Rayman Origins
Rayman Origins is a 2D sidescroller platform game, and the fourth major title in the Rayman series. It was announced by Ubisoft at E3 2010, and is the first major Rayman game since the creation of the Raving Rabbids series. It also marks the return of Rayman creator Michel Ancel to the series; he had not worked on a Rayman title since Rayman 2 in 1999.
| Rayman Origins | ||
|---|---|---|
| Published by | Ubisoft | |
| Developed by | ubiART Montpellier | |
| Release date |  25th November 2011
| |
| Genre | 2D platformer | |
| Gameplay mode | Single player and co-operative; up to four players | |
| Platforms | Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita (2012), Nintendo 3DS (2012) | |
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History
Initially, Rayman Origins was announced to be an episodic release, and that the first episode would have been released in late 2010. This approach was eventually scrapped after a delay: the game would instead be given a retail release in late 2011, in order that it might be a 'real sequel', in the words of Ancel. Chronologically, Origins is a prequel to the original Rayman game, and will explore how ‘...this uncontrollable individual (Rayman) and his grotesque companion (Globox) become the heroes that we know...’ The game's trailer finally reveals Rayman's origins, which were hinted at in the Knowledge of the World in Rayman 2 eleven years before: ‘Conjured from the magnificent moonbeams of the second summer solstice, woven together by [the] nymphs, destined to preserve the equilibrium of the sacred universe: the one we call... Rayman!’ The ‘nymph’ who creates Rayman may be a younger version of Betilla the Fairy.
Early production
Shortly after Rayman Origins was first announced, footage showing a demonstration of its mechanics appeared. This featured a health system which was very much like that of the original Rayman - it would have used the same yellow and red bubbles that indicated the player's health. Since then, this system was debunked by later playable demonstrations.
Gameplay
The game features local four-player co-operative play, with the players controlling Rayman, Globox and two Teensies; however, it will still be possible to play through the game in single-player mode. There are currently no plans for online play.
Much of the gameplay can be reminiscent to that of Rayman, in that the aim is to find cages and rescue the Electoons that are imprisoned inside them. Unlike Rayman though, most if not cages are being guarded by several enemies that collectively use a forcefield to protect the cage (this can be reminiscent of Hoodoos, a Hoodlum in Rayman 3 that uses a similar technique to protect other Hoodlums); the team must defeat every single enemy that uses the forcefield, then the cage can be destroyed. The cage can only be damaged on the side which has a green padlock. Most of the cages are hidden away in secret passages, so once the Electoons are free, they will create a portal which leads to the outside of these passages. Each level contains a medallion of at least 5 cages.
Yellow Lums, which first appeared in Rayman 2, are once again collectable items in the game.
Unlike most other games in the Rayman series, the players are very vulnerable to enemy attacks, and one touch can cause death. Throughout the game, bottles containing a heart are found, and should a player break one, the heart inside will act as a shield until an enemy attacks, after which the heart will break. In multiplayer mode, if one player dies, they can float around and come back to life if they come to close enough contact with a surviving player. If all players die at the same time, then they will return to where they last destroyed a cage.
Also unlike Rayman, contact to any body of water will not cause instant death, though creatures that lurk in some of them can catch a player and kill them then.
At certain points, the players will come across Betilla the fairy and her sisters, who are imprisoned inside the mouth of a Darktoon, one by one. When these are encountered, the players have to chase the Darktoon and free the fairy inside. Once she is free, she will give Rayman and his friends a new power.
The players will also encounter runaway treasure chests, which contain various treasures such as a shiny skull tooth.
Levels
While featuring numerous original environments, Rayman Origins will also be the first game in the series to revisit locations explored in previous games. The game will be divided into three phases. In the first phase, the player will make their way through six worlds – Jungle, Music, Food, Mountain, Ocean and Picture – in a pre-set order. Each world ends with the characters gaining new powers, such as the ability to dive underwater or change their size. Once the first phase is complete, the second phase can be accessed: new levels become available in each of the six worlds, and this time the player can play them in any order they want. When this phase is complete, then the game's ending becomes available, along with the third and final phase. It contains only one world – the Land of the Dead. Levels here can be unlocked by collecting the Skull Coins hidden throughout the game. Some of the game's seven worlds are split into more than one ‘environment’; there are a total of twelve environments in the game. Each world is divided into many levels; there are a total of sixty-six levels in the game. Descriptions of the seven worlds follow.
- Jibberish Jungle – Rayman is born in the Primordial Forest, indicating that this jungle is in fact the Dream Forest from the original game. It seems that this level's bosses are a monstrous daisy and a gigantic living statue.
- The Desert of Didgeridoos – Rayman must use gongs to create sound waves which shield him from swarms of black flying creatures which resemble locusts. Spiky balls from the original game reappear. This world is composed mainly on music and musical instruments. It seems to be based on Band Land, a location which has not been seen since the original game.
- The Gourmand Lands – several screenshots show the protagonists making their way through a surreal environment made of food and cooking materials. This area is known as the Infernal Kitchen, and its aesthetic is inspired by the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration. This land is home to Baby Dragon Chefs – small, red, reptilian enemies who attack the heroes with their forks. Another environment in the Gourmand Lands is Frosty Delights, an icy landscape which features cocktail elements such as giant orange slices. It may have been inspired by the Glacier Cocktail level from Tonic Trouble.
- The Sea of Serendipity – footage shows Rayman and Globox swimming near the sea floor, surrounded by marine life. They are chased by gigantic aquatic insects. Above the surface of the ocean, a tribe of Globox's species lives in a village supported on stilts.
- Mystic Peak – screenshots depict a mountain location surrounded by floating landmasses which recall the floating earth platforms of the original game. The mountain is dotted with small buildings. Its peak is hidden by clouds, but the tentacles of another boss – a gigantic pink monster resembling a squid – can be seen descending from its heights. Moody Clouds, a steampunk level in which Rayman rides on the back of Moskito, who shoots enemies down with the energy projectiles from his proboscis, is part of Mystic Peak.
- Picture – a world composed entirely of artwork and art supplies. Based on Picture City from the original game. In Rayman Origins it will feature references to art styles such as pop art and pixel art.
- The Land of the Dead – a level with a strong resemblance to both the Cave of Bad Dreams and Tomb of the Ancients from Rayman 2. This is where the game's villains live; the antics of the protagonists annoy the villains, setting the events of the game in motion. Its name is very similar to that of the Land of the Livid Dead, a Rayman 3 level. The Land of the Dead has a golden palette, and features giant skulls, bones and cobwebs. Concept art depicts graveyards, insects, zombies, a strange hotdog-like character who appears to be selling hotdogs, and numerous tentacled monsters. This seems to be the final level of the game.
Other levels:
- A castle level – the trailer and a piece of concept art depict a colourful and ornate castle with many domes, built over a river which runs through a valley surrounded by jungle. This may be part of the Jungle world or the Mountain world.
- A cave level – the trailer shows Rayman sliding through a slippery, dark, mushroom-filled cavern while fighting off enemy insects.
- An organic level – similar to the Organic Cave from the cancelled Rayman 4, this level takes place within the belly of a gigantic dragon. The players much avoid flaming walls of heartburn.
European Collector's Edition
In August 2011, a number of online department stores in Europe revealed a collector's edition for the Playstation 3 and the XBox 360 versions of the game, which contains a 50-page art book, a CD of the game's soundtrack and a 3D cardboard pop-up display. There are currently no known plans for this to be applied to other versions of the game such as the Nintendo Wii version, and it is unknown if this would be also available in other regions of the world.
