Rayman 2: The Great Escape

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Rayman 2: The Great Escape

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Release Date: March 22, 2000
Genre: Action
Style: 3D Platform
Similar Games: Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64), Earthworm Jim 3D (Nintendo 64), Sonic Adventure (Dreamcast), Donkey Kong 64 (Nintendo 64), Donkey Kong 64 (Nintendo 64), Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64), Earthworm Jim 3D (IBM PC Compatible), Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64), Donkey Kong 64 (Nintendo 64)

Game Description

Our zany, disconnected hero, Rayman, is back. This time on the Sega Dreamcast and in an all new, fully 3D adventure. Evil Robo-Pirates from deep in space have invaded Rayman's world and are enslaving all of its inhabitants. Rayman and his friend Globox travel to the Great Forest where a large army of pirates is waiting and engage in a fierce battle with them.

Rayman, using his powerful energy spheres, destroys many of the metal monstrosities while Globox creates small rainstorms over their heads in order to rust them. In the middle of the fierce battle, Rayman is distracted by a vision. Appearing in his mind, Ly -- Rayman's magical fairy friend -- tells him that the pirates have broken the heart of the world and have scattered its energy into a thousand pieces.

Rayman is caught off guard by the terrible news and is captured by one of the gigantic robots. As he tries to create an energy sphere, Rayman realizes that his powers are gone. The destruction of the Primordial Core has left him powerless. While Globox escapes, Rayman is taken and held prisoner by the pirate's leader -- Razorbeard. Now Rayman must find a way to escape from the dreaded pirate ship and save his world from being conquered by the evil Robo-Pirates.

In Rayman 2: The Great Escape, you must guide Rayman across 54 levels and 21 worlds in order to reassemble the shattered Primordial Core and unite the Four Masks that will awaken Polukus -- The mighty spirit who can help save Rayman's world. To help Rayman succeed, you must use all of his abilities, which includes: jumping, shooting energy spheres, swimming, and activating Rayman's helicopter skill. You must also help Rayman face special events such as flying rockets, riding whirlwinds, and surfing lava flows.

Rayman 2: The Great Escape for the Sega Dreamcast features exclusive bonus levels, Internet downloads, and a brand new multi-player game. It is a 1-4-player game and is VMU and Jump Pack compatible. Rayman's world is in grave danger. Help him escape from the evil pirate's ship and reunite the shattered Core. Without you and Rayman all hope is lost.

~ Damien Thorpe, All Game Guide

Roots & Influences

Rayman first appeared in 1995 on the PlayStation, Saturn, and Jaguar game consoles. Rayman 2: The Great Escape takes Rayman out his original 2D platform and places him into a 3D environment. Rayman 2: The Great Escape resembles Super Mario 64 and Earthworm Jim 3D in its presentation.

~ Damien Thorpe, All Game Guide

Review: Overall

Prior to the demise of the Jaguar, a game called Rayman was created by Ubisoft. The star of the show was a limbless creature of the same name. It combined the fun of the old-school platformer with an insanely high difficulty level. As a result, the game was a hit, although it never reached a huge amount of commercial success.

With the release of Rayman 2, the fortunes of the lovable mascot shot into the stratosphere. The premise of Rayman 2 is a mirror of the classic 3D game for the N64. The world is in danger, and the hero needs to collect an enormous number of quirky items to stop the encroaching evil. Upon releasing for the Nintendo 64, the game was heralded by the press as the pinnacle of the 3D platforming genre. A subsequent PC game was also met with a tidal wave of favorable reviews. With the DC version, the Sega loyalists can finally experience the beauty of the Rayman world.

In terms of the graphics, the DC version is a gift from the gaming gods. Throughout the adventure, the surrounding scenery will take your breath away. The amazing game engine makes watching a swarm of butterflies a serene experience. The varied environments are lush and vivid, with an almost impossible amount of detail squeezed into each level. The characters are also lovingly crafted from a huge amount of polygons. In addition, the lighting of the game is gorgeous. Simply charging the fireball attack is pleasing to the eye. Furthermore, the game runs at a smooth framerate, without a hint of slowdown to hinder the experience. In every way, the visual aspect of the game is sublime.

The sound is not quite up to par with the graphical quality. The songs that are in the game are reasonably catchy. Unfortunately, there is a slight lack of tunes. A few more tracks would have done the trick. Regardless, the sound effects are excellent. I get a lot of enjoyment out of hearing a crazy crew of inhuman characters speaking gibberish. It is also important to note the presence of Surround Sound in the game. It's a nice little touch which helps to blunt the recycled game music.

Still, Rayman 2 is not simply gentle to the senses. The game is also a lot of fun. In constructing the gameplay, Ubisoft actually managed to throw in a few innovative ideas. One level has the player riding a plum across a sea of lava. In order to control the movements of the floating fruit, Rayman has to shoot in the opposite direction. The result is a harrowing trip down a boiling river of molten rock. Thrown in a whole lot of old school item gathering and you have an extremely fun game.

In addition, the controls are a lesson in simplicity. The need to memorize a hundred different powers is not a part of Rayman 2. If a multiplicity of moves is your thing, the Rare platformers should do the trick. Instead, our limb-deprived hero relies on a select number of abilities. Along the way, Rayman will only gain a few new powers. He can jump, fly, shoot, swim, climb, and pick up items. His moves are all he needs to complete the quest.

In all, Rayman 2 is an integral part of the Dreamcast lineup. The DC hasn't had a good platformer since the release of Sonic Adventure. Rayman 2 fills the gap left by the famous hedgehog. In crafting the game, Ubisoft really went the extra mile. The graphics, controls, and gameplay blow away the competition. In all respects, Rayman 2 is a spectacular effort.