Rayman is a name that many gamers from the previous generation should be familiar with by now. Many of us played these games when we were younger. Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc was the last entry in the original games from last generation. Thanks to the folks over at Ubisoft, fans can once again play the series with a shiny new HD makeover.
Rayman 3 HD is a direct update to the 2003 game Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc. Players will receive everything they loved (and hated) from the original game with an all new look thanks to the HD textures. But did the game make the transfer well? Or did it end up with more problems than it had before? Here are the Hots and Nots of Rayman 3 HD.
HOT
The Gameplay Is Still Addicting
Even after about 9 years the platforming in Rayman is still as addicting as ever. Players will traverse the various levels with a smoothness that is very reminiscent of games such as Super Mario 64. Ubisoft did the right thing by keeping the game exactly as it was back in 2003. All of the humor remains intact and will still make you chuckle from time to time.
Players will also run around collecting the various tin cans that give Rayman his various costumes and allow him to utilize powers such as propellers for hovering or fists that throw tornado punches. These various costumes will also come in handy as you solve various puzzles throughout the game’s 9 different worlds. The costume timers that vary between puzzles throw a bit of a challenge in there, but it never gets to the point where it is rage inducing. A seasoned gamer won’t have too much of a problem completing these puzzles.
Textures Are Smoother
The HD in Rayman 3 HD comes alive in the form of a texture boost as well as a smooth frame rate. Players will instantly notice that it looks like a significant upgrade from what it used to look like back in 2003 and plays smoother to boot. The various animations that Rayman performs such as jumping, hovering and attacking all feel better and up to date and his various costumes and power ups get the same treatment. While the smooth frame rates and improved textures are a good thing, these come back to haunt it in other sections.
Hitting that 100% Still Feels Good
Getting the high score on a level and hitting that 100% mark is still the greatest feeling you will have while playing this game. This is because of the game’s extreme challenge in achieving that perfect mark in a level and it is highly likely that you won’t even achieve a single perfect run through on any level during your first play through of the game. Players must master the timing based scoring system should they try to undertake the feat of achieving that 100% on every level. Players who manage to rack up their scores will receive a set of mini-games to play. While these are a nice diversion, they didn’t really get the HD boost that the rest of the game received and won’t really keep you coming back for more.
NOT
Texture Boost Is A Blessing And A Curse
The smoothed out textures will also bring out the various flaws that the original pixilation had hidden. The environments also suffer a bit and some of the climbable walls take on this flat look that will have you scratching your head. Explosions from missiles and certain other animations appear really blocky and show their age while the HD distorts the difference between the orange and red canisters.
Problems From 2003 Still Remain
The biggest problem from the original 2003 version of the game was the terrible camera issues that it had. That issue is still prevalent in the HD version of the game. The camera will occasionally draw closer to the back of Rayman leaving you staring at a wall or not properly showing that there is a corner that you can go around to advance.
The game also suffers from bad controls and a ton of glitches that carried over from the original version. One part has you controlling a stomping machine and will have you struggling with the controls to get it to work right. Add this will the collision detection issues that cause you to bounce up and down like a child on a sugar high and the occasional descent into the never ending blackness and you have yourself a true 2003 experience.
Sound Issues Require You To Use Subtitles
The sound in the game tends to fade in and out making it difficult to hear anything that is going on. This is kind of disappointing since a great deal of the dialogue in the game is funny and worth listening to. This forces you to play the game with subtitles on so that you can hear what is going on in the game.
Verdict
Rayman 3 HD is a great game for fans who are looking for a nostalgic throwback to their earlier years of gaming. The gameplay is still addicting, the graphics got a nice makeover and achieving perfection in the different levels feels really good to pull off. The game does suffer from some drawbacks including sound issues and some bugs that carried over from the 2003 edition of the game, but they still don’t takeaway the fact that this is still a great game 9 years after it was released.
[Editor’s Note: Rayman 3 HD was reviewed on the PlayStation 3 hardware. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]