Continuing my ramped discussion on various video game titles over the month of December, I turn my direction to Rayman Origins. A title which came out in November this year which has been overlooked by many gamers, with its depressing sales is this a game which deserves what it gets, or is it a title with unimagined beauty.

The title was once to be a download game, with the developer expecting to produce the game in downloadable chapter instalments. Over the years the game got further delayed and it ended up been combined into one super game and released much later than expected.

The sales for the title showed that gamers don't want this game. I believe that there are much more stronger factors at play with why it didn't perform as well as expected or what it should have. However keeping it in consideration I do see reasons in this day and age why a 2D platformer would be overlooked by many gamers, and it could quite possibly have been a bad choice in design to have created such a title. However this isn't to say that it is a bad thing it existed, the game was the first to be developed on a brand new engine Ubisoft have created, which brings amazing 2D art to games. It would be disappointing and a bad choice for Ubisoft if this engine never gets used again.

Rayman Origins overall plays like any other 2D platformer, if you think Mario then you pretty much have this game to a T almost. There are a few design choices and design changes which overall make it a fresh experience. The levels are amazingly detailed and jammed packed with various imaginative designs which you wouldn't expect on a Mario title or even simular designed titles such as Wario Shake It, or A Boy and His Blob.

As for the soundtrack I've heard good things about the composer, however I didn't really look into it too much. As for my person opinions regarding the soundtrack, I feel at times it can be forgotten and you will be more immersed in the title then the soundtrack. However when the music is noticeable it is one quality composted soundtrack and shouldn't be held against the title.

The story is a bit of an issue, because how the game is set up Rayman and his pals are on a tree just snoring their heads off. Apparently that is enough for the people who live under the tree to declare all out war on Rayman and his buddies. I didn't really get the point as to why I'm going out to fight these buddies, but anything introduced story wise only enhanced the basic premises behind the game, and overall the story is over shadowed by the platforming. Which in this style of game isn't really a bad thing.

So we have established this game is quite good graphics, sound and story wise. In fact besides my nit picking I don't think I've raised a proper issue with this title which would make it so overlooked by many. What I'm trying to say is if you own any console which this appears on (Wii, Xbox and PS3) then there shouldn't be a reason why you don't own this title.

Posted in Games by Trent Petronaitis on December 23, 2011 with 0 Comments and 0 Reactions

Trent Petronaitis

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