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| Rayman 2: The Great Escape | |
|---|---|
 PC cover art | |
| Developers | Ubi Pictures[a] Ubi Studios (GBC) |
| Publishers | Ubi Soft Gameloft (iOS) |
| Director | Michel Ancel |
| Producers | Arnaud Carrette (DC) Pauline Jacquey (N64) |
| Designers | Christophe Tribaut (DC) Jean-Christophe Guyot Serge Hascoët |
| Programmers | Yann Le Tensorer (N64, PC) Fabien Bole-Feysot (DC) |
| Artists |
|
| Writers | David Neiss Michel Ancel |
| Composers | Eric Chevalier Daniel Masson (N64) |
| Series | Rayman |
| Engine | CPA Engine (All platforms except PS2) RenderWare (PS2) |
| Platforms | |
| Release | 29 October 1999
|
| Genres | Platform,action-adventure |
| Mode | Single-player |
Rayman 2: The Great Escape is a 1999platform game developed byUbi Pictures and published byUbi Soft for theNintendo 64,Windows,Dreamcast andPlayStation. The game centers on the titular characterRayman, who is tasked with saving the fantastical land of the Fairy Glade from an army ofroboticpirates led by Admiral Razorbeard.
An enhanced port titledRayman Revolution[c] was developed byUbi Soft Annecy for thePlayStation 2, and released in 2000. An alternative remake known asRayman 2 Forever was developed by Ubi Studios for theGame Boy Color.Rayman 2 was critically acclaimed for its gameplay, graphics and accessibility.
Rayman 2: The Great Escape is a3D platformer which is played from a third-person perspective and allows the player control over the camera,[3] though in some situations this control is limited to only certain angles. At several points in the game the player loses control during cutscenes, which typically show dialogue between characters.
By collecting lums (small bodies, or shards of magical energy), the player unlocks more information about the game world and its back story, which can be read by standing still and pressing a specific button for some time. Some back story is also obtained through (optional) instructions from Murfy, a "flying encyclopaedia" who provides explanations on all kinds of gameplay elements.
In contrast to its predecessor, which was a 2D platformer,Rayman 2 is a 3D platformer. The player navigates through a mostly linear sequence of levels, fighting robotic pirate enemies, solving puzzles and collectinglums. Collecting enough lums gains the player access to new parts of the world. Part of the lums are hidden in small cages, in which other freedom fighters or Teensies are imprisoned, and can be obtained by breaking the cages.
Rayman starts the game with minimal abilities, and he can gain more abilities as the game progresses. The main weapon available in the game is Rayman's fist, with which energy orbs can be shot. Eventually, the orbs can be charged before shooting them, making them more powerful. Rayman can also enter a strafing stance which allows him to easily aim orbs whilst avoiding enemy attacks. Rayman later gains the ability to swing over large gaps using Purple Lums. Rayman is also able to use hishelicopter hair to slow his descent while jumping, with some segments later in the game allowing him to fly with his hair. There are also various items Rayman can use throughout the game, such as explosive barrels he can throw, giantplums he can ride on to carry him across dangerous surfaces, androckets he must ride on to access new areas.
In addition to the main, story-based level sequence, there are also several levels in which the player can gain bonuses in atime trial. Additionally, by collecting all lums and breaking allcages in a level, the player unlocks abonus level in which one of Globox's children races against a robot pirate. When the player controlling the child wins the race, Rayman gains health or a powerup.
The Glade of Dreams is invaded by robotic pirates, led by Admiral Razorbeard, with the intent to conquer and enslave. The crisis prompts volunteers, includingRayman and his friend Globox, to form resistance groups. Rayman and Globox confront an army of robots. Rayman battles valiantly with energyspheres, while Globox, despite his fear, aids by creating rain to rust the robots. However, atelepathic message from Ly the Fairy reveals devastating news: the pirates have destroyed the Primordial Core, scattering the world's energy, and have captured most of thewarriors. This loss strips Rayman of his powers, leading to his capture. As Admiral Razorbeard gloats, Rayman urges Globox to escape and find Ly, defiantly vowing to resist.
Imprisoned aboard the pirate shipBuccaneer, Rayman despairs over his lost powers until Globox delivers a Silver Lum from Ly, restoring his abilities. Rayman escapes through a pipe, but a collision with Globox sends them plummeting. Landing in the Woods of Light and separated from Globox, Rayman learns from Globox’s children that Ly has been captured. The four Teensie Kings inform him that Ly is held in the Fairy Glade's robotic piratefortress. Rayman rescues Ly, who reveals that Polokus, the world's spirit, can restore his full powers if Rayman collects four magicalmasks. After Ly transfers her remaining power to him and vanishes, Rayman frees Ssssam the Swamp Snake, who reveals Globox's recapture.
Rayman's quest for the masks begins at the Sanctuary of Water and Ice, where he defeats the guardian Axel to claim the first mask. In Polokus's realm, the spirit promises to awaken and aid Rayman once all masks are gathered. In the Menhir Hills, Rayman finds the warrior Clark, weakened from swallowing a robotic pirate. To heal him, Rayman enters the Cave of Bad Dreams, surviving pursuit by the guardian Jano. Rejecting a treasure ofgold, Rayman chooses the Elixir of Life, curing Clark. In the Canopy, Rayman frees Globox, who provides another Silver Lum. Carmen the whale guides Rayman through Whale Bay to the Sanctuary of Stone and Fire, where the guardian Umber helps him secure the second mask. Rayman defeats the guardian Foutch in the Sanctuary of Rock and Lava for the third mask. In the Iron Mountains, Globox's wife Uglette reveals Globox's re-imprisonment on theBuccaneer and their children's enslavement in themines. Rayman rescues the children, one of whom found the fourth mask. With all masks united, Polokus awakens, destroying the pirates' land fortresses but leaving theBuccaneer to Rayman.
Aboard the ship, Admiral Razorbeard acquires the Grolgoth, a formidablemecha, for a final showdown. Rayman frees the prisoners and confronts Admiral Razorbeard in thecrow's nest, where Globox is held hostage. The battle intensifies as the deck collapses, plunging Rayman toward alava-filledfurnace. Ly's timely Silver Lum saves him, and she urges him to defeat Admiral Razorbeard. In an airborne clash, Rayman knocks the Grolgoth into the lava. Razorbeard escapes in a small craft, triggering the Grolgoth's self-destruction, obliterating theBuccaneer. Rayman's friends, mourning his apparent death after finding only his foot, are overjoyed when he emerges, injured but alive, on acrutch.
Rayman 2: The Great Escape was originally conceptualised as a sidescrolling 2Dplatformer, likethe first game.[4][5] Development on the prototype began in early 1996 with a team of six people[6] and a budget of 10 millionfrancs.[7] It was slated to be released on thePlayStation,Sega Saturn, andWindows in the fourth quarter of that year.[4] The prototype ofRayman 2 featured some usage of prerendered bitmaps of 3D computer models, differing from the hand-drawn presentation of its predecessor.[5][8]
With the rise of 3D games, the team changed direction and turned it into a 3D platformer inspired bySuper Mario 64.[9] This required Ubisoft hire more team members; 70-80 developers, many of whom inexperienced, ultimately worked onRayman 2 for more than two years.[9] To avoid damagingRayman's reputation, Ubisoft first releasedTonic Trouble, a 3D platformer whosegame engine would also be used inRayman 2.[9] ThePC was the original lead platform, but it was switched to theNintendo 64 mid-development, necessitating reducing the quality of the textures.[6][10] TheDreamcast version uses the original high-quality textures.[6] The art design was inspired by the works of animatorsHayao Miyazaki andTex Avery, as well asArt Nouveau artists such asAlphonse Mucha, and was made to give the game's world a sense ofmythology.[6][11]
Rayman 2: The Great Escape was first released for theNintendo 64 in Europe on 29 October 1999, and in North America on 9 November 1999.[12][13][14] The Nintendo 64 version is compatible with theExpansion Pak, which allows the game to be played in a higher resolution. Unlike other versions of the game, the soundtrack is played in asequenced format due to the N64 not using CDs. The Nintendo 64 version has been re-released on theNintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack forNintendo Classics as of December 17, 2025[15]
TheWindows version was released in Europe on 29 October 1999, and in North America on 4 November 1999.[12][16] Compared to the Nintendo 64 version, it features more detailed graphics and a 22 kHz Red Book CD soundtrack.
TheDreamcast version was released in Europe on 16 March 2000, followed by North America on 21 March 2000 and Japan on 23 March 2000.[17][18][19] It is similar to the Windows version, but certain environments and the final battle have been modified and bonus mini-games were added.
ThePlayStation version, developed byUbi Soft Shanghai, was released in Europe on 8 September 2000, and in North America on 16 September 2000.[20] The graphics were downgraded, the game has a new layout within its levels (some hidden areas having been removed), the world map is constructed slightly differently and the game contains a bonus prototype of an early 2D version of the game.
ThePlayStation 2 version, titledRayman Revolution and developed byUbi Soft Annecy, was a launch title for the console's European release.Rayman Revolution features improved graphics over the Windows and Dreamcast versions, as well as new and modified levels.
TheNintendo DS version, titledRayman DS released in Europe as a launch title for the handheld on 11 March 2005, followed by North America on 28 March 2005. It is a port of the Nintendo 64 version.
TheiOS version was released on 1 March 2010, and theNintendo 3DS version, titledRayman 3D, released as a launch title for the handheld in 2011.[21] They are ports of the Dreamcast version, albeit with the bonus mini-games removed.
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| GameRankings | |
| Metacritic |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Computer Games Magazine |   [33] |
| Computer and Video Games |  [34] |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | (SDC) 9/10[35] (N64) 9/10[36] (PS2) 9/10[37] |
| Eurogamer | 9/10[38] |
| Game Informer | (SDC) 9/10[39] 3DS: 7.5/10[40] (N64) 7.75/10[41] |
| GameFan | (PS) 96%[42] (N64) 9/10[43] |
| GamePro | (N64)[44] (PS2) [45] |
| GameRevolution | (3DS)[46] (PS) [47] |
| GameSpot | |
| GamesRadar+ | 7/10[54] |
| IGN | |
| Jeuxvideo.com | 9.5/10[62] |
| N64 Magazine | 73%[67] |
| Next Generation | [63] |
| Nintendo Life | 4/10[64] |
| Nintendo World Report | (DS) 6/10[65] (3DS) 5/10[66] |
| Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | [68] |
| Pocket Gamer | (iOS)[69] (3DS) [70] |
| TouchArcade | [71] |
| VideoGamer.com | 7/10[72] |
| Publication | Award |
|---|---|
| Game Developers Choice Awards | Excellence in Level Design (2001)[73] |
Rayman 2: The Great Escape received critical acclaim upon release, with theWindows version receiving a silver sales award fromEntertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA).[74]
Jeff Lundrigan forNext Generation reviewed theNintendo 64 version of the game for and stated that "with its cute character designs and slick, polished gameplay,Rayman 2 is one of the few titles that can honestly claim to have something to offer any gamer of any age or skill."[75]IGN writer Brandon Justice praised it as "the most impressive feat of game design and execution the platforming genre has ever seen" and recommended players to forget aboutCrash Bandicoot,Super Mario 64 (both 1996), andBanjo-Kazooie (1998).[76]
Many writers ofGame Informer praised the game as a "gorgeous" game in which pays homage toBanjo-Kazooie and calling it the best Nintendo 64 game because of its camera and control system in which one of the writers Jay wrote how there times when the game looked brilliantly such as "helicoptering down a long chute orskiing behind asea monster."[41] Stuart Clarke ofThe Sydney Morning Herald appreciated that the graphics are "lush and beautiful" which was helped by theNintendo 64 Expansion Pak or a "good" PC 3Daccelerator card.[77]He also reviewed the Dreamcast version and stated that "just go out and buy it. You won't be disappointed."[78]
The reception forRayman DS was mixed or average,IGN writer Craig Harris citing graphical flaws and camera problems. While it did support controlling the game via the touchpad, this was regarded as both "sloppy and awkward,"[79]GameSpot writer Provo Frank criticize that it has made numerous graphical issues that often interfere with gameplay.[80]
Rayman 2 is occasionally included in "greatest video games" lists by video game publications, withIGN calling it "a demonstration of what the modern platform game could be -- smart, fast and challenging."[81][82]
Rayman 2 was nominated for personal computer action game of the year award byGameSpot in 1999.[83] The Dreamcast version was a runner-up forGameSpot's annual best platform game award.[84] During the4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, theAcademy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominatedRayman 2 in the categories of "Game of the Year", "Console Game of the Year", "Console Action/Adventure", "Animation", and "Game Design".[85]RaymanRevolution was a runner-up forGameSpot's annual best platform game award.[86]
Now the eagerly awaitedRayman 2: The Great Escape is out to buy on PC and Nintendo 64 from 29 October (£29.99) and is set to become the hottest game this Christmas.
Grab your joypads and get set for some alien-busting platform action withRayman 2: The Great Escape. It's out for the N64 on October 29 and to celebrate we've joined forces with Ubisoft to hand out some cool prizes.
Games directed byMichel Ancel | |
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