Friday 15 June 2012

Rayman Raving Rabbids (DS) Review

Released in 2006, RRR was the long awaited sequel to Rayman 3. But instead of getting an amazing platforming experience that would have revolutionized gaming, we got a bunch of fun mini-games. This is the DS version however, and it's probably the best version of the three released.

Story-2/10- The story does not make sense at all. Apparently the Rabbids are invading Earth and destroying it's various landmarks, eventually they kidnap Rayman and force him to win trophies for his freedom. None of the invading Earth stuff is mentioned again by the way, not even in the ending.



Graphics-6/10- The graphics are actually pretty good for a circa 2006 DS game. Each of the games 11 levels have different backgrounds and things going on, such as one being in a ruined temple, and another in a dark forest. There is actually a good amount of enemy variation too, with various Rabbids using different means to harm you, like throwing asparagus bombs (?) at you. For some odd reason Rayman has his Rayman 2 model this time around.

Gameplay-9/10- Unlike the console version, this game is a straight up platformer, with most of Rayman's charm in there. You can throw your fist, use your hair as a helicopter, collect Lums, all those nice things. But Rayman does have a new trick up his non-existent sleeve, he can use the Lums he collects as ammo that do twice as much damage as the fist.

The 11 levels are split up into 2 or 3 "pathways" that you first have to find. Each path has a hidden "Lum Bag" which increase the amount of Lums you can carry by either 10 or 20. Another interesting feature is your health, which you can level up by beating enemies and collecting the stars they drop. Rayman can also gain special powers by collecting presents, which grant him the elemental abilities, the climbing ability, the swimming ability, and the grapnel ability, all which allow you to access new paths.

Then there are the various game-play modes, the first being the regular platforming levels. In these Rayman has to fight enemies and solve puzzles using his four new elemental abilities. The earth costume (A granny outfit) allows you to spawn a rock that you can push and use as a platform. The fire element (A goth costume) spawns a bomb which Rayman can throw at gates. The air element (A disco dancer get up) spawns clouds in certain areas which you can use as platforms. The ice element (An Elvis costume) allows Rayman to freeze certain objects.

The second game-play mode is the stylus mode. Before you start, you play stylus based mini-games that range from easy to oh-god-why hard. When you beat that you enter a mode where Rayman is chased by a Rabbid piloted UFO that zaps you when it catches up to you. Like the platforming mode you can use the elemental costumes, which do different things. Earth moves and breaks green colored objects, fire cuts chains and burns enemies, air activates bridges and platforms, and ice freezes water so you can walk across.This is also where all the trophies can be found, which you collect by going specific ways.

The third, and the worst, is the Raymangear stages, which there are only 4 of. It plays almost like a classic shooter, but worse. The flying hunk of metal has several things it can do, like fire it's guns at enemies, fire missiles at enemies in the background, and fire a grappling hook to latch onto things.

Overall-8/10- Honestly, while it isn't the most "Rayman" of the three versions, it is the most fun of them. If it wasn't for the Raymangear levels, and the RIDICULOUSLY hard final boss, I would have given this a solid 9/10. Well, that and the fact that I'm still pissed that Rayman 4 didn't come out.

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