I sometimes feel a lot older than I am. I complain about the music kids listen to today, the cartoons they watch and society in general. I often feel like I may as well be turning in my youth card and telling those damn neighborhood kids to “get off my lawn.” Then came Rayman Origins, a stupidly charming platformer from Ubisoft that harkens back to the old days of side scrolling 2D platformers. On the one hand, I keep thinking that they don't make them like this anymore, but I also know that the game's wonderful hand drawn animation style and incredible animation is one that probably couldn't have been done in..ahem...the golden days. It may suffer from a few issues, but Rayman Origins is destined to be one of this generation's most underappreciated games.

Over the last few years, Rayman has been removed from the spotlight in favor of some energetic and annoying rabbids, but thankfully, he's back in the starring role here. Rayman and his friends are busy...well, doing nothing at the glade of dreams. Their snoring is so loud that it wakes up a granny who lives below them and gets so angry that she summons evil beings from the land of the livid dead, who capture all of the world's electoons and nymphs. As you can probably guess, it's up to Rayman and his friends to set defeat the evil beings and set the world right.

"The detail in the levels are absurdly well done..."

It may sound like a dark story, but Rayman drips with charm and color. Each of the game's worlds features remarkable hand drawn animation that literally pops off the 2D canvas. The detail in the levels are absurdly well done, and shows a remarkably varied palate. In one level for instance, you're gliding through waterspouts in lush jungles, then the next you're in a fiery volcanic level - -and each of them looks remarkably stunning. The game's score is also remarkably well done, as I would do certain things in the game just to hear some of the game's sound effects.

Rayman Origins is a platformer that's built firmly around momentum and rhythm. Like most platformers, you'll be running and jumping from plateau to plateau, but there's a distinct rhythm to Origins that sets it apart from other platformers. Levels are built on prebuilt pathways that require you to make split second decisions as you move from both left to right and up and down. A lot of these levels made me think of Sonic the Hedgehog, rather than the standard Mario thoughts that seem to come up with most platformers. The fluidity and rhythm of Rayman Origins make each of the levels seem incredibly quick, and it won't be long before you've played through hours of the game without noticing and it's what really sets it apart from other games in the genre.

"...you're going to be amazed at just everything you're doing."

The pacing in Rayman Origins is one of the game's best points along with one of its few downfalls. At the beginning of the game, you're going to be amazed at just everything you're doing. It's almost impossible to play through some of the game's platforming levels, then go right into a section where you're flying a giant mosquito and shooting at enemies gradius style, but as the game goes on, it loses a bit of its appeal. It continually introduces new mechanics, but they're all based on those you've already done in the beginning of the game, and this it can be a bit lackluster. The boss fights can also be underwhelming.

Every platformer lives and dies by how strong its controls are, and while the majority of Origins is stellar in this regard, there are times when that's not the case, the controls feel less than reliable. Rayman has the ability to use the top of his head as a propeller and float to ledges and other options, and when it works, it works fine but when it doesn't, it's the difference between life and death and can be very frustrating. Luckily, it doesn't happen all too often.

Rayman Origins is one of those rare games that only comes around every so often - it's fun, unique and literally drips with charm. It harkens back to a time that's long gone bye in gaming, and perhaps most importantly, it's packed with content. It's not perfect, as it suffers from its fair share of pacing and control issues, but those aren't nearly enough to stop me from recommending this gem. It may get lost in the sea of AAA titles released this holiday season, but you need to seek out Rayman Origins.