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Saturday 26 January, 2008
Rayman: Raving Rabbids
Gamelog entry #1
Summary
In Rayman: Raving Rabbids you play as Rayman, enslaved in a Coliseum run by crazy bunnies. You are forced to complete various missions and mini-games for the Rabbids’ amusement in return for plungers, which eventually help you climb the wall of your cell to freedom. The controller for the Wii adds a unique essence to the game as it must be manipulated differently for each game.
Gameplay
You can choose to play Raving Rabbids in either story or score mode. My first time playing was with a friend so we chose the multiplayer-compatible score mode and teamed up in a Bunny Hunt. I was in a good mood before we even began just because of the ridiculous style of artwork and noises the menu screens made. Each player can mix and match all of Rayman’s outfits to create their character. Some of the choices include a mariachi costume, gangster, grandma, and a bunny suit. The “hunt” is an arcade-style first person shooter, where your character moves on a set path around one of about a dozen maps. The plunger-launching gun you are equipped with has infinite ammunition allowing me to shoot as much as I want at the bunnies sprouting continuously out of the most unexpected places.
The bunnies squeal when you hit them, and, if you are accurate, a headshot is rewarded with a plopping noise as the plunger connects with their face. This kept me laughing for most of the game, but the sheer amount of Rabbids always kept me on guard because they had their own plungers to chuck back. Points are given whenever you hit your target, and based on the percent hit out of shots fired. Since you must aim with your controller, it is slightly difficult at first to hit the bunnies, as they are small targets, but once you get the hang on shooting and reloading fluidly, they stand no chance.
Since each level followed a set path, I didn’t have to worry about where to go and could focus all of my energies on plunging the white fur balls. With my friend we could also face off against each other and try and beat the other’s score. This added another aspect to the game to keep it from getting too repetitive, and the loser could trade off with someone else to include more people in the fun. So far, at least this part of the game flows smoothly and keeps me interested.
Gamelog entry #2
Gameplay
Although the Bunny Hunt was getting slightly repetitive it was still, honestly, no less entertaining. But I figured I should see what the actual game was all about so I played the story mode for a little while. Playing as Rayman imprisoned in the Rabbids’ coliseum, the story mode is composed of lots of strange mini-games. Each game is unique, but more challenging versions of the same game come up as you get further along in the story. This gives you more chances to get better at the games, but it also makes you play some again that you might rather skip. After completing a few of these challenges, you play a level of Bunny Hunting, which makes all the other games worth it.
The motivation for your character is freedom, and as you complete more and more challenges, the bunnies reward you with different outfits and music for your cell in addition to plungers that allow you to climb the wall, and eventually escape out the window. It is interesting to see the new presents but they aren’t that exciting. The game kept me interested enough to play for a while, and I could have definitely sat down and beat it in a few hours without getting too bored.
Design
I’m not sure how unique Raving Rabbids would be if it wasn’t being played on the Wii, because playing with wireless, motion-sensing controllers really made this game great fun. Each mini-game requires the player to use their remote in a different way. This was fun, but it means the player has to figure out how to play each game before they start. The Bunny Hunts were by far the most fun of this game. Each level had its own theme and shooting plungers at bunny rabbits didn’t get old for a while.
The other challenges become repetitive after the second time around, however, after struggling through them, the player is soon rewarded with another Bunny Hunt. There is little replay value for the story mode of Rayman, but the score mode always challenges you to perfect your handling of the remotes, and its accessibility and enjoyable controls keep it entertaining for you and up to three of your friends.
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