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Intro
Globox, gaming's Curly, has once again got our surreal French hero in trouble.
Swallowing the Lord of the Dark Lums has enraged the Hoodlums and they're out
to save their leader. Hot on the heels of Globox, Rayman must find a cure for
his clumsy friend before the raving minions of the Dark Lum get to him first.
Gameplay: 6.5/10
I have
no qualm in stating that Rayman 2 is a fine example of a platformer. Rayman's
step into 3D had a solid design and it really signified the light-hearted nature
of the series. With this go-around, however, some things have changed. The Rayman
I took through some of the most difficult platforming gaming of the 16-bit and
32-bit days has gone through an 'attitude overhaul'. No longer is he the unintelligible
and charming hero, instead, he has been given the voice of someone resembling
a 30 year old man that is stuck in the last stage of puberty. To add generic sarcasm
to the mix is one of gaming's most annoying sidekicks, Murfy; if this charade
wasn't bad enough, even the teensies try their hands at lame sarcasm, is there
nothing sacred?
Aside from the horrible
choice to take the game's character into a new direction, Rayman himself has a
few new power-ups at his disposal. No longer is he just gliding around and twirling
up those severed fists in anger, he now has access to controllable rockets, door-smashing
power punches, chain-linked fists that help swing from hoops, Mickey Mouse ears
to extend gliding, and more. Despite being able to perform most of the moves without
needing power-ups before, they're crucial to Rayman's success now as they're integrated
heavily within the levels and unavoidable; while not a large problem, they do
seem more of a simple means of extending the length of a level, but they do guide
the player at times so they do have some extended use. The
level design was mediocre throughout all the themed levels. There was an annoying
tendency to have areas enclosed in tight areas and using multiple levels to make
the levels last longer, which was accomplished by constant backtracking. While
it's impressive just how many small nooks and tunnels were fit inside such small
areas, it made the game drag on for far too long. Some spots were reminiscent
of the second and brought genuine enjoyment, but most areas consisted of just
mini-puzzles that were nothing more than finding out what power-up to use to make
the random platforms accessible enough to continue onto the next section. Enemies
were also repetitive and lacked imagination, and despite there being new side
punches and the new powers to eliminate them, the joy of sending Hoodlums into
oblivion just wasn't as satisfying at should've been. There are also some awkward
sliding sequences that had Rayman sliding down beams in a gigantic tunnel filled
with lights that was both mesmerizing and migraine inducing; not even they were
fully enjoyable as the camera made it overly difficult to find which movable beam
to jump on because missed gems would take up the entire viewable area. Actually,
Rayman 3 isn't all bad. At its core, it's a serviceable platformer that's
above average, but its problems are only magnified by the pedigree of the other
titles in the franchise. One significant positive was the bonus unlockables that
included mini games of volleyball, a first-person shooter gallery, 'classic' 2D
Rayman, along with the numerous scripted cutscenes, and other extras, including
a nifty option to take photos of the action. Some moments within the levels themselves
are reminiscent of the second and have that spark of imagination and creativity
that makes the series so beloved, but there just wasn't enough of them to really
make it a must own title. Aside from Rayman Arena, I found this to be the
least enjoyable of franchise. Graphics:
7/10
Rayman 3 is overly dark for a game that was known for its vivid
colors and imaginative scenery. Blue and green are used heavily and make many
of the levels seem extremely drab. Mix in enemies, both standard and level bosses,
that are either far too often and/or unimaginative, left me uninterested in them.
The trippy sliding sequences, along with some nifty reflection effects and absolutely
stunning lighting, mix well with the more lively levels to really bring everything
up to par.
Sound: 7/10
Sound effects
are on par with previous releases, and the music follows along the same traditional
route. There are whimsical tunes mixed with overly dramatic segments to mark the
more serious moments with the only downside being the hyper-charged tunes during
the sliding sequences. Vocally, I was extremely disappointed. Rayman, as stated,
sounds like a grown man who took a shot to the junk with a waffle bat and his
friends were just as annoying; standard enemies were also weak in this department
as they constantly said the same phrases over and over. Technically, there was
nothing wrong with the voices as they were very voices were crisp and strong,
but they either didn't fit the part or were just obnoxious. It's a shame the quality
production was used on such ill matched characters. Control:
8/10
If it weren't for the finicky camera, there really wouldn't be any problems
controlling Rayman. The menus are easy to navigate, but it's odd that a game has
to be loaded and started to get to the bonuses - which ends the level currently
being played - and extras for that save file. Basic actions are also a breeze
to pull off and anyone who has played any 3D platformer will be right at home
in no time. Camera-wise, the view will be obstructed by items or locked up, the
ability to swivel it will also be hindered at times, even when a few more inches
is desperately needed - when, oh when, will it become standard to make view-obstructing
objects transparent? Overall:
6.5/10
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc is an above average platformer with
some enjoyable moments, but it just wasn't as fun as the other releases in the
series. I really disliked the change to make the game have more 'attitude' and
that move really killed the whimsical, imaginative aspects of the series, which
I felt was just as endearing as the fantastic gameplay. This is a recommended
rental since the changes might not be that big of a deal to other people, but
be warned, the level design and action definitely took a hit this time around. [
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