Rayman 3 can be reviewed from (at least) two perspectives: As a platformer in isolation, focusing on its gameplay merits and as a sequel to Rayman 2, which in my opinion, is one of the greatest platformers to come out for the PC. From a mechanical standpoint, Rayman 3 delivers and has aged very well. Tight controls, good level design, nice variety in power ups and reasonable length. One can argue that the graphics were fairly plain even in 2003, as they do not use fancy lighting or shaders. However, they suit the cartoonish visual style, sporting nice color palettes, and there's some charm in their unadorned T&L "flatness". However, as a sequel to its predecessor, Rayman 3 falls flat in nearly every aspect. Rayman 2 is a wonderful little epic about the good ol' battle between good and evil, sporting a charming and memorable cast of characters. While its narrative was hardly original, it was delivered with such heart and humor that it was easy to get reeled in by its distinct, wacky presentation. A brilliant soundtrack helps to underpin many distinct settings as well as dramatic boss fights. With good reason, the game has been named in the past as one of the best of all time. Rayman 3 does not attempt to continue the grand narrative scope of its predecessor. Instead, it puts forward a flimsy premise about a Lum (one of the creatures introduced in the previous game) turning evil and rallying other evil lums in an attempt to take over the world. The joyful nature of the previous game is replaced by a lot of very dark, mean-spirited and otherwise lame commentary. This gives the game an unduly sinister undertone which really spoils the atmosphere generated by its visual design and musical cues, which are occasionally quite mesmermizing. There are very few characters of note in the game and very little in the way of tying its progression together into a coherent narrative. As such, Rayman 3 is less of a sequel and more of a cynical, overdrawn riff on its predecessor.
