Rayman 2. Rayman
Goddamn 2. Let me tell you about this game and me, man. Back when I was around 7, I was
way more obsessed with video games than I am now. To a degree that, looking back, was probably a bit unhealthy quite frankly. Thankfully this was tempered by the fact that my family only had a computer and no consoles, thus keeping me from getting into anything
too addictive. Granted, that did change, but at the time, it really limited what I had access to. It was largely Movie and TV tie-ins and edutainment for me back then, although among those I did occasionally find a diamond in the rough.
So, one day, I found myself at Toys 'R Us with my mother, looking for something new and exciting to play in the 'R Zone.' Some weird little section I think was devoted to stuff on clearance or something like that. Had it's own sign and logo though, weirdly. But yeah, I'm looking amidst the boxes and jewel cases when suddenly, I'm greeted with this:
Now, keep in mind: I'd never seen Rayman before in my (granted, somewhat short) life. Maybe it was his overall color scheme (I was a big fan Purple and Yellow back then, still am, really), maybe it was the smooth, cartoony design of that particular render of our limbless hero, maybe it was the pleasing golden typeface the title was in; it could've been any of those things, it could've been the combined affect of all of them, but something about it spoke to me. I
wanted it. And seeing as it was only $9.99, my mother was happy to oblige.
So, home I went, my newfound purchase ready to be installed onto the family computer. This particular version of the game's case didn't have a back so I had no idea what I was in for. Heck, even the 'manual' was just a fold-out with installation instructions, copyright info, and an ad for Myst on it. I was going in about as blind as I could have.
Needless to say, I was blown away once I got to playing it. The sheer
atmosphere of it was something I'd never really seen before, and the imagination on display was stunning. Rayman's world, even threatened by the pirates, was vibrant and full of life. And speaking of, oh my gosh the
pirates. Robot Freaking Pirates. I was hugely into robots as a kid, so combining Robots with pirates blew my
mind. I thought they were the coolest thing. Heck, I still think they're the best villains the franchise has had. Razorbeard's design in particular really left an impression on me.
I knew from the moment I started playing that this game was something special, but once I rescued Ly, it really became apparent. Rayman's quest to find the 4 masks was the most epic adventure I'd been on in a game up to that point, even if the first time through I ended up using cheats to get to the end. In the next couple years I'd eventually become skilled enough to go through the game fair and square, and every time there was something new to discover. Be it a cage, or more lums, or enough lums to unlock more of the 'Knowledge of the World.' The game was a gift that kept on giving.
I spent a lot of time in the world of Rayman 2; to me it's what Rayman, ideally,
is. A thriving, colorful, dream-like world, full of lurking dangers and mystical powers. It's a game near and dear to my heart, and one I'll never forget. Heck, even all these years later, with a computer that probably wouldn't even play it right, I
still have that old jewel case, CD intact. In time, I'd get my hands on Rayman Arena, and from there, find out Rayman 3 was a thing. And though I hold 3 close too, it didn't leave quite as much of an impression on me as 2 did, though that's not to say it didn't leave one at all; it was just up against some stiff competition.
Regardless, without Rayman 2, I never would've gotten into the franchise, and for that reason, as well as all those listed above, it's one of my favorite games of all time.