Graphics: Given the limited capabilities of the N64 version of Rayman 2 compared to its PC counterpart, one simply has to marvel at the results. With or without the expansion pak, we’re treated to a luscious feast of sharp textures, cartoonish and colorful characters, and appealing indoor and outdoor environments. What’s more, every location, whether it is the oceanside or a volcano, sports little touches that speak wonders about the detail that fills Rayman’s world, such as flowing water and steaming lava that gurgles ominously. Frame rates never dropped, no matter how fast Rayman was going on a rocket or how many pirates were headed his way. Even the cutscenes don’t disrupt the flow of the action. My only gripe regards the poor camera placement, but this tends to be more of a temporary issue than anything else, as the camera often rights itself once you’ve changed position slightly.

Interface: Strangely enough, you’re not only in control of Rayman’s movements, but also his abilities to strafe and target enemies. Given the breadth of actions our hero can take, the controller works quite well, providing generic joystick and button combinations for the majority of functions. Rayman 2‘s menus are fairly attractive and easy to navigate, although they’re not quite as sporty as the in-game display, which keeps you abreast of important information such as Rayman’s health and the number of lumes collected.

Gameplay: Adding up the sum of Rayman 2‘s various parts amounts to a whopping good time. This includes the incredibly realistic environmental effects, the detailed and excessively cute characters, the massive and vivid worlds, and the amazingly deep play experience. Although you’ll encounter traditional platform challenges, such as attempting to stand firm on moving blocks while being attacked on multiple fronts, it’s the amusing situations in which Rayman finds himself, such as skiing with a water snake, and careening about on a rocket, that will have you coming back for more. There is no repetition to be encountered whatsoever in terms of level or character design, and the fountain of creativity the designers tapped into when it came to crafting the endless variety of enemies has yet to run dry. With memorable friends and enemies alike, intense gameplay that’s both frontal-lobe and reflex oriented, and the kind of graphics studios win awards for, Rayman 2‘s longevity with the masses is virtually a given.

Sound FX: Believe it or not, Rayman can talk. Our hero and his friends have actually been given catchy lines, or at least one would hope so given their tone, since it’s not English they’re speaking. Characters, including our hero, convey their emotions via speech clips and other sound effects that consist of cute little grunts and squeaks that should effectively convince you to shut out the real world within minutes. Environmental effects such as splashes, sizzles, yips, yaps, growls, zips, zaps, and crunches abound, with a number of non-playable characters who are imprisoned actually calling out to Rayman for help. UbiSoft has outdone itself in this regard.

Musical Score: Although the music is somewhat harmonic and fairly epic in nature, it takes a backseat to the sound effects when things really heat up. To their credit, the tracks attempt to influence your mood and add to the tension or exhilaration you’ll feel when entering a new area, but mostly they’re consigned to the background. I can’t say that the music enhances the play experience, but it does an effective job of preventing monotony from setting in.

Intelligence & Difficulty: Like the titles that came before it in the Rayman family, Rayman 2 is meant for veteran platform game players. Don’t be fooled by the cartoonish exterior, because beneath the candy coating lies a white-knuckle experience that demands the utmost in concentration, hand-eye coordination, and timing. Often jumps or rapid movements come sequentially, making it impossible to practice your technique, requiring instead that you just act naturally to overcome the dilemma. Thankfully, you’re at least given a reasonable amount of direction as to where to head next by characters, audio clues, and friendly stones that convey a bit of information on demand. Not that this information will really help you unless you’ve got a doctoral degree in platforming, because for every cutesy sequence you’ll encounter, there’s a boss confrontation or anger-inducing challenge headed your way.

Overall: Stating that Rayman 2 is a must-buy if you’re into platform gaming should hardly come as a surprise at this point. Despite its intimidating and non-adjustable difficulty curve, Rayman’s world is filled with lush backdrops, characters bursting with personality, and the kind of challenge that will either have you worked up to a happy frenzy or pulling your hair out in frustration. Camera issues aside, you’ll find that the game serves up some truly ingenious puzzles, devious little obstacles, and a big helping of fun. Rayman has made a staggering comeback, as has UbiSoft, and proven that not every franchise is content to rest on its laurels.