The armless and legless Rayman was always the most surreal video games character out there; Mario and his pals might be a peculiar bunch but the world that Rayman lives in makes the Mushroom Kingdom look like Slough. And as
Rayman 3 begins our hero is rudely awoken to find out his hands have been stolen, which leaves him in the peculiar position of being just a pair of feet with a torso and head floating weirdly above them.
The errant body parts are quickly recovered, though, as you discover the evil André's plot to take control of the heart of the world, or something. Rayman 3 is at heart a fairly traditional platformer, albeit one with a stronger emphasis on combat, thanks to a well-implemented targeting system. The fact that Rayman's hairdo works like a helicopter allows you to avoid otherwise fatal falls relatively easily (a bit like Mario's backpack) and also ensures that the game is less frustrating than the norm.
The other main addition to the gameplay is five special costumes, which, for a short period of time, gives Rayman the use of a Ratchet & Clank-style swingshot or giant metal fists. Unoriginal it may be but thanks to the surreal graphics and atmosphere there's plenty here for everyone to enjoy, whether they liked the other Rayman games or not. --David Jenkins