Rayman Raving Rabbids (Nintendo DS) - Review by Andrew

Introduction

If you've been gaming for some time you'll be well aware how important Rayman has been over the last decade or so with the limbless hero popping up on almost every console. He's also featured on many a launch line-up demonstrating Ubi Soft's confidence in his ability to shift units. Raving Rabbits caused a bit of a stir when it was shown in last year's E3 with the psychotic bunnies getting more than their fair share of attention. That was all about the console versions though and this handheld outing is back on platformer territory (which was to be expected really) but is it any good?

Gameplay

If you ignore the rather bizarre plot you'll quickly discover that Raving Rabbits has stuck very closely to the Rayman gaming framework that has worked so well in the past. This includes lots of running, jumping and disposing of the odd enemy. You also have puzzle elements, which require Rayman to use extended moves although you will have to find them first. These include conjuring up boulders to reach higher ledges and the ability to transform clouds into solid objects. You'll also notice that some paths are locked completely and it's here you'll have to locate and unlock Rayman's other abilities such as his grapple hook and swimming. There is a genuinely smooth learning curve and even if you occasionally misjudge some of the trickier jumps you can simply have another go.

As usual with DS platformers now, there are a number of mini-games that follow the main platforming sections. These are all touch screen affairs and are all based on tried and tested arcade classics with the Raving Rabbits theme added. These include everything from the basic 'mixed up image' that you have to sort out, to an entertaining 'Bash the Bunny' game where you must hit rabbits as they pop up from the holes. It's all pretty standard stuff but still a welcome addition and, as you can play these separately to better your high score, it's one of the few reasons to revisit the game once completed.

Controls

If you've played any of the previous Rayman titles you'll know exactly what to expect. The games have always been praised for their inclusion of so many control options without making the whole thing overly complicated and Raving Rabbits is no exception. Like every installment since the original the various moves are spoon fed to you throughout the game so it never becomes overwhelming.

Graphics

Given the way that DS visuals have been progressing over the past few years this is a huge disappointment with the standard little above what we'd expect from the aging GBA. It's not just one thing either: the backgrounds are bland and repetitive, the animation is wooden and, to top it all, the frame-rate is a little inconsistent. The mini-games fare a little better but given that they are little more than 'shockwave' games it's the very least you'd expect.

Sound

The game's audio is fantastic and not only do you get to hear the 'raving rabbits' shrieking at almost every action but the music isn't too shabby either. It includes the 'theme to Pulp Fiction' and Hip, Hop Hurray, Girls Just Want to Have Fun and Good Times. The interesting thing about the last three is that they have bee 're-recorded' by what can only be describes as chipmunks on helium. The strange thing is it all works very well and complements the gameplay perfectly.

Dual screen

As well as the various mini-games, you'll be forced to play a kind of obstacle course in order to collect the trophies, which allow you access to the locked areas of the game. This involves your character 'sleep walking' whilst you use the stylus to clear and direct their path whilst also changing their abilities. The red Rayman, for example, can slice chains and destroy enemies whilst the blue one can turn water into ice. This demands some very quick thinking on your part as you are not only being pursued by two rabbits in a flying saucer (not a good excuse when you're stopped by the police) but failing to free some bridges or freeze gushing water spouts will lead to certain death. There's also minor use of the microphone but this is simply to shake off some rather pesky creepy-crawlies.

Final comments

While there's much to celebrate with Raving Rabbits the game also has its drawbacks. On the plus side it has one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard and the track selection and sound effects perfectly complement the on-screen happenings. There are also the mini-games and the actual platforming which although formulaic is still enjoyable. Unfortunately this is where the good things cease and while the game is of a similar structure to previous Rayman outings this does mean a lot of backtracking which although it extends the gameplay is very frustrating. The biggest disappointment though has to be the visuals where you have to wonder what the designers were thinking of. There's still much to celebrate in Raving Rabbits but the horrible grainy and uninspired graphics mean the overall score is a great deal lower than it should be.

Pro: Great Soundtrack and Psychotic Rabbits.
Con: A Little Repetitive, Scrappy Visuals.
Final score: 6.7

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