Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc

ah a proper childhood classic. I think I have maybe the most childhood memories of playing this game over nearly any other, and for good reason. Not only do i feel as though i played this over and over but also the left field humour, story and presentation (at least for a kids game) is just so memorable to me.

one of the things that stuck out to me so much on a replay was just how strange this game is. the weirdest thing being the game's presentation and sense of humour, it's sort of one of those pieces of media that is both a piss take of third person platforming while also being a great third person platformer. it doesn't occupy that satirical space that's like 'oh look our meta jokes and fourth wall breaking are so sly that we transcend above the genre' but more of a goofy take on the genre its parodying. the voice acting and writing is just so dumb it's funny, globox being probably the funniest character here, just constantly getting kidnapped while being entirely useless (unless he's drinking plum juice and getting drunk??). his delivery by john leguizamo (had no idea he voiced him until today) is just perfect with that constant whiney drone. he makes a great companion. I love the characterisation of the teensies too who all try and help get rid of andre (another goofily written character that loves breaking the fourth wall). rayman doesn't really have too much dialogue here but that's kind of fine because he's by far the least interesting character.

the level design is so weird too. i enjoy the pacing of world -> interlude world where you're mostly free of hoodlums -> psychedelic ass surfboard level with sick funky music -> repeat. as a kid with a relatively low attention span (and also an adult), it's super satisfying to jump from weird world to weird world with the fast paced surfboard in between. I also like the cool innovative level design here and there like with the invisible platforms you can see in the mirror on the longest shortcut. the level design is pretty straightforward and mostly revolves around the same loop of kill enemy -> save teensy -> get power up can -> use power up can, but there is a bit of linear exploration here and there too. i like the aesthetic of all of the worlds too, the dark and gloomy Bog of Murk, the ethereal Land of the Livid Dead (wow that title) and the incredibly creepy Desert of the Knaaren, they're not all super memorable but they are iconic to me. the level design is also definitely helped by the graphics too. sure, it's an old ps2 game so it doesn't look incredible or anything, but the colours always feel super vibrant and i love so many of the textures (especially in the in between world bits), it's all very otherworldly and just nice to look at.

the character and boss design might be some of the best part of the design generally too. the fucking hoodlums creating those costumes and turning into dark hooded figures with red eyes and weird shapes is so fucking creepy. they move so uncannily and make strangely human sounds too, always freaked me out as a kid. but they create this tangible sense of terror and danger into the surprisingly fast paced gameplay that i can't help but love it. and wow the boss battles? honestly some of my favourite bosses in any game from this era. they're all so unique and well presented. the one where rayman takes control of that big ass stomping machine, so cathartic, the underwater octopus thing? fucking sick, the one where all the rocks are levitating and you have to make it up to the top of the level? wow. seriously so so good.

but seriously the best part of this game to me is this part of video game culture it occupies. it is a sort of parody of platformers, with relatively generic enemies and a not particularly in depth story (basically just bad guy wanting to take over the world, hero comes and saves the day etc) with hints of satire too. the weird onomatopoeia that pops up when you hit enemies the over the top 'excellent' etc stamps of approval in the top right when you kill an enemy without getting hit, the seductive intercom lady at the hoodlum headquarters. there's just a general air of goofiness to everything in this game that gives it such charm that helps elevate it above what it could be - a standard ps2 third person platformer.

the music is great too, at times faster paced breakbeat bits, and other times atmospheric more ambient pieces. every world has a unique theme and it builds the atmosphere quite nicely. what's even more uncanny though is the long periods of eery silence here and there. most of the time there actually isn't any music playing at all and so all you here are the slapstick punches, grunts and the occasional outcry from a imprisoned teensy or something, it seems to switch from a kids game into an uncanny horror on a dime.

one of the most uncanny yet fun and endearing experiences you can have with a game on the ps2. definitely play this goofy ass game.

Through a series of events, Globox ends up swallowing the Dark Lum leader André. Rayman must guide Globox to see the doctor and defeat the evil Hoodlums on the way. Platforming games don't really need a story, so the task of finding three doctors is just an excuse for Rayman to go on a journey.

You'll be doing the standard 3D platforming tasks like jumping across platforms, climbing walls, collecting items and the occasional combat. Rayman has his usual gliding and combat abilities. Rayman throws his fist to attack enemies and this can be charged for a more powerful attack. When he is close to enemies or objects which he can interact with, he auto-targets them. In combat, you can strafe around enemies and doing so allows you to throw a curved punch. These curved punches are vital in defeating certain enemies and are used in a handful of puzzles/interactions in order to progress.

The small, magical race called Teensies still play the part of the hostages and give Rayman power-ups or gems, although since the power-ups are vital for progression, not many of the Teensies are hidden which removes a huge aspect of previous games in the series.

Rayman can pick up power-ups which grant him special skills for a short period of time, though the amount of time differs per ability. The Red cans (Heavy Metal Fist) grant Rayman metal fists that are capable of breaking down doors and providing extra attacking power. Green cans (The Vortex) grant the ability to perform a whirlwind punch which lowers certain platforms. The Blue (The Lockjaw) can provides a hook-shot which is used for grappling and swinging across flying Lums. Yellow (Throttle Copter) cans give Rayman a helicopter hat which allows him to fly vertically. Orange (Shock Rocket) cans provide a short-range guided missile for hitting switches located in tunnels.

These ideas imply there may be clever puzzles that make you think. However, the way the obstacles and power-ups are given to you mean that the game is played in a linear fashion, and not much thought is required at all. It's just a case of reaching a dead end, defeating the enemies/freeing the Teensie, grabbing the power-up and using this to progress.

Defeating enemies, collecting gems, and freeing Teensies will award you with points and you can gain combo multipliers. Accruing enough points will unlock bonus mini-games and videos. The videos are supposed to be humorous training videos for the Hoodlums, although the videos are very similar to each other and contain recycled scenes, so even those are tedious to watch.

One big annoyance of the game is the camera. It's supposed to be automatic, but quite often you find yourself running towards the screen. You can manually intervene but often find yourself fighting against it, leading to some frustrating moments.

There's a few distractions thrown in to keep the game-play varied but none of which really add much to the game due to the simplicity and brevity of these sections. There's some stages where Rayman will ride beams of light and you jump from platform to platform, collecting as many gems you can. Some sections of levels shrink Rayman and he rides his shoe in a bumper-car style game against his other shoe. There's a level where you run between cannons on a ship, firing them at monsters.

There's plenty of stronger enemies/boss fights too, although each of them seem to last longer than they should and become rather tedious to take down.

Rayman 3 features voice actors performing in English rather than the usual Rayman language from the previous games. Rayman sounds dorky and Globox sounds annoying but I guess it suits the characters. The dialog is often silly and self-aware. “You were a lot nicer in Rayman 2” says Globox if you punch him.

The graphics still hold up well today, given that it was originally released in 2003. The controls can feel awkward at first, but once you get used to them it's just getting used to battling with the camera. Xbox 360 controllers are recognised without configuration.

In Rayman 2, the game had enough challenge and was interesting enough. Rayman 3 just seems simplified to a point where its almost boring throughout the entire game. Collectables are optional and the Teensies are often in clear view which means you can blitz through the game without much thought, rather than keeping out a keen eye like in previous games. Rayman 3 is functional, but its a step back from Rayman 2.