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

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

In another impulsive move that's really not helping my work situation, I took advantage of Amazon's deal on the Wii version of Rayman Origins. Couldn't help it. It's had an overwhelmingly positive reception, which makes the fact that it's gone so far under the radar even more sad.

Between writing a presentation and playing Skyward Sword, I haven't been able to play much of it - still in the first main area, learning the basics, finding it not particularly taxing so far, which is understandable. This jungle world hasn't shown off a whole lot of the apparently lovely art design just yet, but I could tell very quickly that this game has a very kooky style all to its own.

Anybody else looking to pick this up? As crazy as it may sound, Rayman Origins could be one of the real bright spots for this holiday of releases.

[Ceric]

I'm eyeing it for one day down the road.  Right now just has to many games that I've gotten.

[Gamejunkie]

I've picked it up for the PS3 mainly because I also wanted the surround sound. I realise it's not as important in a game like this but it's nice to have. I generally leave my Wii for the exclusive games. That said I've not got around to play it yet although I did have a go on it back in August at Gamescom.

[NWR_insanolord]

I'm waiting for the 3DS version which isn't coming until next year.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I almost bought it for $29.99 on Amazon, but between SSFIV. SM3DL, Lego HP 1-4 & 5-7 and Zelda SS, I've spent far too much on games at the moment and I'm only budgeting for MK7 right now because I want the SYW $15 credit for 1st week purchase (I can still get that right? it's not too late?).

[Mop it up]

This game wasn't even on my radar until all the positive impressions started coming out, so I have other games higher on my list. But I hope to get it at some point.

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

Played some more. I can't believe nobody is talking about this game. Rayman Origins enters the elite class of games that's worth playing just for its style. Video games have done hand-drawn visuals and animation before, but most don't move this quickly. Meanwhile, the music draws upon instruments and genres rarely heard in this medium - mouth harp, anyone?

Not to say the level design isn't great as well. Where I am (world 3, which is cuisine-themed), the difficulty is starting to step up, but the most important thing is that they are paced very well. Rayman feels fast and acrobatic, and as a result, you traverse the stages with a great sense of inertia. Also, there are a lot side challenges to pursue - I just did my first Treasure Chest run, which played out at a blistering speed. Apparently, completing these unlocks a secret world.

[Retro Deckades]

I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying the game, KMJ, and I'm enjoying reading your impressions. This is a game that I've been on the fence about. I love a good platformer, and in my opinion, there is no shortage of great ones on the Wii. So I'm wondering which other Wii platformers you prefer (NSMB Wii, DKCR, Wario Land: Shake It!, A Boy and His Blob, Lost In Shadow/A Shadow's Tale, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Kirby's Return to Dreamland, etc.) and where you'd rank Rayman Origins?

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying the game, KMJ, and I'm enjoying reading your impressions. This is a game that I've been on the fence about. I love a good platformer, and in my opinion, there is no shortage of great ones on the Wii. So I'm wondering which other Wii platformers you prefer (NSMB Wii, DKCR, Wario Land: Shake It!, A Boy and His Blob, Lost In Shadow/A Shadow's Tale, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Kirby's Return to Dreamland, etc.) and where you'd rank Rayman Origins?

Ooh, good question. Apart from Kirby's Return to Dreamland, I've played all the ones you've listed there. Most of those are slower-paced platformers, and in the case of A Boy & His Blob and A Shadow's Tale, they're kind of more about their respective puzzle mechanics than their platforming. Of the slower games, Wario Land is my favourite, but overall, I most prefer Donkey Kong Country Returns. In my opinion, that's got the most dynamic stages and moves forward with the most urgency, whether you're on a minecart, rocket barrel or being chased by spiders.

If you enjoy those qualities of DKCR, like the way pieces of the stage tilt or crumble and you can't stop moving, I think Rayman Origins is right up your alley. You don't always have to play levels with haste, but in both these games, a Time Trial opens up on each stage after you've cleared them once, and you can earned extra medals/trophies if you beat the time limit. In many ways, the placement of platforms and enemies makes it feel like all the levels were designed with the Time Trial in mind.

To answer your question, I would rank Rayman Origins pretty damn high based on my experience up to now, although final judgement will wait until I've finished the game and played all the secret levels and challenges.

Now I leave you with a link to one of this game's early songs. If you know another game with music like this, you tell me ASAP. This makes me want to learn to play the mouth harp.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3wLm_aT85s&feature=related

[Ceric]

I think this game just had a bad launch date.  It needs to contend with Kirby, SM3DL, and a little bit Skylanders for who will be interested in a game like this.  Last year this game sounds like it be the talk everywhere.

[broodwars]

I think this game just had a bad launch date.  It needs to contend with Kirby, SM3DL, and a little bit Skylanders for who will be interested in a game like this.  Last year this game sounds like it be the talk everywhere.

It wouldn't have fared any better being released against Donkey Kong Country Returns and Kirby's Epic Yarn, two AAA Nintendo games that are actually in its genre.  Honestly, it was a big mistake for Ubisoft to expand this out into a full retail title.  This game started as a downloadable title, and there it should have remained.  A $15 price tag and 4-5 hours content w/ DLC levels would have probably sold much better.

I tried out the PS3 demo a while back, and the demo just didn't sell me on the game.  The physics just felt "off" for lack of a better term.  It felt a little too tricky to jump and land on small platforms with precision, which is a necessity for a 2D platformer.  I'll probably give the game a shot later on down the line, but I really didn't get a "MUST BUY!" feel from either the demo or Giant Bomb's Quick Look of the game.

[Ceric]

I think this game just had a bad launch date.  It needs to contend with Kirby, SM3DL, and a little bit Skylanders for who will be interested in a game like this.  Last year this game sounds like it be the talk everywhere.

It wouldn't have fared any better being released against Donkey Kong Country Returns and Kirby's Epic Yarn, two AAA Nintendo games that are actually in its genre. 
...

I didn't think you could play DKC and Epic Yarn like NSMBWii.

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

Had a chance to play co-op for a little while. My friend was having difficulty keeping up, but like NSMB Wii, as long as there is still one person alive, everybody will 'bubble-ise' upon death and follow you through the air until you pop them. Interaction between players seems to be limited to melee attacks, which means that if there's any antagonism towards someone, you can know for sure that it was deliberate.

As for the controls, they might take a little getting used to, but I didn't find the acclamation period particularly long. The opening world is straightforward enough that you ought to have the hang of it by then.

Unfortunately, it does seem to be true that there's a negative stigma towards 2D platformers at retail. How sad that people have relegated them in their minds to the download space - there's no reason that should be the case. If it's content they are worried about, Rayman Origins has plenty to offer, as every single level has five Electoons, and there are numerous Treasure Chest Runs that ultimately unlock a hidden world.

[ejamer]

...  Honestly, it was a big mistake for Ubisoft to expand this out into a full retail title.  This game started as a downloadable title, and there it should have remained.  A $15 price tag and 4-5 hours content w/ DLC levels would have probably sold much better.


...

I agree with Killer_Man_Jaro - stating that this game should have been limited to a downloadable title is a total BS opinion that is made even worse when you admit that you haven't tried the game.


WarioLand: Shake It! suffered from the same foolish stigma, and was further punished because the base game was easy if you didn't try to unlock and uncover the many hidden secrets. Like that game, Rayman Origins will surely become a cult favorite among gamers who look past silly assumptions of what a game "should" provide to deserve a retail release.

[broodwars]

...  Honestly, it was a big mistake for Ubisoft to expand this out into a full retail title.  This game started as a downloadable title, and there it should have remained.  A $15 price tag and 4-5 hours content w/ DLC levels would have probably sold much better.


...

I agree with Killer_Man_Jaro - stating that this game should have been limited to a downloadable title is a total BS opinion that is made even worse when you admit that you haven't tried the game.

OK, as the old saying goes, "Reading is FUNdamental!"  If you had actually read the rest of the quote you clipped out, you'd have seen that I said I played the PS3 demo and was rather indifferent on it.  Of course, it's blatantly obvious you didn't actually read the part you did quote, because if you had you would have noticed that I was talking about the sales potential in a crowded market, not my own views on whether 2D platformers belong at retail.  You.  Fail.

This game was released at just about the worst time of the Fall schedule it could have been: right in the midst of much better-known and much-better selling titles: Skyward Sword, Skyrim, Uncharted 3, Modern Warfare 3, etc.  At $15 in the download space, gamers at this time of the year would be more likely to buy this game.  That's what Atlus is doing right now with Trine 2, which comes out in a few weeks.  Instead, Ubisoft decided to throw this title out to die as a full retail title in the midst of a swarm of games much more likely to sell this time of year.

[ejamer]

Nope, pretty sure that I pass. "Tried out a demo" doesn't equal "played the game" in my books, and the rest of your points (in both posts) supporting why this game should be limited to a downloadable release with pay-to-download DLC level packs are a jumbled mess of nearly-inconsequential comparisons.


Luckily, I'm also pretty sure that you aren't worth arguing with, so if you want to say I can't read that's fine. Wave that e-Dick and be proud.



Rayman Origins deserves more attention than it's receiving because it's a tremendous game - more beautiful and creative and interesting than most platformers this generation. Anyone who enjoys the genre should give it a chance, especially if you enjoy multiplayer action similar to what is in New Super Mario Bros Wii or the recent Kirby game. But hey, that's just one opinion.

[broodwars]

Nope, pretty sure that I pass. "Tried out a demo" doesn't equal "played the game" in my books

Ah, you've changed your statement.  Nice.  Here's what you actually said in case you forgot.

stating that this game should have been limited to a downloadable title is a total BS opinion that is made even worse when you admit that you haven't tried the game.

I did "try" the game.  I played the demo, a representative trial product for the real game, and I did not find it very engaging (though visually pleasing).  In theory, you put out a demo to try to excite someone to play the full retail title.  If the title fails so badly with its demo, it's fair game to write off the game until it is more monetarily pleasing.  I'm not going to pay full price to buy a game I was rather lukewarm on in the demos.  Maybe when Nintendo actually starts putting demos for retail titles on its download services, you'll understand that yourself.

And Rayman is at best a B-list character who hasn't had a big game that's not a port or a Rabbids game since the Dreamcast era.  Ubisoft was incredibly stupid to think they could release a new title in that franchise at full priced retail in the midst of one of the most crowded Fall retail seasons I've ever seen.  The download services excel at allowing these smaller titles to find an audience, and Rayman Origins originally was one.  Ubisoft decided to get greedy and chase the retail dream, and now I'm sure I'll find this game for $20 in January after it sells 50,000 copies across all platforms.

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

If we may keep this thread civil...

Broodwars, does the demo use levels from the jungle environment? If so, I could see how it might not grab you immediately, as Rayman's full ability set is not available from the get-go and the first world is quite easygoing. As with almost all modern videogames, the tutorial phase probably eases you in a bit too slowly, but trust me, it's worth it because soon after, the difficulty curve hits its stride and you'll start to appreciate the flow of the levels. Plus, you ain't seen nothing from the visuals yet. This game's presentation is goooood.

[broodwars]

Broodwars, does the demo use levels from the jungle environment? If so, I could see how it might not grab you immediately, as Rayman's full ability set is not available from the get-go and the first world is quite easygoing. As with almost all modern videogames, the tutorial phase probably eases you in a bit too slowly, but trust me, it's worth it because soon after, the difficulty curve hits its stride and you'll start to appreciate the flow of the levels. Plus, you ain't seen nothing from the visuals yet. This game's presentation is goooood.

Yeah, the demo does take place in the jungle stage.  I'm sure I'll check out the game somewhere down the line, but right now I have a very nasty Q1 2012 (Final Fantasy XIII-2, Mass Effect 3, Bioshock Infinite, Tales of Graces F) looking at me that I have to save money for.  I just don't have the money for a $50-$60 retail game I really wasn't sold on with the demo.

[Ymeegod]

Haven't gotten around to playing the game myself, the copy I purchased was for my nephew so I'll get it when he's done :0.  I see what brood means by poor release date==to many many hitters are released in the fall and there's always games that get left on shelves that SHOULD have sold.  Rayman's avg on 9.0 and yet it's sales are pretty damn sad--60K on the PS3 or Xbox 360 and less on the WII?  Platformers games just isn't selling this year--Blob 2 and the new Kirby game had lower than expected sales as well.

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

I thought I'd bring this back up, in part to remind people to play this game (if you are on this forum, chances are you like platformers and this is a real goody), but also because I wanted to mention that I have finished the game and since found The Land of the Livid Dead. This is the super-secret world that's opened by beating all of the fiendish treasure chest chase missions.

Let there be no mistake: at the start of this game, it's a little bit of a slow burn, perhaps because it somewhat unnecessarily rolled out Rayman's moves gradually. Trust me though: soon enough, you're sprinting full pelt, jumping with split second timing through small gaps as the ceiling falls and the spikes jut from the floor. At times, Rayman Origins is brutally difficult, but in that immensely satisfying way, like DKC Returns or Super Meat Boy.

I'll also add that this probably wins my personal Best Soundtrack of 2011 award. It's not really even a contest. Games that use extraordinary styles of music to great effect get top marks in my book and very few do it quite as much or as well as this game. If this selection of music doesn't make you want to play Rayman Origins, then I give up and conjecture that you hate fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOt5-2voCuE&feature=related - My acquisition of a mouth harp was primarily spurred on by World 1 of this game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPwgcAWCYVc&feature=related - A sweeping score made quite comical by a kazoo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPsRYB_wN4g&feature=related - How about some ballroom jazz?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gJ6rLVyW10&feature=related - Or some Latino jazz with some very amusing voice samples?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV0MJ4NfW1E&feature=related - I wouldn't have thought a predominantly vocal track with total jibberish for lyrics would be especially catchy, yet what do you know, it totally works!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVgRBzEX7qU&feature=related - This is a short interlude, heard often, that makes me crack a smile every time it plays.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEQqH5jGz8k&feature=related - Banjo + orchestra = awesome chase music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwZphYfrGcU&feature=related - And because I can't get enough of guitar or strange chanting or jazzy trumpets, here's one more song.

Oh, Ubisoft... if you'd only released this some other time. It was one of the busiest Novembers of all time; if you want your game to be noticed, that is not the place to put it. I don't have a problem with it being a retail game, as it's easily got the chops in that regard.

[Mr.Nintendofanatico]

i'M WITH YOU MY FRIEND, RAYMAN IS A VERY GOOD PLATFORMER. I HAD THE GOOD LUCK OF GETTING IT FOR 29.99 NEW AT GAMESTOP LAST WEEK.

[ejamer]

Price drop alert. Now one of the best platforming games in years is available for $20 on Wii ($30 on other platforms) at all Canadian Gamestops.  If you like the genre, this game deserves your attention.

[Mop it up]

For the US, it's $20 at Toys R Us for all systems, with free shipping if you buy it online.

[ejamer]

For the US, it's $20 at Toys R Us for all systems, with free shipping if you buy it online.

And it's been that way for a while, hasn't it?  The US pretty much always has better - often much better - deals than Canada.  I've imported games a couple times, paying extra shipping and duty, and still ended up getting games for less than they cost here. C'est la vie!