Rayman 2: Revolution - PlayStation 2

Like past instalments, Rayman 2: Revolution borrows gameplay elements from a variety of different sources, but they are sources worth borrowing from. Several elements from Rayman 2: The Great Escape have been pilfered, including a similar story line. Revolution has a good combination of beautiful graphics, great controls, and enhanced gameplay. This will astound hard core gamers and those new to the hobby. There is enough puzzle solving, lever pulling, item collecting and platform jumping action to keep even the most ardent platform enthusiast busy for quite some time.

Admiral Razorbeard and his army of robots have enslaved the planet, and it's your job in Revolution to help Rayman search for pieces of the Primordial Core and summon Polokus to get rid of the robotic pirates. The levels are the same as in The Great Escape, but, due to the power of the PS2 and the detail put into reworking the levels for the game, they look spectacular. Ubi Soft has mixed old-school gameplay with graphical power, and mixed together those ingredients make this game a must-play for gamers of all ages.

Despite the borrowed elements from The Great Escape, Revolution for the PS2 offers up plenty of new thrills that will make the hearts of platform gamers skip a beat, just like the first time they played Mario 64 or Crash Bandicoot. It looks like this time, Rayman will finally get the respect he deserves. --Todd Mowatt