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Robo-Pirates have taken over the peaceful world of the Teensies! Now a few ragtag groups of rebels have vowed to defend their planet from a fierce pirate named Razorbeard and his metallic minions. Rayman and his trusted friend Globox are two such heroes, determined to take on as many of the robots as possible.

For a while, their plan worked perfectly. Rayman used his powerful energy spheres to stun the robots while Globox created rain clouds to rust their bodies. Alas, their valiant efforts weren't enough. The army was simply too enormous, and the rest of the rebel groups eventually became isolated from each other. All of the leaders except one were captured, and the Robo-Pirates assumed control over the very heart of the planet.

Rayman heard the bitter news from Ly, a magical fairy who could always be counted on when the chips were down. Unfortunately, her powers have been weakened from the pirates' destruction of the Primordial Core, so she could not warn Rayman in time to prevent him from being captured. While Rayman was fending off a particularly nasty group of robots, Admiral Razorbeard ensnared the hero and promised him a lifetime of slavery.

Globox managed to escape the threat, and he reluctantly left as his best friend struggled helplessly in the clenched grip of a gigantic robot. Rayman had told Globox to seek out Ly and begin plans to stop the invasion, but it was hard to leave a friend in need. As he disappeared into the tall grass, Globox heard the following words from his friend: "It's not over yet, pirate! I'll find a way to escape and then I'll make you wish you'd never been born!"

Thus begins the story of Rayman 2: The Great Escape, the sequel to 1995's Rayman, which appeared on the PlayStation, Saturn, Jaguar and PC platforms. For those new to the series, the game stars a creature with no legs, neck or arms. While the original version was a side-scrolling platform game featuring 2D sprites, Rayman 2 is a 3D adventure composed of 13 worlds and 45 areas that cover such exotic locales as rainforests, jungles, canyons, caves, volcanoes and glaciers.

The default perspective is set behind the lead character as he struggles to escape Razorbeard's clutches so he can reunite with his friends. Moves at his disposal include firing short blasts of energy, climbing walls, swinging across chasms and swimming through water. Rayman will also learn new techniques as the game progresses, and he'll even be able to fly using his hair as a propeller!

Along the way you'll run across various characters who will help you achieve your goals. As in the original Rayman, you are required to rescue creatures trapped in cages and find certain objects that will allow you to save the world. In this case, it is finding the 1,000 fragments of the Primordial Core, the source of the planet's energy that was destroyed by the pirates.

By finding these glimmering beams of light, referred to as Yellow Lums, Rayman will be able to repair the damage caused by Razorbeard and his robotic gang. Also on hand are two other types of Lums: Green and Red. Each Green Lum acts as a checkpoint so Rayman can resume from where he left off should he die. The Red Lum will energize Rayman whenever he finds himself low on health. Other Lums will grant him special powers or techniques once touched.

Rayman 2: The Great Escape supports the optional Expansion Pak accessory for high-resolution graphics, but a Controller Pak is needed in order to save progress (each save uses one page out of 123). The game also lets users play in one of five languages (English, French, Spanish, Italian and German), adjust the screen display and set the level of sound. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide