A throwback to the good old days of gaming
fectly pitched – the gradually increasing level of difficulty is challenging enough to keep you on your toes, but never so frustratingly infuriating that you throw down the controller in disgust or lose patience.
Moreish to the point of addiction, it has the magical ‘‘one more go’’ appeal that was a hallmark of classic arcade games but is sadly all too rare in the modern era.
Describing a game as ‘‘family’’ fare can sometimes give the impression that it’s designed for children or is in some way juvenile or unsuitable for mature audiences.
That’s not the case here. This is a family game in the same way that Pixar films are family movies. Children will appreciate it in different ways from adults, but there really is something for everyone here. If you’re looking for a game that isn’t full of blood and gore and doesn’t feature language that would make a sailor blush, look no further.
If any further endorsement of the game’s boundary-crossing appeal were needed, the fact that my wife (who patiently tolerates, but otherwise ignores my gaming habit) was so intrigued by the sights and sounds of Rayman that she not only joined in, but couldn’t put it down for hours, says it all.
The derivative nature of Rayman: Origins prevents it from achieving a perfect score, but it would be difficult to produce such a faithful throwback without a certain level of familiarity.
Despite its lack of originality, it’s one of the most fun games I have played for a long time, and should serve as a reminder to developers that sometimes looking to the past is the best way to push things forward.