Rayman (Reboot)

"'A new story, a new world, a new Rayman.'"

"- Release tagline."

Rayman, also referred to as Rayman Rebooted, is a action-adventure platformer game concept by Red-Verse-Writer, which unlike similar ideas by Red-Verse-Writer is not a remake but rather a complete reboot of the Rayman series. It revolves around the titular limbless protagonist, who is found as a baby by the inhabitants of the Glade of Dreams and raised by them until the evil Mr. Dark and his minions threaten the world, destroying the Primordial Heart and causing the world to begin destabilizing. Rayman and his friends are the only ones left who can battle against Mr. Dark and fight to restore harmony across the world, in the process learning of Rayman's origins and his place in the universe.

Gameplay
Rayman features both 2D and 3D stages, with the player controlling Rayman or one of his allies in single player and Rayman and his friends in multiplayer as they progress through platforming and action-oriented stages across multiple worlds, all of which possess at least twelve levels, at least two of which are boss stages. Compared to previous games in the franchise, progression through stages is much more non-linear, and the areas themselves are much more open and explorable. Each world also possesses five secret levels that must be found via hidden entrances in the main stages, one of which is a "Tricky Treasure" level where the player must conquer a gauntlet of difficult obstacles to acquire a exclusive item, and another of which is a "Mr. Dark's Dare" level where the player must complete a objective while under a time limit.

During combat with enemies, the player can alternate between long-range and close-range attacks. Long-range combat is similar to the combat featured in Rayman 2 and Rayman 3, with Rayman using various long-range punches and kicks, energy spheres, and firearms such as a plunger-shooting gun, a laser pistol and a grappling hook. Close-range combat is more akin to the combat mechanics seen in the Devil May Cry franchise, with the player being able to use varied moves and receiving increased ratings and rewards for "stylish" combat while avoiding damage, filling up the gauge from "Dumb" to "Cool" to "Bodacious" to "Awesome" to "Smooth" to the final "WTF?!" rank, whereupon the gauge will automatically empty back to "Dumb" rank and immediately reward the player rather than requiring them to wait for combat to end.

From the start of the game, Rayman can walk, jump, swim, throw his fists and use his hair as a helicopter in both 2D and 3D stages. In the 2D stages, he can also crawl and make a grimace that can scare away certain enemies, and in 3D stages he can run and grab ledges from the start. As the game progresses, he gains several new abilities for both types of stage, including running and grabbing ledges in the 2D stages, using his fist to tether "cowardly" platforms to prevent them disappearing, wall-running, throwing his torso as a projectile to break obstructions below him, and use his helicopter hair on the ground to create a continuous airstream. There are also various temporary powers he can acquire via collecting a "Laser-Washing Powder" can, which will provide him with one of ten temporary powers depending on the can collected, which are used to help battle enemies and progress through certain areas. Other temporary powers appear exclusively in certain areas, such as a magic seed that can be used to create gigantic plants that can be used platforms.

Backstory
The game takes place in The Archipelago, a series of colourful, diverse and zany islands in the Sea of Lums on an unknown planet, where various races and creatures exist. The Archipelago is sustained and powered by its Primordial Core, whereas a ball-like artefact known as the Great Protoon maintains peace and balance throughout The Archipelago.

On the Hidden Island, a mysterious island hidden from the rest of the Archipelago and populated by limbless people, a wise wizard known only as the Magician was researching the ancient force known as Nightmare, which was supposedly said to have grown out of pure evil. After his wife Betilla walks in on his research with their newborn son Rayman, the Magician completes his research and sees Nightmare in its purest form, a sight so horrific he goes mad and evil. Overtaken by Nightmare’s dark powers, he kills Betilla and casts Rayman adrift in a basket. The infant Rayman washes up on the shores of the island known as the Glade of Dreams, where he is taken in and raised by the Teensy wizards alongside Polokus, another strange orphaned creature found by the inhabitants of the Glade of Dreams on the same day.

The Battle Begins
On the day of Rayman and Polokus's seventeenth birthday, the Magician, now known as Mr. Dark, and his thirteen disciples, the Dark Teensies, return to The Archipelago to steal the Great Protoon and blow up the Primordial Core, which scatters into 1,000,000 Yellow Lums. As a result of this, the Archipelago is placed in danger of destabilising, nearly all the inhabitants are placed under Mr. Dark's control, and the Electoons, small pink beings that gravitate around the Great Protoon, and Teensies are all captured by the evil forces. Polokus is also put into a coma, only being able to communicate with Rayman telepathically. Rayman teams up with the only other unaffected inhabitants of The Archipelago: Globox, a gentle, sensitive frog-like creature who is Rayman's best friend; Murfy, a jaded, sarcastic flying "greenbottle" who possesses knowledge of virtually everything across The Archipelago; Grand Minimus, the king of the Teensies who is set on rescuing his subjects, Barbara, a hot-headed young barbarian princess whose fourteen sisters have been kidnapped by the forces of Mr. Dark; Goth Teensy and Mr. Dead, the guardians of the Death Door, a door which connects to the nightmarish Land of the Dead and has been opened by the Dark Teensies to gather more recruits for Mr. Dark's evil army; Ly, Rayman's nymph girlfriend who is able to create the rare and coveted Silver Lums; Rob, a member of the underground race of Rabbids who is much more intelligent and ambitious than the rest of his lazy and violent kin; and Little D., a fanatical Mr. Dark admirer who nonetheless agrees to help them.