Rayman Origins Message Board

Ubisoft Montpellier recently released Rayman Legends, a follow-up to the critically acclaimed Rayman Origins. An ever-charming, colorful platformer, Rayman Origins will get you reacquainted with the armless, legless hero who first appeared on the original PlayStation. Rayman is perfect on the PlayStation Vita, and PS Plus members will be able to experience this game for free when it enters the Instant Game Collection tomorrow.

If you never had the chance to try LIMBO, you can grab both the PS3 and PS Vita versions for one low price. All of these PS Plus benefits will be available after the PlayStation Store updates tomorrow, 9/17.

From now until 9/30, buy a 3-month PlayStation Plus membership from Best Buy and get a bonus month free.

Free for PS Plus members, Regular Price: $26.99

PS Plus Price: $11.99, Regular Price: $14.99

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PS Plus Price: $11.69, Regular Price: $12.99

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Pinballistik: Made of Money (PS3 Add-On)
PS Plus Price: $2.39, Regular Price: $2.99

Pinballistik: Sector X (PS3 Add-On)
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Last Chance (Leaving on 10/1)

Instant Game Collection

• Resident Evil Chronicles HD Collection (PS3)

We’ll be back next week with more details on the game arriving to the Instant Game Collection as well as any other benefits we can share.

If you’ve got feedback on today’s Plus update make sure you leave a comment below. To discuss all things PlayStation, including this update, you can also head over to the PlayStation Community Forums where you’ll find topics you can contribute your thoughts to, or start one for yourself.

In retrospect, it’d be kind of silly to name a game “Origins” and then bury the franchise immediately afterward, wouldn’t it? And so, somewhat unsurprisingly, Ubisoft’s given an official magically levitating thumbs-up to all the Rayman scuttlebutt that’s been floating around for the past couple days. Specifically, the game’s called Rayman Legends, and – true to the leaked screenshots and video (after the break, courtesy of Gamekult) – it takes place in a pleasantly painterly fantasy land. That said, Ubisoft cautions that those materials were intended for internal use only and “in NO way” represent the final game. So, for all we know, it could take place in space or (fingers crossed) a 1940s black-and-white detective film before it’s all said and done.

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Look, here's the thing. We could very easily not have run the trailer above, which is likely something Ubisoft had planned to save until shortly before E3 as a way to hype people up for the announcement of its now all-but-inevitable Rayman: Origins sequel, Rayman: Legends. Usually we like to wait these things out, wait for official video distribution, and put things up when the time is "right," so to speak. But in the case of Rayman: Legends, I'm making an exception, because this business is just too crazy to pretend it doesn't exist.

The above video is specifically geared toward the Wii U version of Rayman: Legends. It shows new characters, new abilities, and one very specific Wii U-related piece of functionality. No, I'm not talking about the touch-screen controls, which are fine, I guess. I'm talking about the Skylanders-like ability to scan real world figures into your game and do...stuff with them? The video specifically shows examples like heart icons that can be used for health in-game, a Raving Rabbid that becomes an instant antagonist, and even hints at some kind of bizarre Assassin's Creed tie-in. I mean, what?

Don't be too surprised if this trailer gets pulled at some point in the relatively near future, as it's already disappeared from a few sources. Right now Gamekult seems to be the only site still hosting it. Enjoy it while you can, and then try to act surprised when Ubisoft shows the exact same video at its E3 press conference, as we definitely don't want to make them too angry. If we do, they might bring back Mr. Caffeine, and then nobody will be happy.

UPDATE: Ubisoft issued an official statement regarding the below video to VG24/7, clarifying that the video is NOT an official announcement trailer, but rather a sort of proof-of-concept video meant only for internal distribution.

So, essentially, none of what you're seeing in the video feature-wise is actually final. Meaning none of that crazy object-scanning stuff is actually confirmed (boo). That said, Ubisoft does at least confirm in the statement that this sequel totally exists, which means they're certainly working on things like this. Look, I don't even need all this crazy object-scanning crud. Just give me online co-op and more worlds to explore, and I'll be happy.

Look, here's the thing. We could very easily not have run the trailer above, which is likely something Ubisoft had planned to save until shortly before E3 as a way to hype people up for the announcement of its now all-but-inevitable Rayman: Origins sequel, Rayman: Legends. Usually we like to wait these things out, wait for official video distribution, and put things up when the time is "right," so to speak. But in the case of Rayman: Legends, I'm making an exception, because this business is just too crazy to pretend it doesn't exist.

The above video is specifically geared toward the Wii U version of Rayman: Legends. It shows new characters, new abilities, and one very specific Wii U-related piece of functionality. No, I'm not talking about the touch-screen controls, which are fine, I guess. I'm talking about the Skylanders-like ability to scan real world figures into your game and do...stuff with them? The video specifically shows examples like heart icons that can be used for health in-game, a Raving Rabbid that becomes an instant antagonist, and even hints at some kind of bizarre Assassin's Creed tie-in. I mean, what?

Don't be too surprised if this trailer gets pulled at some point in the relatively near future, as it's already disappeared from a few sources. Right now Gamekult seems to be the only site still hosting it. Enjoy it while you can, and then try to act surprised when Ubisoft shows the exact same video at its E3 press conference, as we definitely don't want to make them too angry. If we do, they might bring back Mr. Caffeine, and then nobody will be happy.

I’m currently in the middle of a gentle altercation with other meejaa types on Twitter about my earlier worrying around posting about Kickstarted games that don’t exist yet, and one of the things that’s come up is that due to our by and large consisting of curated content (yeah, we are sometimes guilty of posting about Today’s Big News, but that’s because we do genuinely want to be part of the conversation even if the games in question aren’t always to our tastes), most any even vaguely positive RPS post could well be read as an endorsement. Even when it’s about something we haven’t played yet – case in post, an alleged sequel to the lovely Rayman: Origins. (more…)

Rayman: Origins seemed a game doomed to fail at retail. No matter how much critics piled praise upon it (this one included), its $60 price tag and amiable, if not flashy gameplay just couldn't find a way to stand out amid the November retail rush. Still, Ubisoft reportedly did make some money on the game, which is great for those hoping Ubisoft might continue the series some day via some manner of sequel.

"Some day" seems perhaps a bit sooner off following this morning's Kotaku report that shows what is purportedly an official marketing survey from Ubisoft-contracted firm Arkenford. The survey images sent Kotaku's way show a few pieces of early art from the supposed sequel, as well as the claim that the new game will feature all of the same basic gameplay tenets of the first (co-op gameplay, a lengthy campaign, etc.) in a world filled with "castles, vampires, ghosts, Greek Gods, or dragons."

As with all marketing surveys, there's a goodly chance that this is all speculative and not terribly accurate, but the specificity of this one coupled with Ubisoft's assertion that Rayman actually was at least a little bit profitable, gives me more hope than usual. Considering how often tremendous disappointment wins out over true happiness in this industry, I am extremely careful about where I lay my hopes and dreams. Don't make me cry, Ubisoft. You wouldn't like me when I cry.

Rayman: Origins Oranges, the latter-day reboot of the Rayman platform series, made its way to PC yesterday, which was happy news for anyone who picked up on the surprising critical buzz around last year’s console versions. I’ve been bounding through the singleplayer, though have yet to try the co-op multiplayer mode. Here = words.

I’ve pinballed from outright glee to making a pathetic whimpering noise like a dog locked inside a cupboard while playing the resolutely 2D reboot of venerable platformer Rayman, but the glee always returns. It is, especially in its initial zones, a purely joyful experience, showering its player with visual and interactive gifts like a weirdo French Santa. While the visual tomfoolery never ceases – angry mutant oranges, giant forks with the demeanour of a scolding fishwife – it’s nonetheless a precision jumping game that isn’t afraid to inflict suffering.(more…)

It’s late o’clock in Britainland, so forgive this being a shortie of a post but… well, as the headline says, really. The lovely Rayman Origins, which made all the right people cheer over on console, is due on PC on March 29, but a demo unexpectedly arrived earlier today. Go get (the demo link is over on the right of the page that links to), and hopefully understand why John and I are absolutely delighted to see this mega-cheerful, visually inventive platformer find its way to PC.

Right, GOODNIGHT.

Thanks, Drew C.

In my original review of the console versions of Rayman: Origins, I all but called it out as one of the best platformers ever made, and I feel even more strongly about that sentiment now than I even did then. As a 2D reboot of the classically 3D Rayman franchise, Origins combined beautiful, hand-painted visuals with one of the most cleverly paced platformer campaigns put on a disc. Now those very same visuals, and that very same campaign has been placed on a PlayStation Vita cart, and it's actually shocking how well it's fared in translation.

Before we go any further, if you're completely unclear on what Rayman: Origins even is, go read the original review first. Now that you presumably have some understanding of the core tenets of Origins' design, we can discuss what does and does not work in the Vita version.

A surprising amount really does work on the Vita. The full single-player campaign from consoles is here, and it's rather amazing how well-rendered it is. The crispness of the 2D art and animation hasn't been watered down in any noticeable ways. Rayman's goofball movements and the myriad bizarre happenings spread across the game's various worlds still look absolutely beautiful, and in a neat, Vita-specific touch, you can now pinch the screen to zoom in or out. This lets you zoom out to see if any hidden areas are nearby, or simply zoom in to take in some of the more colorfully gorgeous details in the world.

The tight control of the console versions pretty much carries over here, too. That's important, because big swaths of Origins' gameplay require fairly precise timing and movement. As I said previously, it's a challenging game that only toward the very end becomes something more frustratingly difficult, but by the time you get there, your mastery of the controls and Rayman's abilities ought to help salve that a bit. On Vita, there is no reason why that wouldn't hold true as well, as Rayman controls just as well as he did on the previous platforms.

So, what is different, then? For starters, the cooperative multiplayer, which was such a delight on consoles, is now absent. Granted, the cooperative play was essentially an optional bonus for the main story campaign that players could essentially drop in and out of any time they pleased, and it was never online to begin with, meaning there was no netcode for Ubisoft to rejigger for the Vita version's purposes--though to be fair, other Vita launch titles do include local multiplayer functionality of some fashion. Again, the levels never changed in any way during co-op, but the play experience did, since combining abilities among characters often led to new, sometimes far more exciting solutions to existing obstacles. It's a shame, albeit not an unexpected one, that it's been excised here.

Perhaps as something of a make-good for the lack of multiplayer, the Vita version's developers included a new ghost mode, for those obsessed players who dig replaying levels for better times and jockeying for leaderboard position. It's a nifty little addition, but it's hardly a suitable replacement for something as great as Origins' co-op play.

On that note, the question now becomes who, specifically, this version of Origins is for. The only real caveats here are whether you'd want to play with friends, or if you've already picked up one of the console versions in the past. If you're new to the game and have no particular interest in playing cooperatively with anyone, ever, then this version is entirely worthwhile. So much of what made Rayman: Origins great on consoles--from the glorious visuals and music on down to the wonderfully crafted gameplay--translate just about perfectly on the Vita. Most importantly, the game is still tons of fun from top to bottom, whether you're playing at home or on the go.

To put it more succinctly: if you already own Rayman: Origins, this is just Rayman: Origins again, and you probably don't need to buy it a second time. If you don't, and are looking for an interesting, single-player-only platformer for your new Sony-branded toy, Rayman: Origins isn't merely recommended; it's necessary.

Well here’s a thing. The absolutely superb platformer, Rayman: Origins, is making its way from console to the PC on the 30th March. Michael “Beyond Good & Evil” Ancel returned to the 2D side-scroller he created, and the result is genuinely splendid. You can pre-order it now at the UbiShop for £20, which is half the price it launched at on 360 and PS3 (although the price most places are selling it at by now). Of course, the big question is: Woah, Ubi, what DRM will it come with? We’ve asked, can tell you that the digital download versions will only have a one-time activation, and retail copies, according to Ubi, will have “no DRM at all”.

You can see the trailer below.

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Last year, Rayman Origins was released on PS3 to critical acclaim. On February 14, Rayman and his friends return to PS Vita! Even better, the beauty and frantic gameplay of the PS3 will make the transition to PS Vita fully intact.

You’ll play as Rayman, Globox or the Teensies as they speed through stages on a mission to free the Glade of Dreams from the Darktoons. Rayman Origins offers a playful hand-drawn art style and accessible platforming gameplay, and completionists will find a challenge in gathering all the Electoons and skull teeth. In short, Rayman Origins will deliver entertainment to the new comers and veterans of the platforming genre.

We also have some great PS Vita-specific features available for Rayman Origins. First, for those looking to really appreciate all the hand-drawn art of Rayman Origins, players can pinch the front touchscreen to zoom in, so you can better appreciate the detailed character and level design that our studio in Montpellier worked so hard to deliver. Playing with a zoomed-in camera view also delivers a new experience and is critical in discovering the game’s many hidden secrets.

Along with touchscreen capabilities, we also have included a Ghost mode that allows players to challenge their friends in fast-paced Rayman Origins speed runs. According to IGN, we’re all supposed to beat Brian Altano.

Whether you’re looking for a quick pick-up and play game or a full-length platformer, Rayman Origins is going to make you a happy camper when it launches on February 14th. We’re looking forward to seeing all of you on the leaderboards!