Rayman Origins Review

Few games have won the hearts and minds of gamers over the course of several generations. Rayman has done exactly that. Michel Ancel brought the franchise to life back in 1995 on the original PlayStation. Rayman Origins, the first original platformer in the series in nearly a decade, is the best one yet.

After two modestly successful 3D games, Rayman Origins returns the series to its roots. It combines all of the great things that we remember about 2D platformers from the 80s and 90s: likeable characters, simple storylines and clever level design. Rayman Origins then takes it a step further by managing to deliver a “wow” factor in the form of its amazing, silky smooth, art-like graphics.

The Glad of Dreams has been infected with evil creatures known as the Darktoons. It is Rayman’s job to restore peace to the world by collecting Electoons that ward off the evil. The game is broken off into different worlds along a linear path of levels similar to an old-school Super Mario game. New levels are unlocked as you collect more Electoons.

Rayman Origins excels at classic platform gameplay. The formula is very basic – Rayman can kill enemies by bouncing on their head, punching them, or by using the environment. His signature gliding move is learned relatively early in the game, as well as other abilities such as diving and shrinking in size to reach cramped areas.

While platforming and attacking enemies play a large part in each level, the developers require you to do a lot of collecting in order to earn Electoons. Yellow-colored Lums are strewn throughout each level and are often collected in pairs of three or more. Hidden coins convert into Lums and killing enemies also earns you these yellow creatures. At the end of the level you are awarded with Electoons based on how many Lums you have – 150, 300 and 350, respectively – as well as on any freed creatures in the level.

Between worlds are flying levels where Rayman pilots a mosquito. Basically it is like a classic space shooter along the lines of Gradius. You can move the mosquito around the screen collecting Lums while firing at oncoming enemies at the same time. It’s a neat distraction from the core platforming element.

The graphics in Rayman Origins are nothing short of breathtaking. The world is bright and colorful with each new level popping to life with such vibrancy that it rivals the best animated movie. It is almost as if Michel Ancel translated his sketches directly into a video game. The PlayStation Vita screen plays a major factor in the game’s visual brilliance. It would never look this crisp on a 3DS.

The Vita version is identical to its console brethren in all but a few key ways. The multi-player mode is gone, replaced by a ghost mode where you can share trial data with friends. The Vita-specific controls include the ability to use the touchscreen to pop the inflated bad guys, Lums and anything else that is in a bubble.

Rayman Origins is a triumphant return for our joint-less hero. Michel Ancel and the folks at Ubisoft Montpellier pulled this one off beautifully, combining simple yet challenging classic platforming with some of the best visuals you can find in a game today. It is well worth the price whether you are looking to buy it on a console or the PlayStation Vita. You simply need to experience this game for yourself.