|
Rayman 2 Revolution :TeenzSpot.com Score
|
|
|
 |
Difficulty:
Medium
Learning Curve:
Approx. half-hour
Platform:
PlayStation 2
|
Publisher: Ubi Soft
Requirements: PlayStation 2
Similar To: Rayman 2 : The Great Escape
Genre: Action
ESRB: E - Everyone
 In
late 1999, Rayman 2: The Great Escape hit the PC and console markets,
bringing clever design, varied gameplay, and some of the freshest
ideas seen in a 3D platformer. The game was not only one of the
best of its genre, but it was also one of the best of that year,
and through its subsequent release on every console conceivable,
it was one of the best of 2000 as well. A year, some change, and
a new console mark the return of the faux-French limbless protagonist
in Rayman 2 Revolution. It would seem reasonable to think that old
software being rehashed, again, on a new system simply wouldn't
be able to compete with the hottest new games coming out for the
hottest new console--this would likely be the case, were it nearly
any game but Rayman.
Rayman 2 Revolution could just as easily have been titled Rayman
2 Remix, as that just about sums up any disparity between Revolution
and The Great Escape. The story is the same: The evil Admiral Razorbeard
and his army of robotic brigands have taken over the planet, enslaving
all of its inhabitants and leaving Rayman to scour the earth, collect
the scattered pieces of the  Primordial
Core, summon the powerful Polokus, and rid the world of the dastardly
robo-pirates. The levels are primarily the same, though their order
is modified slightly, and a few new but less than noteworthy stages
are thrown into the mix as well. The simple level-selection menu
has been scrapped in favor of a handful of overworlds used to access
the different levels. The introduction of the overworlds seems to
be an attempt to create a more cohesive world for Rayman, though
some may find them cumbersome and unnecessary, as they're only slightly
more functional than the original selection method, and they may
prove to be confusing and difficult to navigate. There are other,
more negligible differences between the two, but at its core, Revolution
is still Rayman 2.
One of the most admirable traits of Revolution is its simple, effective
control scheme and the array of situations in which it is implemented.
For the most part, the game is a 3D platformer, with plenty of lever
pulling, simple puzzle  solving,
platform jumping, and item collecting, but it doesn't stop there.
Just to keep you on your toes, you'll occasionally find yourself
riding a two-legged rocket as if it were an untamed stallion, clutching
onto a lit keg of gunpowder as it flies through the air, and waterskiing
through a murky swamp behind a hyperkinetic snake. What's more impressive
than these novel gameplay variations is the versatility of the controls.
Using the analog stick, a lock-on trigger, an attack button, and
a jump button, you can easily make Rayman strafe around enemies,
shimmy up narrow spaces, use his ears/hair to fly, and more.
|
