Rayman 2

[OCG]

LOL, that is not the main reason why I like it best but still I think it looks nice.
For example, some people prefer Hall over Isle but still like DC version best.

[Shrooblord]

I don't like the DC version for its Isle of Doors. It's so lame in comparison to the Hall.

Why you gotta be hatin' on my favorite world map? I think the Isle is neat since it's basically a little 3D
map with cool details here and there.

Oh yes, I appreciate it for all the merits it presents, but see how I said 'in comparison'? The Hall of Doors is mystical and unlike any other level select screen I have yet encountered in games. It's as much part of the game as the rest of the levels are, as opposed to, say, a map detailing where to go next. Normal level select screens are layers posted over the top. The Hall is really a place inside the game, if you get me. It's more immersive, I feel.

Now, the Isle isn't shoddy. But it's just not the Hall.

Similarly, I do really like the Front from the Revolution game, but in that version I only miss the Hall because it's what I know best and have grown most accustomed to (and also, I find it far more atmospheric). But the Front, too, is a real place inside the world, not just 'a level select screen' like the Isle beams with its appearance.

[PrincessAmber]

You know I've always wondered. At the end of the game Rayman is seen with one foot and a stick, walkly slowly near his friends. How did he even escape from an exploding huge warship, it couldn't have been Ly's magic because she thought he was dead, nor anyone else could've been helping him. Did he helicopter his way out of the warship and one of his feet got seperated? Damnit I wanna know what happened there now.

[Shrooblord]

The ship exploded and because of amazing luck or perhaps destiny, his body parts were flung all over the place, leaving his foot elsewhere from the rest of his body, that, who knows, had to find its way back together too. I imagine him lying around scattered and slowly crawling back together, his one foot the last piece that still had to. Think of the opening to the menu of Rayman 1. Kind of like that.

Or maybe his trusty Shell steed flew him out in the nick of time, just before the explosion, the shockwave still scattering his parts. But that, I find awfully unlikely, seeing as he just about looked at the Grolgoth in an 'oh shit' manner as it struck '1' on its countdown timer.

Maybe the Lums that form him excited to such state in trying to preserve his form that he was flung out into pieces.

Eh?

[Bradandez]

Another nitpick is that Rayman is OP.

[Shrooblord]

pls nerf ubbi suft

[PrincessAmber]

Shroobie's Lum theory sounds the best to me. Whenever Rayman dies he turns into a few lums anyway, or atleast it appears so.

Well of course Rayman is OP, he has no friggin limbs.

[Master]

I can kinda see where Brad's coming from, combat in Rayman 2 is pretty primitive in comparison to its successors. The Robo-Pirates aren't really numerous enough nor resilient enough to be quite as formidable as the Hoodlums, who also have a greater variety of types to mix things up as you progress.

[Shrooblord]

Yep - I like the attacking squads of Rayman 3 - they make for interesting fights sometimes (especially when I try to get them to shoot each other).

[PluMGMK]

One thing I noticed in recent months is that the Robo-Pirates' aim absolutely sucks. As soon as Rayman starts strafing they turn almost 45° in that direction. I mean, come on, I know it's a kids' game, but really!
Ironically the Hoodlums aim better, I think, even though canonically they're supposed to be much more stupid…

[Haruka]

Well, remember also of the four years gap between R2 and R3 .

[PluMGMK]

You're saying that they just weren't able to programme a better aiming system in 1997-99?

[Haruka]

I really don't know the reasons but it could be possible, no?

[Shrooblord]

Actually, their aim is pretty awesome; they aim at where they expect you to be if you were to continue strafing in that direction. But of course, nobody does that, and instead they strafe left-right-left-right, but sadly, the Pirates have simple minds that can't comprehend this.

[PluMGMK]

But somehow the Hoodlums can comprehend it!

[Shrooblord]

Just goes to show that it goes Pirate<Hoodlum<Lac-Mac.

[Haruka]

xD LacMac.

[OCG]

The image above shows error for me.

[Bradandez]

I know I've been complaining about the difficulty of Rayman 2 but I feel kind of let down. I remember having a lot of fun with this game. It still is, it just doesn't last.

[Shrooblord]

Difficulty is a real snag for you, isn't it? It's too bad you didn't play this when you were, say, three to six years old, when your skills were still developing. Its difficulty would've been just right for you and its story and atmosphere (and by god, its music) would have left the imprint it did on me.

But no, I cannot argue that Rayman 2 is indeed difficult and you are some master gamer that just complains about not having a Brutal setting. I often find myself, when replaying, to be playing around with the Pirates to make the fights more interesting. For example, I'll have to kill the Pirate in the Fairy Glade using the Powder Kegs provided and this usually leads me to getting hit a couple of times. Similarly, I've once juggled around throwing a Powder Keg up into the air, being hit and quickly running back to the Keg in the Sancturary of Water and Ice just so I could open the door with the Magic Sphere in it without killing the Pirate first. Similarly, in the Grolgoth fight, I've applied several constraints such as only walking (Shift) to avoid the Grolgoth's shots in the first phase, having a Golden Fist and not losing even one charge (aka not getting hit at all ever, else, restart), riding the walls inside the lava pillars on purpose to make it more difficult to steer, shoot only once when collecting the fireball at the ends of the tunnels and then throwing the rest of the charge away, etc..

Now I don't do this because I have to, to make the game more interesting for myself or what not, but its difficulty does allow you to play around with it more in this sense. It's a lot less constrained in the manner that other, more 'defined' games are, simply because of the obstacles they present you that R2 does not.

See it like this: Rayman 2 is more of a playground. You can choose to follow the logical things you do in a playground, or you can explore it and get creative with its assets.
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But yes - at face value - Rayman 2 is pretty much an easy to play game.