The cartoon platformer is available for free on the Ubisoft store through December 22 at 9 am local time, and the offer only applies to the PC version of the game. Thankfully, since Rayman Origins originally came out in 2011, its recommended system requirements – which include a graphics card with at least 128 MB of memory – are quite modest by the standards of today’s best gaming PCs.

FREE GIVEAWAY! 🎁 Discover the magical world of Rayman Origins for free at the Ubisoft Store!December 14, 2021

See more

Rayman Origins takes the series back to its roots as a 2D platformer, letting players take control of the eponymous hero, his big pal Globox, or a small but fierce Teensy. All stages can be played either in single-player or via drop-in/drop-out local co-op, which makes this an especially good offer to capitalize on if you’re looking for some new games to play with family over the holidays.

It was followed in 2013 by Rayman Legends, another cartoon platformer, which remains the last main entry in the Rayman series. OK, you might also count the Rabbids games as Rayman titles, since they started off as Rayman’s enemies, and there’s been more of them since then – but the swoopy haired, floating-hands-and-feet hero has been largely absent from Ubisoft’s output since then.

To be fair, Ubisoft already has a lot on its plate just with the franchises that it’s made games for recently, including kicking off Assassin’s Creed Crossover Stories with the first centuries-spanning meeting of Eivor and Kassandra.

The post Rayman Origins free on Ubisoft Store through December 22 appeared first on Game News.

In what seems likely to be the match-up of the century, Rayman Origins will be coming to the Nintendo 3DS on June 5, Ubisoftannounced (opens in new tab)today.

They also revealed that the game will be coming at a slightly lower price than is typical of a 3DS game at $29.99. Whereas a typical 3DS game usually costs about $39.99.

We’re very much looking forward to giving this excellent platformer (opens in new tab) another spin with (hopefully) some great 3D effects. Rayman Origins sports some fantastic multi-tiered backgrounds and wonderful character animations that we’re dying to see represented in 3D. Perhaps even more than the (also excellent) Vita version (opens in new tab), this could be the game that reignites our love for Rayman Origins.

And if you haven’t tried it yet, the 3DS version may be your best jumping-in point. It’s a great showcase for why the platformer ruled gaming for two decades, along with all the advancements and accouterments we’ve come to expect from a top-tier modern game.

The post Rayman Origins 3DS release date, price announced appeared first on Game News.

We expected to see death via spikes and blowfish, but getting punched by an old lady? We hardly expected that. If you watched to the end you’ll also notice that a demo for the title will be out November 9, so you’ll be able to give the lovely game a spin for free before you ignore it for Assassin’s Creed or Skyrim. We’re not saying you’re wrong to anticipate those other games more, we only ask you give Rayman a chance.

The post Rayman Origins gets grim with ominous 10 Ways to Die trailer appeared first on Game News.

Hey, videogames are a visual medium. Therefore, graphics are part of the package. How large a part they play is one of those things gamers will argue about for hours, withlots ofphrases like”graphics whore”, “frames per second”, “gameplay first”, and “realism vs art” thrown about. We say don’t overcomplicate things – we like pretty pictures, plain and simple. The question is, which one did we find the prettiest?

The Nominees:

Rayman Origins
Gorgeous hand-drawn visuals make this one of those games you simply have to see in motion to believe. Stupidly lushhigh-res backgrounds burst with vibrant color as impossibly fluid characters jump, stomp, and fly through the world with the grace of Olympic figure skaters.Preview

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
Designed by the lead artist on Okami, the look of El Shaddai seems almost like a stained-glass window come to life. But more important than the technology is the art design. Dream-like architecture andsweeping vistas are everywhere, and we’ve yet to see a level in which something, be it clouds or water or whatever, wasn’t moving. The world of El Shaddai might not look like anything on Earth, but you can’t say it doesn’t look alive.Preview

Far Cry 3
We love good art design, but sometimes it’s a game’s sheer technological prowess that blows us away. Look closely at the screenshot above. You almost don’t noticethe motion blur, the depth of field, the density of the jungle foliage or the way the dappled sunlighthits that vegetation.Why? Because you’re distracted by the fact that Far Cry 3 is so realistic, you can actually see the crazy in this lunatic’s eyes. This is why some folks buy $600 video cards – and why we don’t blame them for it.Preview

Bastion
The product of a dev team so small they could all ride to work together in a single SUV, Bastionis a labor of love. Andbecause whoever’s in chargeof the “making the graphics” part of that love uses every color in the spectrum and turns the brightness up to neon, wefind ourselves captivated. The more you see Bastion, especially in motion, the more breathtaking it is.Preview

Rage
Don’t let Rage’s bleak setting and muted color palette fool you. It’s actually glorious in motion, moving at a silky smooth pace even on consoles. And you don’t even notice a first how very solid all the textures look and how well lit the whole world seems to be. The game world in Rage may be sickly and struggling, but the game engine itself is alive and roaring.Preview

BloodRayne Betrayal
Another game that still screens simply can’t do justice, Betrayal somehow makes the title vampiress seem even more lithe and agile than before – probably something about the 4000 frames of animation the devs have given her. As a result, the entire game flows along as fluidly as the blood that seems to pour onto the screen every time Rayne sees another living creature. She’s feisty.Preview

And the winner
is…

June 20, 2011

The Nominees:

Rayman Origins
Gorgeous hand-drawn visuals make this one of those games you simply have to see in motion to believe. Stupidly lushhigh-res backgrounds burst with vibrant color as impossibly fluid characters jump, stomp, and fly through the world with the grace of Olympic figure skaters.Preview

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
Designed by the lead artist on Okami, the look of El Shaddai seems almost like a stained-glass window come to life. But more important than the technology is the art design. Dream-like architecture andsweeping vistas are everywhere, and we’ve yet to see a level in which something, be it clouds or water or whatever, wasn’t moving. The world of El Shaddai might not look like anything on Earth, but you can’t say it doesn’t look alive.Preview

Far Cry 3
We love good art design, but sometimes it’s a game’s sheer technological prowess that blows us away. Look closely at the screenshot above. You almost don’t noticethe motion blur, the depth of field, the density of the jungle foliage or the way the dappled sunlighthits that vegetation.Why? Because you’re distracted by the fact that Far Cry 3 is so realistic, you can actually see the crazy in this lunatic’s eyes. This is why some folks buy $600 video cards – and why we don’t blame them for it.Preview

Bastion
The product of a dev team so small they could all ride to work together in a single SUV, Bastionis a labor of love. Andbecause whoever’s in chargeof the “making the graphics” part of that love uses every color in the spectrum and turns the brightness up to neon, wefind ourselves captivated. The more you see Bastion, especially in motion, the more breathtaking it is.Preview

Rage
Don’t let Rage’s bleak setting and muted color palette fool you. It’s actually glorious in motion, moving at a silky smooth pace even on consoles. And you don’t even notice a first how very solid all the textures look and how well lit the whole world seems to be. The game world in Rage may be sickly and struggling, but the game engine itself is alive and roaring.Preview

BloodRayne Betrayal
Another game that still screens simply can’t do justice, Betrayal somehow makes the title vampiress seem even more lithe and agile than before – probably something about the 4000 frames of animation the devs have given her. As a result, the entire game flows along as fluidly as the blood that seems to pour onto the screen every time Rayne sees another living creature. She’s feisty.Preview

And the winner
is…

June 20, 2011

The post GamesRadar E3 2011 Awards: Most Graphics appeared first on Game News.