PixlBit

It appears that Nintendo's not the only company that can make a stunning 2D platformer.

Last week if you would've asked me what Rayman game you should play to get into the series, I would've unquestionably told you Rayman 2: The Great Escape. Today, that all changes with Rayman Origins. This gorgeous platformer manages to surpass a longtime favorite of mine with its skillfully executed level design and charming presentation.

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Chili Dogs. Dr. Robotnik. Spin Dash. Death Egg. All things forgotten in the history of Sonic, and all things that make their return in Sonic Generations.

Sonic Generations begins, aptly enough, with classic Sonic playing through a new stage based on the original first Sonic stage: Green Hill Zone. Sure enough, there are all sorts of enemies like Motobugs (lady bugs on wheels) and Choppers (piranha bots that bite at Sonic while he crosses a bridge.) Sonic runs through a two-dimensional plane through the entirety of the stage, and with just the press of a button (or the traditional down + the jump button) he can charge up a spin-dash and take off.

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A mix of improvements from the first elevate the mechanics, but changes to the core gameplay harm the overall experience.

I know I'm going to be in the overwhelming minority here, but I have seriously mixed feelings about Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando. On one hand, the game drastically improved upon some of my gameplay complaints from the original title, on the other, it went ahead and created a whole new set of problems. Lenghty fetch quests and far too many required mini-games made the game feel drawn out and the overwhelming combat drastically overshadowed the platforming. This hurt an important core element of the game leaving it unbalanced, unfocused, and devoid of an element of character it once had before.

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Chessa leads the charge in an effort to recap the entire Ratchet & Clank series with a set of Review Rewinds.

With the release of Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One quickly approaching, we thought it would be interesting to go back and replay all of the entries in the Ratchet & Clank series starting with the original. As those who are familiar with our Review Rewinds may already know, these articles tend to stray from the standard PixlBit review formula, allowing the writer to analyze and critique a game in any way they desire. As such, when going back through the Ratchet & Clank series, we'll be focusing mainly on the staples of the series in order to fully capture how each has evolved as the series has grown.

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