Rayman Origins

Although in recent years all signs in the sky and the earth indicated that platformers are slowly becoming obsolete, for several months we have been observing an unexpected renaissance of this genre, possible mainly thanks to the offensive of network distribution channels intended for both PCs and consoles. For a long time, however, we have not dealt with classic "platformers" standing in one row with the biggest box hits. Rayman Origins is to start a new trend - if it continues in this style, I look forward to further developments.

It looked like Rayman's brand would be systematically changed into small changes with each passing year. The traces of the fantastic adventures of the eared hero told in the three parts of the amazing series seemed less and less clear - crazy mini-games with crazy Rabbids were probably not what the faithful fans of the series created from scratch by Michel Ancel were waiting for. Instead of a full-fledged continuation, Ubisoft has prepared a classic and simple platformer - it turns out to be a very good choice.

Rayman: Origins is an extensive (for this genre) game based on the same rules as old-school, insanely pleasant platformers. The action of this production takes place on the so-called Crossroads of Dreams - a place that appears to be cartoonish and completely unreal, yet rich in a tourist folder. During the whole adventure, we get to both the hot jungle, which is full of dangerous, fast waterfalls and dense vegetation, and the land covered with ice, where not very pleasant and extremely frosty ambushes lurk at every step. Amateurs of sky-high impressions should also be delighted - with a flight we visit a unique land full of music and sounds, thanks to which Rayman and the company do amazing things. The aquatic environment turns out to be interesting as well - while swimming in large reservoirs, we face nasty creatures that are stunned by Mother Nature. And yet this is only a fraction of the attractions - Michel Ancel and his team gave an amazing vent to their creativity, and the effect exceeds all expectations. The original opponents complete the picture of the whole - such a crazy and at the same time bizarre combination of antagonists I have not seen for a long time.

Although the new Rayman apparently looks like a production aimed primarily at the youngest customers, this feeling is quickly verified by the increasing difficulty level every minute. Although initially each stage is passed on its own, and the fun is based on the basic and classic rules governing platformers, over time defeating the next levels becomes a really big challenge. As the game progresses, the eared hero and his friends acquire new skills, which, of course, open up new possibilities for us in terms of how to play the game. Although jumping on platforms, fast strides and collecting coins and trinkets are still the basis of the game, we are also starting to face increasingly difficult opponents, avoid clever traps and traps, and complicated mechanisms require a moment of reflection and a bit of combinatorics. The pace of action is very impressive - calm, precise fragments are intertwined with extremely dynamic moments of escapes or chases after the departing target. There are also casual shooting stages - by using the services of the giant mosquito, we get rid of more swarms of birds and other flying dummies, sucking in enemies on the way or spitting disgusting venom.

Although each new board carries an increasingly difficult challenge, the creators do not try to make the task difficult - the life limit has been abandoned, and the checkpoints have been placed very wisely and do not force you to painstakingly play huge fragments of a given chapter. It is not always possible to go to the next land, trying to break the game record on time - the next stages of the game are unlocked after collecting the appropriate number of pink creatures needed to build bridges connecting all locations. Although we often have to return to the previous levels, we usually find something new there - the acquired features and skills allow you to penetrate hidden caves or collectibles located in previously inaccessible places. The way to fill in the scoring is also to overcome a given level as quickly as possible - avoiding obstacles on the route, we try to reach its final point as quickly as possible, of course in one piece. All this makes Rayman Origins a production that takes a lot of time - although completing a set of boards takes 7-8 hours, the desire to unlock literally everything and check every attraction extends the game to a dozen or so beats. I will skip the fact that you will often find yourself involuntarily launching this title for even 15 minutes to complete your favorite location again.

Ubisoft's work also allows you to play in cooperation with up to four people at the same time, because in the course of the game, apart from Rayman, we also meet three other characters - a large blue creature Globox and microscopic, but electrifyingly agile Tins. Entertainment with friends is an amazing load of fun, although defeating successive boards in four causes, unfortunately, quite a lot of problems - there is a total mess on the screen, and the players disturb themselves, bumping into each other and pushing into ambushes. The option of bringing the participants back to action was solved in an interesting way - the characters turn into soaring balloons that can only be pierced by other heroes, which makes the game more fluid and dynamic.

My reaction to Rayman's first launch was something like, “Wow! How does it look like!". The beautiful, cartoonish setting makes an amazing impression. I will risk saying that this is the most beautiful position realized in full two dimensions - the animation of all characters is perfect and refined in every detail, and the visual sensations are limited to uncontrolled oohs and ahs. Ubisoft's production shows that you don't need photorealistic graphics and spectacular explosions to cause full admiration - it's simply a technical masterpiece. The sound layer, which we mainly create ourselves, also looks no worse. Each action of our hero is confirmed with an appropriate musical sequence - whether it is a jump or eliminating the enemy, collecting more coins, or performing a complicated evolution. Combine this with a unique soundtrack to make the end result easy to imagine - it just fits together perfectly.

The work of Michel Ancel and Ubisoft is a sensational and hellishly addictive arcade game. From the very beginning, the title makes a great impression with a considerable variety of gameplay and real artistry in technical terms. The unique atmosphere of the whole is also quickly given to the player - you still have the feeling of participating in a crazy adventure where everything depends only on us. Rayman Origins is a triumphant return to the golden age of old school platformers, and at the same time a product that heralds a flood of similar creations in the near future. Rayman and his cheerful company once again showed that they are worth counting on!

Amadeusz "ElMundo" Cyganek

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