The Great Escape! (Rayman 2 (PC))

Member Name: gh05t

Product:	Rayman 2 (PC)
Date:	13/07/02 (125 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great Graphics, Sound, Adictive

Disadvantages: None

This is the second adventure with Rayman, this time he's in 3D. As before the graphics are colourful and the sound effects and music are amazing. There are 20 levels to play all with a unique style and theme which will keep you playing for hours. Rayman is a cartoon styled character with arms, feet, head and a body but no arms and legs. He is played as a third person game, the camera angles are great and a rotate camera key can be used if the view is at an awkward position, the controls are slightly different to what I was used to in other third person games like Tomb Raider, but they are quite easy to get used to.

In this adventure he encounters more weird and wacky characters and will enter many more new worlds than he has in the previous game. Rayman's mission is to defeat Admiral Razorbeard and the Pirates and banish them from the Glades of Dreams and save his friends from slavery. Rayman encounters many of his friends along the way who help him with his quest, a few of these characters are:

Globox: - he is Rayman's best friend and helps in many parts of the game, he has the power to create rain clouds which destroys electrical beams, make plants grow and put out fires.

Murfy - is Rayman's guide, giving him hints along his journey. He appears where stone of thought appear in the ground and can be summoned at any time.

Ly - a powerful fairy that helps Rayman by collecting energy and creating silver Lumz which give Rayman new powers which gives him the ability to grab purple Lumz to swing across gaps, helicopter hair and power punch.

Polokus - the creator of the world who is in an eternal sleep, he is the most powerful and Rayman needs his help to destroy the pirates, the only way of doing this is to find 4 masks hidden around the world.

The Teensies - Small wise beings who show Rayman new worlds through the Hall of Doors.

The intro begins with Rayman being captured by Admiral Ra
zorbeard and the pirates after they have invaded the Glade of Dreams. Globox one of Rayman's many friends escapes to get help.

The game starts with Globox captured and taken to where Rayman is being held, he brings with him a sliver Lumz and gives it to Rayman, this brings back Rayman's punch power and he escapes the pirates. As Rayman cannot defeat the Pirates by himself he starts his adventure by finding the four masks which will awake Polokus, who he needs help from to defeat the Pirates leader Admiral Razorbeard. This takes up most of the game and Rayman will come up against may strange pirates and enemies on the way. Rayman also uses Lumz which are scattered everywhere, they come in many colours:
Blue - Rayman can collect these when swimming underwater as they are used to restore his air meter.
Purple Lumz - these are the same as the ones in the previous game, Rayman can grab these and swing across large gaps.
Green Lumz - are used in levels as save places so if Rayman dies he wont have to start from the beginning of the level.
Silver Lumz - gives Rayman new powers.
Yellow Lumz - are collected through the game so that Rayman can access new worlds through the hall of doors, the teensies will only let him pass if he has a sufficient amount.

There are many tricky parts in this game which will keep you glued to the computer for hours trying to overcome them. Rayman will travel through the game in may ways such as water skiing through swamps, steering a pirate ship and riding on walking/flying shells. There are a few bonus levels through the game, the two main ones are a race against Ly the Fairy, the other is available at the end of each level if all the yellow Lumz are collected. They aren't very hard and not worth much but still fun to play.

Even though this is a long game and will keep you playing for more than 40 hours, it's very addictive and you will not bore of it easily, some parts are t
ricky to get through but overall the game is easy navigate through and is playable for all ages. This is definitely on of my favourite games.

System Requirements:

Operating System: Windows 95/98 or ME
CPU type and Speed: Pentium 133 or higher
Hard Drive Space: 220Mb
Memory: 32Mb or higher
Graphics: 4mb Direct x 6.1 compatible graphics card
CD-ROM: 2x or faster CD ROM
Audio: Any Direct x 6.1 compatible sound card

Summary: