Rayman Revolution

Rayman Revolution
Rayman Revolution
Published by	Ubi Soft Digital Dream Studios (South Korea)
Developed by	Ubi Soft Annecy
Directed by	{{{directed by}}}
Produced by	{{{produced by}}}
Designed by	{{{designed by}}}
Programmed by	{{{programmed by}}}
Art by	{{{art by}}}
Written by	{{{written by}}}
Soundtrack by	Éric Chevalier
Release date	22nd December, 2000 30th January, 2001 31st May, 2001 17th October 2002
Genre	3D Platformer
Gameplay mode	Single player, multiplayer
Languages	{{{languages}}}
Platforms	Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3 (PlayStation Network, North America only)
Ratings	E (ESRB) 3+ (ELSPA)
Distribution media	DVD-ROM, digital
Game engine	{{{game engine}}}

Darkness has befallen the Fairy Council. An invasion force of Robo-Pirates is scourging the planet on a mission of destruction. In desperation, rag-tag resistance groups engage the metallic monsters, hopelessly outmatched and outnumbered.

Meanwhile, at the rim of The Great Forest, Rayman and his companion Globox lie hidden in ambush...

Crouching in a thicket, they hear the rising din of clanging steel. "Steady yourself," Rayman whispers. Suddenly, the ground beneath them shatters as a wave of Robo-Pirates rumbles out from the brush. Rayman explodes into them, felling pirates with a volley of energy spheres. Trembling, Globox musters a rain cloud and reduces one robot to a rusted heap. Then a horrible vision - the pained face of Ly - appears before Rayman.

"Rayman," she gasps, "the pirates have broken the heart of the world and scattered all the energy - they seized everyone but Clark--"

The crushing grasp of a giant robot shocks Rayman out of the vision. Overtaken by the deathly embrace, his powers have withered with the destruction of the Primordial Core.

"Run, Globox!" he screams. Globox scampers away into the high grass, terrified. Rayman winces as a throaty laugh thunders from above. It's Admiral Razorbeard. "You belong to me now, slave." Writhing in the robots' pincers, Rayman utters, "Gloat now, if you must. You can't hold me forever."

—Manual (US version), Rayman 2 Revolution

Rayman Revolution, known in North America as Rayman 2: Revolution, is an updated remake of Rayman 2 made specially as a launch title for the Sony PlayStation 2 in 2000. It was later re-released as a PlayStation 2 classic on the PlayStation 3 in North America. Several changes have been made for this version, notably the upgraded graphics, the inclusion of new areas, bosses and mini-games. Its difficulty was made slightly higher than that of Rayman 2. Several levels underwent some minor changes, such as the Precipice and the Echoing Caves. Most changes are however only cosmetic.

Development

I left Paris for Annecy, where the local Ubisoft team was supposed to work on the PS2 port. I was appointed as art director on this port. It became quite tense, since they had already started working on another Rayman project, contrary to what had been planned. They were simply developing a new Rayman game. Needless to say, the situation became very complicated at first.

—Florent Sacré, Retro Gamer issue 275

As revealed in issue 275 of the Retro Gamer magazine, Rayman Revolution was originally being developed as a whole new Rayman game at Ubisoft Annecy before Ubisoft Paris put them in charge of an enhanced version of Rayman 2. This is speculated to have been the canceled Rayman Adventures project, for which a video trailer was made available by a former developer at Ubisoft Annecy.

New features

Unlike Rayman 2 where levels were accessed from a linear selection screen such as the Hall of Doors, the levels in Rayman Revolution are accessed via three new hub worlds – the Minisaurus Plain, Globox's House and Rainbow Creek, which are collectively known as the Front. These areas allow free roaming, making Revolution a much less linear game than the previous versions. New cutscenes and dialogue had been added here, giving the player a more complete picture of the story. In addition, new characters are introduced such as Bzzit, and Rayman can acquire new powers, items and abilities, such as the ones he can buy with the Yellow Lums he collected at the Magic Well, the equivalent of a typical item shop.

Characters such as Ly the Fairy, Clark, and the Teensies appear much more often in this version. Ly increases Rayman's health by offering mini-games, which include the Walks of Life and Power and the roller coaster segment that was previously in the Top of the World, in exchange for freeing the Familiar Spirits, new spirit creatures that are imprisoned in cages by the Robo-Pirates. Meanwhile, the Teensies host the Teensie Circles – teleportation hubs which replace the Hall of Doors and allow Rayman to return to places he has already visited.

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  The Magic Well is like an item shop where Rayman can purchase power-ups.
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  Ly's Stele, one of the locations where Rayman can go to play her challenges.
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  The Teensie Circle in Rainbow Creek.

Music

The regular music tracks for each level do not play when Rayman revisits them, instead simply featuring an ambiance track. Certain pieces of music still appear, most notably during the sections with more action, such as the Precipice and when engaged in battle with Robo-Pirates. One exception is in the Sanctuary of Stone and Fire, where visiting the optional temple (phase 2) makes the main track play after getting back to phase 1 again.

Another musical difference between the game and the original versions is the omission of the special music that plays during the tally screen display at the end of the level. Instead, the game simply continues playing whatever track was playing when the level ended.

Powers and items

The game requires much more backtracking than before to collect the Yellow Lums and break the cages that Rayman could not access for the first time. Objects such as cannons, beacons, plants and mushrooms appear throughout the game, and need Rayman to gain his new powers and special items (such as the Rain Mask) in order to use them. A notable difference between the previous versions is that Rayman is not granted with the shooting power at the beginning, but is simply given the ability to punch, though he is shortly given the shooting power by the Grand Minimus. As Rayman progresses, his shots get much stronger thanks to Silver Lums, until he can produce a shot that is as powerful as an exploding grenade.

Later in the game, Rayman is given some items to help him, such as the Rain Mask, which allows him to perform a Rain Dance like Globox's and helps plants to grow, and the Lums Radar, which is a magnet that can help him find any Yellow Lums that he may have missed. Recalling the original Rayman game, Rayman can at one point be shrunk to help him squeeze through a small hole by eating a yellow mushroom that he needs to water with the Rain Dance.

Unlike the previous versions, Rayman can keep his flying power, which he lost beneath the Sanctuary of Rock and Lava, conditionally - he can only use it whenever he is flying above any body of lava, and when he is in battle with Grolem 13.

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  Rayman next to the yellow mushroom.
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  This cannon needs to be ignited somehow.
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  Rayman as he finds the Lums Radar.

Levels

One of the new features in Rayman Revolution is the inclusion of new worlds such as the Minisaurus Plain.

• The Woods of Light

The Minisaurus Plain

• The Fairy Glade
• The Marshes of Awakening
• The Cave of Bad Dreams
• The Bayou
• The Sanctuary of Water and Ice (Lost Island)

Globox's House

• The Menhir Hills
• The Canopy
• Whale Bay
• The Sanctuary of Stone and Fire
• Tomb of the Ancients

Rainbow Creek

• The Precipice
• The Pirate Mines
• The Echoing Caves
• The Lava Sanctuary
• Beneath the Lava Sanctuary
• The Iron Mountains
• The Prison Ship
• The Crow's Nest

Manuals

Click on the thumbnails to read the manuals.

The English manual (US)

The English manual (Europe)

The Japanese manual

The South Korean manual

Gallery

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Covers

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  The cover of the Japanese version of Rayman Revolution.
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  The back cover of the Japanese version of Rayman Revolution.
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  The cover of the North American version of Rayman Revolution.
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  The back cover of the North American version of Rayman Revolution.
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  The back cover of the European version of Rayman Revolution.
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  The cover for the South Korean version of Rayman Revolution.
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  The back cover for the South Korean version of Rayman Revolution.

Discs

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Promo art

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External links

• Rayman Revolution playthrough at YouTube
• Japanese Rayman Revolution playthrough at YouTube

See also

• Rayman 2
• Rayman DS
• Rayman 3D
• Rayman 2 (PlayStation)
• Rayman 2 (iOS)