Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc Review

'It will make you laugh and still test your abilities'.

Are you one of those fools who likes to run around aimlessly collecting spinning bits of cardboard to get a key. Well if you are then this game is NOT for you. Ubi Soft have pumped all of their efforts into this game, and it's clearly payed off...

The game combines different variations of gameplay with truly enlightening graphics. You rarely see this with platformers. Most platformers are the generic run around collecting stuff in bland environments affair. But this puts them all to shame, you start of watching a hilairious movie scene with Andre, a black lum stealing an animal's fur to turn himself into a Hoodlum. Next thing you know Globox runs off with Rayman's hands and you have to get them back. Right from the start you know this is going to be good. The first level sees you trying to collect red lums while Murphy flies you around an area making cheeky comments. After you'll be walking around collecting yellow crystals trying to rack up high combos. You can score combos by quickly beating bad guys, collecting lums and other stuff. The higher score you get the more bonuses you'll unlock. You'll be laughing your head off as Murphy insults the Manual as you progress through the first level. After the easy first level, you'll start seeing the hard side of Rayman 3. Hoodlums everywhere, shooting at you. Puzzles to solve using different items. It's brilliant!

Rayman has all his old moves, shooting his fists, climbing on vines, that sort of thing. But this game adds a whole new level to Rayman's abilities. He can get special abilities from cans scattered through out the levels. They can give Rayman added strength, grappling hook abilities and longer flight time. They aren't scattered randomly across the levels either. They're usually part of a clever puzzle, trying to confuse you. This becomes apparent in the Desert of the Kaneran, the puzzles get really tricky and you'll need to use your brain along with Rayman's platforming abilities to get through. Rayman controls really nicely, and the camera is easy-going and never gets in your way.

As for the gameplay itself, each level has it's own style, puzzles and set of crazy characters. Some puzzles will see you riding a hover thingy, controlling a missle to hit a target. Destroying enemies to unlock a door or beating a big boss. It's so varied that you'll never get bored or even familiar with it, and that's something. With most platformers, you know what to expect and you get used to the puzzles. Here, every level brings an element of surprise. Sure there are typical puzzles that are common, but you'll ignore that with all the brilliant gameplay inbetween.

The graphics are completely full of life. The swirls and twists of the textures will be familiar to every Rayman fan. But you will really feel that you're in the game when even small effects like dripping water and blowing flowers catch your eye. Every part of the level has detail everywhere, nothing is bland and it dosen't get lazy towards the end of the game. The light effects and water effects are as good as ever and will have wondering why every game can't be this good. The music is as good as ever and goes for groovy hip hop tracks for bonus levels and emotional music for the levels. The ambience is as good as ever and really helps the graphics show their brilliance. The hilairious voice overs never stop, that combined with a cast of hilairious characters will make this as funny as it is difficult.

However, and a very BIG however. Rayman 3 can be completed very quickly if you rush through - if you ignore all the bonuses it's actually quite short. But you won't get bored playing it a second time, you can re-do a world as many times as you like trying to rack up the highest scores. High scores unlock you bonuses, and there is no shortage of bonuses to play. You can watch movie scenes, view 'how to beat Rayman' videos which are hilairious and plentiful and play great mini-games. Those lucky enough to have a GBA version and a GC-GBA link cable can take part in a brilliant mini-game called Mad Trax. It supports 2 to 4 players as well! The object is to get to the end of the course without losing life. Rayman rides in a massive shoe while Globox (controlled by the GBA player), lays out the track in front. It's difficult, addictive and flawless. You can even download 10 new levels to play on your GBA Rayman! Awesome!

Once again, a game that belongs in YOUR collection, YOU need it and YOU better go and get it!

Best Bit:
Knowing that the next level is going to be even better and more challenging. Every level brings something new: in the gameplay, in the graphical style and the music. No two levels are identical and thats what sets this apart from many other platformers.

Worst Bit:
Though it is challenging, there are so many simple puzzles as well. If you forget about collecting all the lums and just finish the levels then you can complete this fairly quickly. But you're not going to do that because you'll miss out on hundreds of bonuses.

Graphics: 96% 'Magical'
Rayman games are famous for the curls and swirls in the graphical style. This game is no exception, there are swirls everywhere, lots of interactive scenery and immerseful light effects. The characters are smooth as well, so no complaints in the graphics department.

Sound/Music: 94% 'Groovy'
They really use a lot of hip-hop, funky music in this, it goes really well with the constant humour. But it also uses emotional music and absolutely fantastic tunes that'll have you crying with joy. They havn't just gone and ripped stuff out of the last game either, every song, sound and voice you here is completely brand new. The voices are great as well and the lines are delivered with such charisma that you'll see the real personality of the characters.

Gameplay: 92% 'Smooth, varied and simple'
It's really good and really varied. Each world has it's set of original puzzles and introduces a new type of gameplay into the game. The challenging puzzles well have you screaming with frustration but unlike so many other games, even the simple ones won't drive you into the depths of tedium. It's brilliant.

Value: 96% 'Hoodlums forever'
If you finish the game, without getting at least half the lums then you've only just started playing. Unlike many other games, there is an incentive to come back and play this again. It's not just for high scores, more points means more bonuses and there are loads of bonuses to unlock. The smooth gameplay seems to be rubbing off onto the bonuses as well because even the bonus mini-games are fun. At the same time, they're tricky and very unforgiving.

Overall Score: 94.5%.

Verdict: You might be thinking 'I've got the GBA game, what's the point of getting this?' This is about 100 times better than GBA game (not because I don't like it, but because it simply is). The bonuses are enough to beat a lot of games into the ground, but a fantastic single player? Ubi Soft are just too much...

What the game lacks:
I would say length, but they've put so many bonuses in it that I can forgive them. I guess the only thing I can say is that Murphy should have stayed as part of the game, he was funny at the start, but then he just disappears. Okay, that was rubbish, but I just can't think of anything...

What could make it better:
They could have added more 2 player mini-games. I'm alright with the GBA Mad Trax game. But what about those people who don't own a GBA, they can't enjoy the 2 player satisfaction of Rayman. Of course neither can anyone who has a PC, PS2 or Xbox version of the game, that's even more unfair.

What it has:
- Colour.
- Humour.
- Hip-Hop.

What it dosen't have:
- Enough Murphy.
- Crappy gameplay.
- Shortage of bonuses.

This review was added on 1st February 2005 by nGaming user ProReviewer.