It may not be the complete party game you're looking for, but there is still plenty of goofy entertainment to enjoy.
THE GOOD
-Rabbids add plenty of comic relief
-Fun and intuitive control scheme
-Great audio
-Story mode is highly entertaining
THE BAD
-Subpar visuals
-Mini-games get repetitive quickly
-Party mode has low replay value
OVERVIEW
Wacky, zany and all sort of crazy is the perfect way to describe Rayman Raving Rabbids. This "Mario Party" clone offers many fun and hilarious mini-games. The protagonist for the game is a guy named Rayman. Rayman is a unique fellow that doesn't have any arms or legs, instead his floating head is accompanied by a sweatshirt, gloves and sneakers (all disconnected). However, Rayman isn't the main attraction because his enemies steal the show; the Raving Rabbids. The Rabbids may look all cute and cuddley but don't be fooled because these creatures are completely insane!
Now Rayman's story begins in a peaceful meadow where he is enjoying a nice picnic under the sun. All of a sudden a gang of Rabbids come up from the ground, capture and imprison our ill-fated hero. The Rabbids force Rayman to entertain the masses in what first looks like a Roman gladiatorial contest. Your task is to complete five crazy mini-games per day for the rest of Rayman's life. Each mission puts our protagonist in various scenarios that ultimately end up inflicting lots of pain on the Rabbids playing along. Rayman's only chance of escaping is to try and win these competitions and sway the Rabbid masses in his favor. Alright so the story is out there, and I really mean out there, but the Rabbids are highly entertaining from their mannerisms to their ghastly screams of terror. Plus, the great part about these insane creatures is that there are so many of them!
GAMEPLAY
There are two game modes that this game has to offer: Story and Score. The story, mentioned above, is just for one player. In this mode you get to control Rayman through many different types of challenges; some simple in nature and others that are a bit more involved. The story is highly entertaining and is the shining star for the game. There is just something really gratifying about abusing these innocent looking Rabbids.
The Score mode serves as the game's party area. Unfortunately, you have to complete the story in order to unlock this so make sure you leave some time for yourself before inviting you friends over. Each of the mini-games from the story are available to either play by yourself or with up to four people. As a whole this isn't a great party experience because it's rather limited and most of the games incorporate similar formulas which can get repetitive quickly. Plus, most of the better challenges are better played by yourself because multiple people makes it cumbersome.
Alright, so let's move on and actually talk about the mini-game content. There are over 70 mini-games presented but that's a bit exaggerated because many of them reuse the same concept over and over again. There are a few unfulfilling and shallow games on the list but fortunately there are a handful of inspiring ones thrown into the mix. A couple of the standouts include an intense on-rails shooter and a groovy dance off with Rabbid renditions of popular songs like Ritchie Valens' La Bamba.
Raving Rabbids really uses the full range of the Wii Remote and actually does it quite well; unlike some other games for the console. As another plus, majority of the mini-games involve a control scheme that is intuitive to what you're actually doing on screen. There are those rare hiccups but for the most part Ubisoft did an excellent job here.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
Visually, this game needs some work. The environment and character animations have their fair share of glitches, making the game a real eye sore. There are a fair amount of vibrant colors used but it doesn't make up for the lack of quality.
The audio, however, works well to keep up with the outrageous theme carried out through the entire game. The sound effects are absolutely priceless form the way the Rabbids move and yell (when they are about to attack) to the gratifying squishing noise made when you get a head shot from your plunger gun. The soundtrack is also another high point for the game and there are many popular songs to unlock along the way.
CONCLUSION
Rayman Raving Rabbids overall is a decent game for the Nintnedo Wii. The superb use of the motion controls and entertaining story is worth playing. Plus, the slap-stick comedic value the Rabbids bring is pure gold. However, the limited multiplayer mode isn't ideal for those looking for the party game experience; which is why I would recommend this game for a smaller audience. Those beedy-eyed Rabbids may look cute on the outside but once you see them in action you'll quickly realize how absolutely insane they are!