"The Origin of Frustration" Rayman Origins, One Less in the Backlog Review

Who likes platforming? I did when I was a wee lad, for that's mostly all there was to play...back in the day. Rayman has even been around that long as well.



Ahh, platforming, jumping frantically to floating platform to platform. Rage biting controllers, flying controllers, verbal obscenities at the TV screen and being told to settle down, ahh, platforming.

Story isn't really important in platforming. Rayman and his friends wake an evil or something and must free four nymphs, four kings and free some electoons to get to the "end." The end is only the end insomuch as the last level before unlocking the final area, to complete red-faced anger.

To play this game you need to have a very deep under standing of platforming. Basically you need to jump with extreme accuracy. It's Super Mario crossed with Mirror's Edge. You must jump whilst surveying your surroundings for that next hurdle. Bouncing, running and bashing foes in you path. Most of the levels you just need to complete, collecting items and making it to the end. Then there is the pull your hair out, speed runs, the screen is scrolling, where your jump is wrong, you miss-time your landing, you are dead. More than once my wife was wondering what that pounding noise was from the basement. Me, hitting my gaming desk in disgust. Don't get me wrong the game is fun, but f*ck it is  grueling in some areas. The Dark Souls of platforming.

You earn little perks as you play throughout the game. Punching, helicopter hair hovering, wall running and diving into water. These are given world by world to complete the challenges there in. These can also be used in previous levels to complete speed runs for some extra electoons. (These are little pink spheres with pony tails and happy faces locked away in cages you must free.) There is some awe inspiring use of these powers and some downright mean ones.

This is a really fun game. You must be a sadist with an itchy thumb though. The visuals alone are enough to just try this game. Then there is the soundtrack, f*cking brilliant! Some of the most outlandish and inventive imaginations worked on this game. It's a trip,...man. Some of the coolest things I've seen in video games. While truthfully I hadn't really "beat" this game,...yet, I finished the main story credit roll. The last area is called the Land of the Livid Dead, I can't even get past the first few jumps, but, I will try to prevail. Look it up on YouTube to see what I mean. This is what the game does, lets you have fun in the beginning, then bends you over. These guys make it look easy, for I'm sure it isn't their first time. I would have to give this a GOOD INU. Would recommend anyone to at least give it a whirl. Karma you wanna borrow it? You are the proclaimed platforming King.

SWS out.