you touch them and platforms that are lifts to take you to places. It's just a matter of trial and error. Liked: Looks great Hated: Not stylised enough, sometimes confusing **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: Rayman's music is very catchy and pretty cool. However, it doesn't come over too well on the Gameboy speakers. On the effects side, everything is adequate, but nothing special. Liked: Tunes are nice, effects okay Hated: Not really suited to the GB **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: Control is good, but the game design falls short of Nintendo quality. The difficultly curve is messed up and the levels are poorly designed, often confusing you and requiring many 'leaps of faith'. Also often you switch invisible switches to make things happen (like platforms appear) as you walk along. There's no way of knowing when it'll happen and its slightly disconcerting. I'm sounding a bit too negative here - Rayman is still great fun to play. Liked: Control okay Hated: Design could be better **************************************************************************** Improve: 1. Save slots 2. More linear levels (can't believe I just said that :-)) 3. No invisible switches 4. Possibly sacrifice impressive graphics for clarity RIYL: Platformers, Frenchmen **************************************************************************** Final Words: Despite all its flaws I'm really enjoying playing Rayman. The graphics are class and the game's variety makes it very playable. But it is just another platformer... **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: ***** Graphics: ***** Sound/Music: *** Play Control/Game Design: *** Personal Opinion: ***** Total: 21 out of 25 Final Score: 84% **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: No