Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 Review
More minis and more bunnies, but not more fun.
When the Wii was new and before the onslaught of mini-game-fests to come, Ubisoft released Rayman Raving Rabbids and it was both unique and entertaining. The title was a success because it wrapped some 70 mini-games in an original and surprisingly funny package. The minis themselves were good -- some better than others -- but the comedy was second to none. In fact, the real stars of the title, the Rabbids, collectively stole the show from Rayman, whose presence seemed secondary and unnecessary. Like all mini-game compilations, the title could be hilarious and addictive one second and a boring chore the next all based on the quality of the mini in question, but thankfully a good chunk of the challenges were at least novel and amusing, if not fun.
Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 is a predictable sequel and, like the next installment in Madden Football, the development team hasn't endeavored to re-invent the experience, but add to it. Rabbids 2 features several dozen new minis, all of them original, not to mention a continued storyline that takes the evil bunnies to Earth. The end result is a sequel that feels more like a continuation of the first game than it does an all-new undertaking. Some of these new games are fun and funny, but unlike the original, which included its share of hits, Rabbids 2 misses more often than not.
Give it to me straight, doc. What are his chances?
Rabbids 2's is a successful comedic endeavor, like the first game. Ubisoft has, in fact, elaborated on the presentation in some ways (and cut down on some unnecessary fodder, too). The title begins with a humorous cinematic that sets up the action to follow. The bunnies have invaded Earth and it's up to Rayman to sneak into their maniac camp and put a stop to the impending war before it begins. Just watching the behavior of the Rabbids is entertaining as the creatures are so unpredictably crazy and their movements ridiculously exaggerated. Additionally, all of the minis in the title feature brief real-time cut-scenes meant to be funny, and most are, whether the Rabbids are chugging carrot juice in a saloon, chasing a bunny Spdier-Man down a city street or fingering a Rabbid thief in a police lineup. Meanwhile, the stadium-based setup that powered the first game has been removed -- Rayman no longer needs to travel into and out of a colosseum in order to make his way through the limited story, a design choice that dramatically increases the overall speed and brings a more balanced pace to the single-player experience.
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If you're going to play Rabbids 2, make sure you do so with friends because the game experience is improved greatly with two, three or four people. Ubisoft has added some incentive to keep at the single-player game, mind you, but there's just not substitute for real, live gamers, particularly for a project whose many minis are designed for parties. As you play through the trips in the game, of which there are roughly five (each sporting nine minis), you will unlock new Rayman and Rabbids costumes -- everything from cowboy hats to Spider-Man and Assassin's Creed pull-overs -- which you can use to dress your characters. Also, all of your top scores are updated via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to a central tracking system and thus, you will have something to shoot for if you're a highly competitive player. These inclusions are welcomed and do add replay value.
On the other hand, the 50-something minis in Rabbids 2 are not nearly as enjoyable as those in the original and they become downright tedious when you attempt to play them alone. Take, for example, a mini in which you must use the Wii remote to balance Rayman as he carries a platter stacked with hamburgers to a Rabbid Godfather figure. With three or four players, this mini is actually very entertaining because each on-screen character will bump into and interact with one another. Therefore, in addition to delivering the food and keeping your balance, you must be careful to avoid other players who might try to slam into you and knock down your food, and vice versa. It's good fun, but in the single-player mode, Ubisoft has removed all AI characters from the equation so that it's just you -- your only goal to balance and deliver the food, and it's not nearly as compelling. This happens frequently.
We dabble in the viking garb, but this isn't bad either.
Not only are there less minis than there were in the first title, but the quality of the games in Rabbids 2 has definitely suffered. The comedy is still there and exploited. Some scenarios are, to be sure, really quite funny. In one case, your objective is to scream and goof off -- done by shaking the Wii remote -- when your boss leaves the room, but you'll have to quiet down and pretend to work again before he comes back. In another, you might have to shake up a carbonated can of soda and drink it down for the biggest possible city-destroying belch. These minis, though, offer little variation in control and too many times the mechanics have been dumbed down so that you are merely shaking the Wii remote up and down to perform different feats surrounded by different themes. In the original game, the Wii remote and nunchuk were better utilized. You would swing the Wii remote around to cow toss, for example, or actually trace objects on-screen with the device to satisfy a hungry Rabbid chef. Seldom will any mini in the sequel require control input this advanced and the result is that all the games start to feel and play the same despite their different aesthetics. It is an unfortunate side effect to endeavoring to create a game that anybody can pick up.
The on-rails shooting shooting segments in Rabbids made up some of the game's best moments and Ubisoft has expanded on them for the sequel. Now, you unlock different shooter levels that can be played freely in the arcades as you advance through the main trips. We have to give the developer credit for trying something new with these radically different stages, too. The real-time backdrops have been replaced with full-motion settings. Apparently, the studio went to different cities around the world, from New York to Tokyo and France, and simply filmed the settings. Then, it came back and rendered background and foreground objects -- cars posts and, of course, bunnies -- into these environments. As a result, these minis look very good, but there's a notable downside, which is that the action is much slower and hold-your-hand guided. While the original game's shooter segments were speedy and sometimes even transpired on moving mine carts, you crawl through city environments, stop, and then bunnies approach. The action feels much more scripted and subdued. You do get the prettier aesthetics, but the gameplay mechanics are worsened. The trade-off is not ideal.
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Closing Comments
Rabbids 2 is a sequel that has more style than substance. It's unfortunate, but it's true. While Ubisoft has added 50 new minis and colored the experience with unlockable costumes and Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection support (for high score tracking), the core games are less enjoyable than those in the first, which is very disappointing. If you plan to pick the game up to play with friends, you will still have some fun -- some of the minis still deliver -- but don't expect a compete package as varied as the original. And as a single-player game, I wouldn't bother. Ubisoft does have the laughs down, but if there's to a be a third installment, I hope it will focus on minis that really use the Wii remote and nunchuk in unique and intuitive ways.
7.0
Presentation
The Rabbids are still funny, but the novelty has worn off some.
7.0
Graphics
A mixed bag of different minis, some of which look good and others downright ugly. Rayman aside, character designs are still great. Now runs in pro-scan, unlike the first.
7.0
Sound
The bunny calls were pretty funny for the first game, but the sound bytes are so overused in this sequel that you'll pray for variation. Even Rayman speaks like a bunny in many of the minis.
6.0
Gameplay
Still fun as a multiplayer game, but the minis are far less entertaining than they were in the original game due to dumbed down controls.
6.0
Lasting Appeal
50 new minis that aren't quite as fun. A few games stand out and can be played again with friends. Also, there's WFC support for high scores.
6.3
OVERALL
Passable
(out of 10 / not an average)
Source
Linear Mode
