iPhone Reviews 2.0

When Rayman Jungle Run arrived on the scene last year I wasn't expecting much. When these big name titles arrive on the App Store they are usually ports of games that are designed first and foremost for controllers. While yes, they are enjoyable and playable, its not the same as having a spectacular game that was handcrafted for iOS use.

That is exactly what Rayman Jungle Run was. Simplified controls, beautiful graphics and a fun new twist on two genres gave us what I'd consider to be one of the best games on the App Store. The fact that it was from a big name developer gave me confidence that yes, this platform is being taken seriously and we will start to see more big names. Electronic Arts were big players at the beginning of the App Store but have dropped off dramatically, leaving the gap open for someone like Ubisoft.

Unlike the original, I opened Rayman Fiesta Run with high expectations. I knew what kind of fun I was about to experience and wanted more. Is that all Rayman Fiesta Run is though? A game with 'more of the same' or does it expand on the Rayman Run universe in the same kind of way that Angry Birds Star Wars revolutionized the Angry Birds franchise?

Presentation

Once again the graphics in Rayman Fiesta Run are top notch. The vibrant graphics that have been established for a long long time with the Rayman games has been brought once again. The last game featured a jungle theme, where as Fiesta Run is a food themed game. This has provided a great setting for the 72 levels in this game.



Rayman will be running and jumping through lush masterpieces full of sausages and soda. These are interactive environments that feature moving set pieces and constantly changing backgrounds. Everything flows smoothly with perfect animation throughout the entire journey. The game could potentially fall stagnant by repeating areas like most endless runners, but the levels are always changing their theme which is fantastic. The small touches are often what takes a game to that premium quality and Rayman Fiesta Run fits the bill perfectly.

The audio in this game is a variation of sound effects and a soothing soundtrack. Even for a game that comes with a large amount of death (At user fault of course) towards the end of the game, it manages to still be a cheerful experience. The bubbly sound of Rayman is what keeps it as the fun loving game, perfectly entwining with the bright and colourful setting you see on the screen.

Gameplay

Rayman Fiesta Run is essentially two games in one. There are 72 levels which are split into two different modes, a normal and hardcore setting essentially. Repeating levels on the new hardcore mode you unlock once getting 100% on the normal one is a completely different beast. It not only adds length to this game, but doesn't feel like something that is simply tacked on as an irrelevant extra.

The aim of the game is to guide Rayman through the short, but sweet levels collecting all 100 lums and making it to the finish line. This is achieved by jumping, punching and gliding your way to the end using two buttons while Rayman automatically runs. This simplifies the game just enough to work perfectly on the touchscreen, but not so much that you don't feel in complete control.



Finishing levels saves 'Teensies' which are essentially the steps required to unlocking more levels. As you save more Teensies, you also unlock new characters and artwork which can be purchased with the Lums you earn. I really liked how this is a premium title that while it has IAP to get more Lums earlier, you do not need to utilise it at all. In fact I completed the entire game and bought anything and had to grind no less than I already was to finish all levels 100%. Something like this could have been abused and I am very glad that the purely premium approach is still being used.

What makes Rayman Fiesta Run such a standout game however? The gameplay is fluid, and most importantly run. You don't get access to all of Rayman's skills at the beginning so gameplay is continually changing. So many titles on the App Store features an exorbitant number of levels that become tiresome after a while. This game is long enough to get your moneys worth while being able to regularly twist things to keep you wanting more.

Conclusion

Rayman Fiesta Run is a fantastic sequel to Jungle Run. While keeping the same winning formula, it manages to improve in a vast array of areas to topple the experience I had with the first. I hope they continue the series and I can see this type of game as a really cool multiplayer title. I'd like to see Ubisoft expand the connectivity in a third title with perhaps an endless runner multiplayer mode in the same style of the hardcore levels. Challenging your friends would open up a whole new area for Rayman, which is a game you can't really do much with once you get 100%. This is the only small gripe I have about such a fantastic game that should be showcased on every iOS device.

Gameplay- 9.5/10

Overall- 9.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Rayman Jungle Run