Topic: Rayman Origins (a.k.a. Sleeper Hit 2011)

[Mop it up]

I'm not sure, I haven't been following it. I just saw your post and decided to see if anyone were offering a deal on the game in the US.

What's the Canadian-US exchange rate like these days? I always thought things were cheaper in Canada... though it's probably been about ten years since the last time I was there. I believe back then it was something like $1.35 Canadian for every $1 US, so a $25 Canadian item was still cheaper than a $20 US item.

[ejamer]

I'm not sure, I haven't been following it. I just saw your post and decided to see if anyone were offering a deal on the game in the US.

What's the Canadian-US exchange rate like these days? I always thought things were cheaper in Canada... though it's probably been about ten years since the last time I was there. I believe back then it was something like $1.35 Canadian for every $1 US, so a $25 Canadian item was still cheaper than a $20 US item.

Exchange rates are virtually even right now - sometimes Canadian money has even been worth more than US cash over the past couple of years.

[Shaymin]

Right now (source: xe.com), a Canadian dollar is $1.00175 US.

[broodwars]

Well, I got an email last night from GS advertising Rayman Origins for $20 on all 3 systems.  $20 is what I thought the game was worth all along, so I picked it up on PS3 (no, I didn't get the Wii version.  Why would I?).  I'm going to be making my way through the Jak & Daxter Collection first, so it might be a while before I feel in the mood to play more than the occasional level.  Still, I thought I'd let this game's defenders know that Rayman did at least see a New sale from me.

On a sidenote, interestingly Ubisoft recently announced that they did turn a profit on this game.  I'm not sure how they did and I'm sure it was a very small one, but it's good to see that the game didn't get completely buried.

[NWR_insanolord]

I may be crazy, but I'd rather pay $40 to have it on the 3DS than $20 to have it on a console.

[Luigi Dude]

On a sidenote, interestingly Ubisoft recently announced that they did turn a profit on this game.  I'm not sure how they did and I'm sure it was a very small one, but it's good to see that the game didn't get completely buried.

Considering the game was originally going to be a XBL/PSN downloadable, the budget for this game was probably pretty small.  Even when they decided to make it a retail game, I doubt Ubisoft allowed the budget to increase too much.

[Kairon]

I just caved and ordered this from GameStop along with ghost Recon: Shadow Wars for my 3DS. God the internet is bad for my budget.

[broodwars]

My best friend is over today, so I decided to break out Rayman and try out the multiplayer.  We got through the first world, and it was a fair bit of fun.  We didn't get all the Electoons, but we did get most of them.  One thing's for sure, though: while playing with another player is fun, like NSMBW the chaos is just too much to want to do long-term and it makes platforming harder.  At least the other players are limited to merely slapping you instead of being able to collide with each other & interfere in each other's platforming like in NSMBW.

[broodwars]

I've cleared World 2 now, and I've gone back and acquired all the Electoons from World 1 (including the Speed Trials).  I've also gotten all the Electoons from World 2 except the Speed Trial ones (which I've only gotten on the Crazy Bouncing stage).  I also have the first two Teeth, and I have to say it's been frustrating chasing these treasure boxes when they can run up walls and I can't yet.  It's made a few of the chases pretty hairy, with me barely managing to outrun the edge of the screen.

I liked World 2 a lot more than I did World 1, with its emphasis on music and musical instruments.  Overall, I'm definitely warming up to the game and its charm.  I will say this, though: after the sheer carpal tunnel hell that was getting the Speed Trial Trophy for Crazy Bouncing, I'm seriously starting to contemplate telling this game's Platinum to go to hell.  That stage's Speed Trial was insane.  Unlike the World 1 trials, that stage gives you exactly the amount of time you need if you do an absolutely perfect run and no more than that.  I must have spent more than an hour on that stage's Speed Trial alone.  Sheesh.

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

Yeah, I remember that Speed Trial being a real pain. There's plenty more where that came from, by the way, and I don't think Crazy Bouncing is the trickiest you'll come across. Either way, glad you're enjoying the game. World 3 was where it really started to sink its hooks into me - there's so much whimsy to the theme.

[ejamer]

I just caved and ordered this from GameStop along with ghost Recon: Shadow Wars for my 3DS. God the internet is bad for my budget.

You won't regret it. Both good games, although I was hoping for something more from Shadow Wars.


How come they can't do a real X-Com port/ripoff on a console/portable system yet?  Just upgrade the graphics and keep gameplay the same, and it would be better than 95% of the SRPGs released.

[broodwars]

How come they can't do a real X-Com port/ripoff on a console/portable system yet?

You know they're making an X-Com strategy game, right?  And that it's actually releasing before the FPS reboot/"revival"?

Besides, why merely port the mechanics of a decades-old strategy title?  You'd be better off ripping off Valkyria Chronicles, which to me is the definitive way that tactical strategy games should play in the modern era.

[NWR_insanolord]

I just caved and ordered this from GameStop along with ghost Recon: Shadow Wars for my 3DS. God the internet is bad for my budget.

You won't regret it. Both good games, although I was hoping for something more from Shadow Wars.


How come they can't do a real X-Com port/ripoff on a console/portable system yet?  Just upgrade the graphics and keep gameplay the same, and it would be better than 95% of the SRPGs released.

Did you play Rebelstar: Tactical Command on GBA? It had its flaws, but I really enjoyed it, and it was a full-on X-COM ripoff.

[Kairon]

I just caved and ordered this from GameStop along with ghost Recon: Shadow Wars for my 3DS. God the internet is bad for my budget.

You won't regret it. Both good games, although I was hoping for something more from Shadow Wars.


How come they can't do a real X-Com port/ripoff on a console/portable system yet?  Just upgrade the graphics and keep gameplay the same, and it would be better than 95% of the SRPGs released.

Did you play Rebelstar: Tactical Command on GBA? It had its flaws, but I really enjoyed it, and it was a full-on X-COM ripoff.

I actually have a shrink-wrapped copy of that in my probably-never-to-be-played backlog...

[Caliban]

How come they can't do a real X-Com port/ripoff on a console/portable system yet?

You know they're making an X-Com strategy game, right?  And that it's actually releasing before the FPS reboot/"revival"?

The XCOM strategy game is called XCOM: Enemy Unknown, but there's a PC clone being made: http://www.xenonauts.com/

[ejamer]

You know they're making an X-Com strategy game, right?  And that it's actually releasing before the FPS reboot/"revival"?

Besides, why merely port the mechanics of a decades-old strategy title?  You'd be better off ripping off Valkyria Chronicles, which to me is the definitive way that tactical strategy games should play in the modern era.

I didn't know a strategy game was coming, but will retain doubts that it's a true successor until proven otherwise. (There have been dozens of games claiming to be the next X-Com and none have pulled through. Not even the myriad X-Com sequels.)


Valkyria Chronicles is a fine game. Full respect to it. But it's not X-Com, and provides a very different type of overall experience.

Did you play Rebelstar: Tactical Command on GBA? It had its flaws, but I really enjoyed it, and it was a full-on X-COM ripoff.

Owned it, played it, beat it.  Fun game... but nowhere near X-Com. Like many other modern tactical games, the levels are all preset and predetermined instead of having key elements generated randomly, you don't have base-building or any real strategy to pursue, there are no meaningful research trees or resource management, etc etc.


Rebelstar gave me the same feeling as Ghost Recon: solid game, worth playing... but ultimately kind of empty and with limited replay value.


X-Com Terror from the Deep, on the other hand, provided one of my proudest gaming moments when I finally walked into the final room and took out the ultimate alien threat.

[NWR_insanolord]

The new X-Com strategy game is being made by Firaxis, who know a little something about strategy games, so it should be interesting to see what comes of that.

[broodwars]

I'm now near the end of World 5 (the mountain world), and things have been pretty hairy but manageable.  I haven't tried to get anymore Speed Trophies since getting all the ones in World 2, but I have gotten all the Skull Teeth so far (and that's certainly been challenging).  I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed the swimming levels, a level type I've only ever previously enjoyed in the Donkey Kong Country games.  I've taken a small break from the game to play Jak 2 HD, as Rayman can get incredibly stressful to play at times and I need a break.  Unfortunately, Jak 2 is an incredibly ****ty game, so I'll probably be back playing this soon.

[lolmonade]

Just picked this up for $15 from Gamestop.  This game is delightful!  Very nice animation style, and lots of humor.
 
When it released, I was a bit burned out on 2D platformers, but am glad I waited considering the drastic plummet in price it took since then.

[NWR_insanolord]

I don't understand how someone could be burned out on 2D platformers. That's like being burned out on oxygen to me.

[lolmonade]

I don't understand how someone could be burned out on 2D platformers. That's like being burned out on oxygen to me.

It's a rare occurence with me, but it happens.  This game and Cave Story are ones i'm just starting to delve into (I've owned cave story since the last humble indie bundle but haven't gotten around to playing it).