Rayman 3 HD Review
Xbox 360 | PS3
Rayman 3 HD Box Art
System: Xbox 360*, PS3
Dev: Ubisoft
Pub: Ubisoft
Release: March 20,2012
Players: 1
Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p Fantasy Violence, Crude Humor, Mild Suggestive Themes

As for the game's aesthetics, the revamped graphics are pretty decent, with modern effects enhancing the upscaled textures. Nobody will mistake this for a recently-developed game, of course. There's only so much one can do with early 3D models, and the rough edges are particularly noticeable on natural objects like trees. There are some occasional inconsistencies in the HD upgrade as well. On-screen text sometimes looks very sharp, but other times looks jaggy and pixellated. With a maximum 720p resolution, the game is likely to look better on a smallish HD TV than a big-screen, on which I imagine the relics of the original graphic design would be far more obvious.

Rayman 3 HD Screenshot

Ubisoft made an unfortunate sound design decision in Rayman 3, deciding to fully voice all the characters. The result sounded like a lame attempt to be hip and zany back in 2003, so now it sounds like a particularly lame attempt to be hip and zany. Rayman himself is all right, but some of the supporting characters are cringe-worthy. It just goes to show that sometimes silent heroes are the best heroes. As for the rest of the sound, it's fine, but doesn't hold a candle to the impressively imaginative music and sound found in last year's Rayman Origins.

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Gamers who miss old school 3D platforming should find a lot to like about Rayman 3 HD. After all, beyond Super Mario Galaxy, there hasn't been a lot of pure platforming in 3D lately, and Rayman 3 can scratch that itch. It comes with some of the usual problems found in the PS2 era, though, and its weird emphasis on high scoring plus the annoying voice acting keep it from being one of the best examples of early 3D platforming. Those who are simply looking for a great platformer, whether 2D or 3D, might want to skip this and reach directly for the far superior Rayman Origins.

By
Becky Cunningham
Contributing Writer
@BeckyCFreelance
Date: April 2, 2012

RATING OUT OF 5
RATING DESCRIPTION
3.5
Graphics
There's been obvious effort put into this HD upscaling job, though there are some inconsistencies.
3.5
Control
The game runs smoothly and responsively, but the camera can be frustrating and it can be easy to get hung up on the scenery.
3.2
Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The music and sound work well, but the game would be better without the voice acting.
3.4
Play Value
High score fiends might like replaying this game, but the lack of ability to go back to earlier levels at will limits the play value.
3.5
Overall Rating - Good
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.
Review Rating Legend
0.1 - 1.9 = Avoid 2.5 - 2.9 = Average 3.5 - 3.9 = Good 4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor 3.0 - 3.4 = Fair 4.0 - 4.4 = Great 5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

  • Rayman 3 HD offers 15–20 hours of exciting and varied gameplay, including battling the Hoodlums and their minions, engaging in epic boss battles, swimming, flying, snowboarding, and piloting wacky vehicles.
  • Textures and graphics have been beautifully revamped in high definition and run at a smooth 60 frames per second. The catchy and eclectic soundtrack and all-star voices have been remastered to sound better than ever.
  • Enjoy nine varied single-player minigames ranging from 2D platform sequences to first-person shootouts and more!
  • Transform into Super Rayman and acquire temporary superpowers: Use the Vortex weapon to fire mini-tornadoes; unleash the Lock Jaw, an electric-charged claw; the Shock Rocket blasts out remote controlled missiles, and more!
  • Use leaderboards to compare your score with friends and compete for bragging rights.


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