Phoenixan said:
Well they seem to be doing more of a reboot/retelling than anything. And more like the kids that grew up playing Rayman 1 or 2 when it first came out are in their late teens or twenties now, so they have to sort of retell things from the beginning, because hell if anyone new to the series is going to know or remember anything.
I don’t mind character redesigns or story contradictions; as long as they attempt to keep fairly consistent with the other games, I will be satisfied. However, I will be extremely disappointed if this game turns out to be a reboot. I want to play another game in the Rayman series I already love, not a game set in a parallel universe where the previous three games never happened. The marketing (‘how Rayman became the hero we know’) and the new info (origins of Mr Dark) suggest that this game will lead into the existing series rather than trashing it in favour of story simplicity. Well, it better – a reboot would mean that the original Rayman series is dead and the story will never receive a proper continuation. I’m not asking them to be slavish to the already inconsistent continuity of the previous games – all I’m asking is that they call Rayman Origins a prequel and avoid the R-word. One of the developers mentioned that it was ‘more of a rebirth than a prequel’, and went on to say that this was because the game was being designed to introduce the series to newcomers. This is fine. As long as we don’t hear them say ‘We’re discarding the previous games and starting the series from scratch’ or anything to that effect.
Hunchman801 said:
How about the mosquito riding shoot'em up sequence? Sounds pretty awesome, most likely inspired from the Jaguar version of Anguish Lagoon where Bzzit could shoot balls of energy with his proboscis, but it might be a bit tendentious in terms of continuity unless Origins actually introduces a new mosquito.
I don’t see how this contradicts R1 – we are never given any indication as to whether Rayman and Bzzit had met before their fight in Anguish Lagoon; the same goes for the other bosses. They all seem to be under Mr Dark’s magical control or brainwashing, or perhaps they are unbalanced due to the theft of the Great Protoon; the game is ambiguous as to the specifics, but they all seem to have returned to their normal selves by the end of the game.
MeestaNintendo said:
As well as this, notice the first scanned image where there is a tiny Rayman on some grass with a bug and a giant Betilla? my theory for this is that Rayman has touched a floating blue elf from Rayman 1 (or whatever they're called) and has became tiny, as you can see that he is the same size as an ant.
The scene depicted in the screenshot (Betilla serenely levitating in a clearing while facing Rayman and the left side of the screen) looks very similar to the R1 levels in which she gave him his powers. I think the screenshot shows Rayman receiving a shrinking ability. Flying Blue Elves may or may not be involved; I would hazard a guess at not.
MeestaNintendo said:
I wonder if this game will use the theme tune which most Rayman games use nowadays (Rayman 2 started it, also on Rayman 3 GBA and Hoodlums Revenge) you know, this tune:
http://hosting.raymanpc.com/raytunes/music/01 - Main Menu.mp3 as I quite like this tune, it has an epic feel to it!
I think I heard a tiny bit of this melody in the Rayman Origins trailer, at around 1:03 you can hear it in the background if you listen carefully. Hope this means that this tune will once again become the main theme!
I noticed the resemblance too, but it’s quite slight and it could just be a coincidence. I’m not sure if I’d like Rayman Origins to reuse Rayman 2’s theme – we’ve been hearing that one for quite a while, and I’d prefer Rayman Origins to have its own unique theme, just like the previous three games. However, I am very much open to the idea of old Rayman music being reappropriated and/or old Rayman composers returning. Imagine if the Band Land section in RO opened with a new version of R1’s Band Land theme.
SoundslikeStu said:
This game is going to be the most nostalgic thing for us all. I don't know about you guys but I played Rayman 1 when I was 5/6 years old. Then Rayman 2 came out and was even more incredible, then Rayman 3 came out and it all seemed to be getting better and better but the only problem was I MISSED the world of Rayman 1. That world was so different from anything I've experienced in games since, the atmosphere, the music, the 2d graphics...Playing that game now makes me feel weird, because it reminds me so vividly of my childhood. I almost get emotional when I think about how much of the stuff from Rayman 1 is making a return, is being explained, and is being kept faithful to fans. 16 YEARS ago. I can't believe that. Makes me feel old seeing how it feels like only yesterday!
I know that it's kinda billed as a reboot and to get new people into the games but I have the feeling there's going to be so many little references, returning characters, in-jokes and nostalgia to last me another 16 years. I'm so very happy that this is being done properly. FINALLY.
Sorry for slightly emotional slightly incoherent post - It's very late here and I just felt like weighing in with my opinion.
Hope you are all well!
This describes my own feelings pretty well. I played R1 at the same age (it blew my mind), and while R2 was perhaps even more amazing, the visual disconnect between the first two games always bothered me. The series has always been quite segmented, unlike (for example) the Mario games, all of which feel like they take place in the same world. The constant reinvention and lack of cohesion in the progression of the Rayman series is something I’ve always wanted to see rectified. R1’s atmosphere and the various elements which combine to create it (the music, the art style, the characters, etc) have achieved a sort of holy grail status in my mind from my decade of wanting them to return, and I feel positively overwhelmed now that it’s actually happening. I still have a hazy suspicion that this is all an impossibly pleasant dream which will crumble away and be forgotten when I awake; the same sensation I felt when RO was first announced.
DesLife said:
Talking about him like he's a messiah, like some do here, is blind faith.
Blind faith lacks evidence. Faith in Michel Ancel differs in that it is entirely justified by our previous experience.
