Rayman 2: The Great Escape Review - IGN (2025)

• Classic 2D platformer turn 3D.
• 45 clever, wildly different levels to play through.
• Boss fights connect seamlessly with stages.
• Traditional in-level puzzles.
• Arsenal of moves includes everything from running and swimming to jumping, skiing and flying.
• Story unfolds in real-time with in-game cut-scenes.
• Expansion Pak enhanced high-resolution graphics.
• Memory Pak compatible.
• Single-player.

How many times have we written, "[insert game name here] doesn't exactly have the best storyline, but..."? Well, add one more title to that list, as Rayman 2, it seems, isn't about compelling background setups either. Reading the instruction booklet, we learn that panic in the "Chamber of Teensies" has erupted. Evidently a large group of Robo-Pirates has decided to attack and enslave Rayman's home world. Faster than we can say "French," our hero finds himself victim to the robotic army of well-textured ship-lovers. In order to set things right, Rayman must first escape from imprisonment. This is where the title begins.

Gameplay

Rayman 2 is a very traditional platformer that is executed extremely well. Players take control of the jointless main character through 45 differing environments, each with their own unique puzzles and challenge. All of that traditional platformer stuff you'd expect of such a game is, of course, standard. This includes the variety of moves: running, swimming, flying, jumping, hovering, climbing, grabbing, shooting and more. But there are some extras in the control department you might not think about. Rayman can strafe left and right, for example. He can also target enemies and objects. He can swing through the air, hang from vines, ride rockets, hide in bushes, and even use his friends' abilities to his advantage. It all comes together wonderfully with brilliantly tight control that is, when mixed with the game's puzzles, environments and quest, nothing short of addictive.

Rayman happily trots through the lush 3D environments in the game, picking up powerful Lums that increase his energy and unlock new worlds (among other things). But this is hardly the character's only task. There are also cages that must be found and opened, shells that must be utilized to gain access across otherwise uninhabitable terrain, magic spheres that open new areas, and carefully hidden switches that reveal doorways. Players must use their wits and all of these items in order to solve some of the game's refreshing puzzles and advance.

Example: in one level, Rayman must unite two magical spheres in order to open a doorway to a new stage. Each sphere is located on opposite ends of the stage. Players must travel to these ends and pick up the spheres and bring them back to the doorway that needs unlocking. The only problem is that Rayman cannot jump while holding the spheres, as they are too heavy. So, the idea is to throw the magic items across areas that must be jumped over (and there are many), then pick them up and continue on.

Example: a fire blocks Rayman's path and there is seemingly no way to get by it. After careful exploration, however, players will indeed find a non-playable character that must accompany our hero to the flames, as only he can put it out.

Example: Rayman cannot cross a spiky landscape to a new area just beyond it. The only solution is to ride a rocket character, which first chases players around the level before tiring out. Only when the rocket is too tired to move can Rayman jump on and ride it across to safety.

The puzzles are more difficult than they sound, but they're also extremely entertaining and a lot of fun. Control -- and more specifically the things that Rayman can do -- is equally polished. Every new level presents a new, clever challenge that will likely leave you saying, "Wow. That's really cool." Banjo-Kazooie has nothing on Rayman here.

Graphics

Rayman 2 is, perhaps, the prettiest 3D platformer ever. The game is an amazing sight to behold from start to finish. Every level is lovingly detailed; textures are crisp, animation is smooth, environments stylized and colorful -- we could go on and on. With the 4MB Expansion Pak, Rayman 2 runs in a semi-high-resolution mode that, somehow, is just as fast as the standard, but much more slick. What's more, the game has literally no framerate issues to speak of -- a little tid-bit that makes us very, very happy. While the PC version of the Rayman 2 looks sharper, Nintendo 64 owners should know that the 64-bit incarnation of the title is no slouch. Your mouth will drop -- we guarantee it.

Is the game prettier than Banjo-Kazooie? Perhaps. While Rayman comes alive with vivid colors, beautiful animation, stylized 3D backdrops that look damn near real and more variety than one might think possible in a Nintendo 64 game, it does have a few visual annoyances. The camera system, for example -- far from horrible -- is sometimes in the wrong place at the wrong time, offering an awkward view of the action as it unfolds. This happens rarely, and it's not terribly annoying when it does, but it's definitely worth mentioning. Also, Ubi Soft seems very fond of Nintendo 64's dithering filter, and Rayman 2 reflects this in its appearance. Again, none of this is terribly bothersome, but it is curious.

The game's remarkably smooth framerate (even in high-resolution mode) can be attributed -- at least in part -- to the fact that the title doesn't feature very many 3D polygonal characters on-screen at once. If you're expecting to do battle with a never-ending army of enemies, you're going to be disappointed. The game is more about solving puzzles and progressing through the environments than it is battling pesky Robo-Pirates. One look at the lush worlds in this game and you won't care if there is one enemy to be found in the entire adventure anyway, trust us. Rayman 2 is, without a doubt, one of Nintendo 64's most visually stunning experiences.

Sound

Rayman 2 obliterates the similar Tonic Trouble in just about every category, except for this one. The game's music, low-key and not very energetic, doesn't seem to fit the experience. There is nothing particularly interesting about it. It's just there.

Sound effects, on the other hand, are very well done. Taking a bow to Banjo-Kazooie, Rayman speaks in repetitive gibberish, employing a small variety of sound samples and playing them over and over for the character's voice. Text explaining what the jointless one is saying is, obviously, displayed under everything he mumbles. It's a bit more "French" than Rare's efforts, and it works quite nicely. Environmental sound is also very helpful in the game, as it helps us find objects and characters. "Help me!" call caged inhabitants of the world, notifying us that they are near when we otherwise might not notice them. Monsters growl from behind us. Rayman's energy spheres bounce off walls with a bump and a zing. It's all top.