RAYMAN 2 NEWS | ||||||||||||||||||
| THE GAME | ||||||||||||||||||
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Despite hands, feet and a head with no visible means of support, Rayman racked up an astounding 4 million in sales in his earlier incarnation as a PC hero. At long last, the big-nosed one makes his debut on the N64, and our only question is: What took you so long? Getting everything right, that's what. Milking the N64's graphics and control capabilities for all their worth, Rayman 2 propels players through landscapes as stunning as they are fantastic. Excellent animations and a gallery of truly memorable characters peg this Rayman 2 as one winsome Pak. | |||||||||||||||||
| THE WORLDS | ||||||||||||||||||
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Just the names of Rayman's worlds ? The Fairy Glade, The Marshes of Awakening, The Echoing Caverns ? inform that you're far from the latest Quake II clone. Despite the nominal threat of Razorbeard and his fellow swabbies, Rayman's planet is a lovingly envisioned place, where gossamer waterfalls tumble to azure pools, purple mushrooms bob gently in the breeze and friendly butterflies whirl about Rayman like guardian fairies. big/ice4_v12.jpgbig/ice4_v12.jpg Placing Magic Spheres on color-coordinated pedestals is typical of the game's simple puzzles Developer Ubi Soft deserves high credit for the exquisitely realized landscapes. High polygon counts and gorgeous texture maps give the scenery an exceptionally lifelike feel, especially when using the Expansion Pak option. There are plenty of droll touches, too, like the paisley-shaped vines that Rayman can climb, the snoring pirate guards, and the tunnels that look like they've been wallpapered with the stage costumes of The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. big/fairy4_v.jpg big/fairy4_v.jpgAlthough the idea of an armless, legless, neckless hero sounds silly, it works admirably on screen. Rayman moves with an athlete's grace. In contrast, the fully limbed enemies move with the herky-jerky motions of the robots they are. Plenty of entertaining cinema-scenes move the story along smartly. The simple yet sprightly music neatly complements the game's cheerful spirit, as do Rayman's unintelligible squeaks and squeals. However, most of the gabby advice from counselor Murfy is fairly obvious. | |||||||||||||||||
| THE PIRATES | ||||||||||||||||||
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In the grand tradition of video games, Rayman must free his planet from the clutches of sinister conquerors ? in this case, robotic pirates who circle the planet in the slave ship Buccaneer. As the action begins, the R-man is moping in his cell when a new prisoner arrives: his old pal, Globox. Fortunately for the good guys, the dim-witted guards decide to cage them together. Bearing more than a passing resemblance in looks and I.Q. to Cookie Monster, Globox comes bearing a Silver Lum from a big-headed fairy named Ly. The gift restores Rayman's Magic Fist, allowing him to blast clear of the ship and plummet to The Woods of Light on the planet surface below. | |||||||||||||||||
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