Rayman Origins

Rayman Origins
Published by	Ubisoft
Developed by	ubiART Montpellier
Directed by	{{{directed by}}}
Produced by	{{{produced by}}}
Designed by	Sebastien Morin with Lorenzo Avi, Julien Chevalier, Romain Claude and Axel Cossardeaux
Programmed by	{{{programmed by}}}
Art by	{{{art by}}}
Written by	Gabrielle Shrager (lead game writer and story designer)
Soundtrack by	Christophe Héral and Billy Martin
Release date	PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360: 15th November 2011 24th November 2011 PlayStation Vita: 14th February 2012 22nd February 2012 3DS: 16th March 2012 16th March 2012 Windows: 29th March 2012 29th March 2012
Genre	2D platformer
Gameplay mode	Single player and co-operative; up to four players
Languages	{{{languages}}}
Platforms	Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PlayStation Vita, Nintendo 3DS, Microsoft Windows
Ratings	{{{ratings}}}
Distribution media	{{{distribution media}}}
Game engine	{{{game engine}}}

Rayman Origins is a 2D sidescroller platform game, and the fourth major title in the Rayman series. Despite its title, it is not a prequel, but a sequel to the first three Rayman games. 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 is the first game in the main series to feature co-operative platforming gameplay, allowing for up to four players at once. The game was released on November 15th 2011 in North America, and on November 24th 2011 in Europe for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii. A PlayStation Vita version was also announced, featuring a Ghost Mode and the use of the touch screen; it will be released on February 22nd. The Vita version will also feature exclusive collectible items called Relics; these will unlock pieces of a large mosaic puzzle in the Snoring Tree, allowing the player to view videos showing Rayman's roots and the history of the Glade of Dreams. A Nintendo 3DS version will be released on 16th March 2012, and a Microsoft Windows version will be released on the 29th of the same month.

History

Initially, it was announced that Rayman Origins would be an episodic release, and that the first episode would be 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. Rayman Origins was originally announced as a prequel to the original Rayman game, intended to explore how ‘...this uncontrollable individual (Rayman) and his grotesque companion (Globox) become the heroes that we know...’ However, the prequel approach appears to have been disregarded at some point in the game's development: the final version contains many references to the previous games, suggesting that it is a sequel which takes place after the other instalments. The game's first 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 in this flashback is Betilla the Fairy.

Early production

The development of Rayman Origins began in late 2008, approximately. At this early stage, the developers drew inspiration from the contemporary platform games LittleBigPlanet and New Super Mario Bros Wii. 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. The first trailer for Rayman Origins shows Rayman being created by Betilla the Fairy, whose narration seemed to imply that the game would be a prequel with a two-player co-operative campaign that would tell the story of how Rayman and Globox matured from buffoons to heroes. However, this approach was ultimately scrapped: the final version of the game is a sequel, set after Rayman 3, and features many references to the events of the previous games made in the past tense. The titular Origins refers instead to the game's revelations regarding the origins of Rayman and several other characters, and also to the design philosophy of returning the series to its roots. The characters' sillier behaviour is not a sign of immaturity, but is intended to give the game a more light-hearted feel and help it to appeal to a wider audience.

A world composed entirely of artwork and art supplies, based on Picture City from the original game, was planned for inclusion but abandoned during the development of the game. It would have featured references to art styles such as pop art and pixel art.

Gameplay

The game features local four-player co-operative play, with the players controlling Rayman, Globox and two Teensies; however, it is still 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, the 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 that shows how many electoon challenges the players completed, such as break a single cage, collect a specific amount of Lums or beat the clock whilst the the level has been completed. In every level there are hidden cages ranging from 1 to 3.

Lums, which first appeared in Rayman 2, are once again collectible 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 and there, then they will return to a previous checkpoint, normally a Darkblocker where the player had go through before, or the last place where the player broke a cage.

Contact to any body of water do not cause instant death unlike previous Rayman games, 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, each of whom is imprisoned inside the mouth of a Darktoon. When one is encountered, the player must chase the Darktoon and free the fairy inside. Once she is free, she gives Rayman and his friends a new power.

The players will also encounter runaway Tricky Treasures, which contain skull teeth, required to access to the Land of the Livid Dead, a bonus level.

Levels

While featuring numerous original environments, Rayman Origins is the first game in the series to revisit locations explored in previous games. The game is divided into three phases. In the first phase, the player makes their way through five worlds – the Jibberish Jungle, the Desert of Dijiridoos, the Gourmand Land, the Sea of Serendipity, and Mystical Pique– in a pre-set order. Each world starts with the player giving chase to a captured nymph, which when freed results in 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: Another five new worlds become available, each linked to the previous five worlds, kepping true to the theme, and this time the player can play them in any order they want. When this phase is complete, the player may access Moody Clouds, where the second to last final boss and the game's ending await. Collecting all 10 skull teeth will unlock the third and final phase: the Land of the Livid Dead which is both a single level and a whole new world. Each world is divided into many levels; there are a total of sixty-six levels in the game.

Descriptions of the first five worlds follow:

• Jibberish Jungle – A jungle themed world where the characters unlock the power to attack. The enemies are comprised mostly of Lividstones and Darktoons. The boss is a giant, red plant.

• Desert of Dijiridoos – A music themed world where the characters unlock the ability to glide. Rayman must use gongs to create sound waves which shield him from swarms of black flying creatures which resemble locusts. This world is composed mainly on music and musical instruments, and seems to be based on Band Land, a location which has not been seen since the original game. The boss is a giant, yellow bird.

• Gourmand Land – A food world where the characters unlock the ability to shrink. While the surface of the Gourmand Land appears as an icy landscape featuring cocktail elements such as giant orange slices (which may have been inspired by the Glacier Cocktail level from Tonic Trouble), its underground part turns out to be a surreal environment made of food and cooking materials, which 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. Similar to the Organic Cave from the cancelled Rayman 4, a level takes place within the belly of a gigantic dragon, in which the players much avoid flaming walls of heartburn.

• Sea of Serendipity – A sea world where the characters unlock the ability to dive underwater. Footage shows Rayman and Globox swimming near the sea floor, surrounded by marine life. They are chased by giant eels. Above the surface of the ocean, a tribe of Globox's species lives in a village supported on stilts. The boss is a giant prawn.

• Mystical Pique – A mountain world where the characters unlock the ability to run up walls. 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. Fakirs dwell inside of caves and Rayman must rescue them from Darktoons, and swing on their beards to avoid spikes.

• Moody Clouds – A steampunk world which can only be accessed upon defeating the four kings. It is set in the sky, above the Mystical Pique, and Rayman must fight robots, as well as dodge spinning razor blades and electricity. The final boss is an airship which is fought in the Moody Clouds.

And the optional final world:

• Land of the Livid 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 undead live; the antics of the protagonists annoy the villains, setting the events of the game in motion. It is located in the undergrounds of the location of the same name visited by Rayman and Globox in Rayman 3. The Land of the Livid Dead involves jumping across falling rocks, dodging fire, carnivorous plants, and riding a skeleton, similar to the serpent flutes from the Desert of Dijiridoos. Big Mama is this level's boss. Concept art depicts graveyards, insects, zombies, a strange hotdog-like character who appears to be selling hotdogs, and numerous tentacled monsters. This world has a golden palette, and features giant skulls, bones and cobwebs.

File:Rayman Origins original sountrack.jpg

The original soundtrack of Rayman Origins

Soundtrack

The majority of the game's score was written by French composer Christophe Héral, who had previously worked with Michel Ancel and Ubisoft on the 2003 videogame Beyond Good & Evil. As a result of scheduling problems, Héral had only three months to compose the soundtrack, so another composer, Billy Martin, was hired to complete Héral's work. The score was recorded by the Star Pop Orchestra, at the Davout Studios in Paris; this may be a first for the series, as the previous games' music seems to have been mainly synthesised. The game features interactive sound design; the player characters' actions within the game create diegetic musical sounds which blend with the game's score. Rayman Origins is the first and only game in the series whose soundtrack has been officially released.

The Collector's Edition for PlayStation 3

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. The Collector's Edition is exclusively available in Europe and Australia.

Reception

Rayman Origins was released to critical acclaim. On the review aggregator Metacritic, the game has achieved scores of 88, 87 and 91 for the Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii versions respectively. On GameRankings, these same versions received scores of 88.34%, 87.85% and 92.00% respectively.

Reviewers praised Rayman Origins for its vibrant and detailed cartoon graphics, as well as its fittingly whimsical soundtrack. The gameplay was considered well-balanced, offering both an accessible experience for new players and a satisfying challenge for experienced ones. The decision to add co-operative multiplayer to the series was well-received. Criticism focused on the lack of a clear storyline in the game, and the chaotic nature of the gameplay when three or four people are playing simultaneously.

Trophies/Achievements

Main article: List of achievements in Rayman Origins

Throughout the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game, achievements are given for performing certain actions, such as rescuing each nymph, collecting so many speed trophies, etc. There are 37 achievements in total (for PlayStation 3, while in Xbox 360 it is 36), including one that is hidden. The game is the first in the Rayman series to have PS3 trophies, though the second to have Xbox 360 achievements (the first being the Xbox 360 version of Rayman Raving Rabbids). Two additional trophies were added for the PSVita version of the game, while two others were modified to suit the PSVita's features, such as tapping.

Screenshots gallery

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Artworks gallery

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External links

• Official blog
• Official Rayman Origins topic at Pirate-Community

• Rayman Origins' DEMO playthrough at YouTube (PC version)