The Cave of Bad Dreams: Difference between revisions

'''The Cave of Bad Dreams''', also known as '''the Kingdom of the Dead''', is a sub-level in ''[[Rayman 2: The Great Escape]]'' and its remakes. It is where the monsters generated by [[Polokus]]'s nightmares are locked away by its Guardian, [[Jano]], who also watches over a mountain of gold coins and jewels. Despite this, nobody has dared to enter the Cave, not even [[Admiral Razorbeard|Razorbeard]] and the [[Robo-Pirate Army|Robo-Pirates]]. Therefore, there are no [[cage]]s to be found inside. [[Rayman]], however, needs to go there in order to obtain the [[Elixir of Life]], which his friend [[Clark]] needs to recover from an illness caused by swallowing a rusty Robo-Pirate. The entrance to this subterranean grotto is located in [[the Marshes of Awakening]].

Before entering the Cave, Rayman has to remember the name of it, as Clark tells him in the [[Menhir Hills]], otherwise Jano will shoo him away. In this version of the game, it is found by walking on a giant branch to Rayman's left at the beginning of the Marshes of Awakening, until he sees Jano standing behind walls of cobwebs. The area is restricted as unknown territory by the [[Robo-Pirate]] army, thus they have no presence there or inside the Cave. Provided that he reads in Rayman's mind that he knows the name of this place, Jano will shake his skull-headed stick, which hypnotises Rayman and teleports him to the inside of the Cave.

Down the backbone of a gigantic animal, there is a [[Purple Lum]] to grab to cross a wide gap with rivers of living thorns at the bottom. Skulls fall down into this, and Rayman uses them to get across some more, as well as climbing on walls with bones embedded into them. Then there is a wide hole in which a skeletal clawed [[arm]] pops out to grab Rayman and pull him into the unknown, but that can be prevented by shooting at them. After that, there are three pillars with climbable bones that sink as soon as Rayman grabs on.

Down the next corridor which is riddled with more skeletal [[arm]]s, there is a double wall Rayman can wall jump inside of, but from time to time they space themselves out so he can't climb up, and then close in. At the top, there is a chasm, and on a wide edge there is a gold pedestal, like the one found in the [[Sanctuary of Water and Ice]] guarded by a [[Mini Jano]]. About four to six of these appear, two at a time, and they all need to be defeated in order for the matching [[Magic Sphere]] to appear. Once they join, the pedestal moves and Rayman has to drop down the hole it reveals.

Now there are two more pedestals, which surround a carving on the wall that looks like the one-eyed monsters Rayman had just encountered. To his left is a ledge that leads to two passages to choose from - each one is where a Magic Sphere can be found. The silver sphere is found in the passage on the left, the gold one to the right. In the silver chamber, there are giant slabs of stone that rotate on top of tall rocks, which Rayman needs to cross and throw the sphere back and then carry it to its correct pedestal. In the gold chamber, there is a skull supported by a skeletal [[arm]], which moves Rayman across the gap to the other side. Another moving double wall is passed through onto another moving skull, which leads to a series of pillars that are teeming with [[caterpillar]]s. Near them is a skull that moves upwards to a ledge where the gold sphere is found. This chamber is circular, so all Rayman needs to do is throw it down a few ledges rather than going all the way back. When both of the spheres are placed on their pedestals, the carving opens up by the mouth, and Rayman drops down a hole that is covered with fragile shards of green crystal.

Rayman is now in a passage with a slope covered with shining green crystal, and then Jano reappears from underground, threatening to eat him. Rayman now has to slide down, shooting any crystal growths that are in his way - if he slides too slowly, Jano will eat him, causing him to respawn at the beginning. At the end, he will enter a chasm where he has to avoid the fire that Jano breathes, just like his smaller counterparts. Jano will then generate floating skulls which can be stopped by Rayman's shots, and then he can jump from them to get to where Jano is standing. Jano, who is invincible, will keep breathing fire and generating skulls until he is chased to the far end of the chasm by Rayman, and then dig himself underground, allowing the limbless hero to walk into a chamber piled with treasure.

A single coin is flicked and rolls to his feet, and Jano reappears and offers him all this treasure to keep for himself. There are two options to choose from - "I want the treasure", and "No treasure for me". The former is obviously the greedy choice, but if Rayman chooses that, he will be taken to a small deserted island where he gains a drastic amount of weight, and lazes in a deckchair with a fraction of his gold surrounding him. This scene pretends to be an ending, with the words "THE END" appearing, but then it returns to Rayman's decision. Rejecting the treasure, he is teleported back to the Marshes of Awakening, and congratulated by Jano for not being greedy. As a reward, Jano gives him the [[Elixir of Life]] to take to Clark back at the Menhir Hills.

Most of this level remains the same as that in the original version. The major difference is in the final phase (the battle with Jano). In other versions, the only way Rayman can traverse the chasms between the pillars is via the floating skulls Jano creates. In the Dreamcast version, some of the chasms now contain rotating slabs of stone (similar to those found in the silver sphere area), making it easier for Rayman to get across. While a few points still require the usage of floating skulls, overall the change makes the battle somewhat easier in this version.

In this version of the game, the Cave of Bad Dreams is not a sub level, but a true level that follows the Menhir Hills. This means that Rayman will not need to travel back to the Marshes of Awakening to find the cave's entrance. The sub plot involving Clark and the elixir is still present, however. The original two phases have both been split into two, meaning that there are now four, although they mostly play the same as the original game.

While there is still a backbone, it has been split to different platforms to run and jump across. Much of this part of the phase remains the same, but instead of the moving double wall, there are three Purple Lums to use to get to the top of chasm in which the [[Mini Jano]] roam. There are only two of these, but they have a much stronger resistance than those in the original version.

In this version of the game, Phase 2 begins at the two pedestals and the one eyed monster carving on the wall. Much of this area stays the same as that in the original version, except for the appearance of [[jumping eye]]s – previously seen at the entrance of the Cave in the Marshes of Awakening - in the gold passage.

In this phase, Rayman is chased by Jano down the green crystal slide, which remains the same as that in the original version.

The confrontation with Jano begins, where he will use the same techniques – breathing fire and generating skulls – as before. The only differences here is that some pillars will fall when Rayman steps on them. At the end, he will automatically refuse the treasure and reveal to Jano that he only came to get the Elixir for Clark. This amuses Jano, and he gives him the [[Elixir of Life]].

In this version of the game, the Cave of Bad Dreams is located at the end of the Marshes of Awakening, which should only be visited once Clark tells Rayman the name of the Cave. Apart from graphical enhancements, much of this level remains the same as before, though there are no Yellow Lums to collect. There is also an extra ledge in the chasm with the first gold pedestal, on which more of the [[Mini Jano]] roam. Defeating these does not reveal anything.

Unlike the previous versions, in which the Cave can be revisited, it can only be visited once, and Jano will not be at the end of the Marshes to take Rayman back in again because there are no Yellow Lums.