Rayman 4 (cancelled prototype)

Rayman 4

Published by	Ubisoft
Developed by	Phoenix Interactive Entertainment

Directed by	{{{directed by}}}
Produced by	{{{produced by}}}
Designed by	{{{designed by}}}
Programmed by	Gregory Corgie
Art by	Jean-Marie Godeau (artistic director) Yann Le Pon Guillaume Bonamy Emeline Bellemin (character design and backgrounds)
Written by	{{{written by}}}
Soundtrack by	{{{soundtrack by}}}

Release date	Planned for 2006
Genre	3D platformer
Gameplay mode
Platforms	Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation Portable, Microsoft Windows
Ratings	{{{ratings}}}
Distribution media	{{{distribution media}}}
System requirements	{{{system requirements}}}

Rayman 4 is an unreleased 3D platform game developed for Ubisoft by Phoenix Interactive Entertainment. Had it not been cancelled, Rayman 4 would have been the first game in the main Rayman series not to be developed by the Ubisoft Montpellier studio.

The project had its beginnings in 2005, when concept art was created for various environments and characters. The story is largely unknown, but an early draft may have existed at this point. An unknown amount of programming, modelling, texturing and special effects creation was carried out during the pre-production of the game.^[1]^[2] It was officially announced by Ubisoft at a press conference in October 2005, with a confirmed 2006 release date.^[3]

Most of what is known about Phoenix's Rayman 4 comes from early artwork, which has been leaked gradually in the years since the game's cancellation. It depicts much more surreal and colourful environments than those which were seen in early Rayman Raving Rabbids images and trailers; many of these Rayman 4 environments were 3D recreations of areas from the original Rayman.

In May 2006, Ubisoft unveiled Rayman Raving Rabbids, a new 3D platformer being developed by Ubisoft Montpellier under the direction of series creator Michel Ancel. There has been much confusion regarding the relationship of these games, since Rayman 4 was also the working title of Rayman Raving Rabbids. This confusion was furthered by the Game Boy Advance version of Rayman Raving Rabbids, which incorporated aspects of both cancelled games. Since the cancellation of Phoenix's Rayman 4 was followed quickly by the development of Ubisoft Montpellier's Rayman 4, there may have been some connection between the two, but this remains unconfirmed.

Plot

The plot of Rayman 4 is almost completely unknown, as only a little story information can be gleaned from the concept artwork. It appears that the game would have involved Rayman revisiting numerous locations from the original game, recreated in 3D and to a high level of accuracy. This contrasts with Rayman Origins, where the heroes explore locations based on the same themes as those of the original game, but with distinct differences; for example, the Desert of Dijiridoos is evidently based on Band Land, but is clearly not the same place.

One piece of Rayman 4 artwork shows Rayman standing in a vast, cathedral-like area, decorated with stained-glass windows and statues which depict 'Dark Rayman'. If a level was themed about this character, it can be speculated that he may have played a significant role in the plot.

Gameplay

Little is know about the gameplay of Rayman 4, but the concept artwork makes it clear that it was intended to be a 3D platformer.

It seems that one of the game's key features was Rayman's transformation into various guises, each one granting a unique power. Concept art shows Rayman in various forms: regular Rayman, mime Rayman, chewing-gum Rayman, bubble Rayman, invisible Rayman, hedgehog Rayman, Super Helicopter Rayman, ghost Rayman, torch Rayman, Bigfoot Rayman, and boxing Rayman. These forms contrast with the costumes seen in Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc, as it seems that Rayman would have gained powers by undergoing physical transformations rather than donning new gear. It is unknown which of these power ideas would have survived to the final stage of the game's development.

Concept artwork depicting Rayman's various transformations

Levels

Guillaume Bonamy concept art

In 2009, several pieces of artwork from 2005 were published on videogame concept artist Guillaume Bonamy's portfolio. They feature three-dimensional versions of Band Land and Picture City, as well as new environments called le Palais Temporel (the Temporal Palace), le Monde Organique (the Organic World) and an unnamed world of toys. While the latter two new environments were eventually adapted for the Game Boy Advance version of Rayman Raving Rabbids, the Temporal Palace was seemingly abandoned.

A three-dimensional version of Band Land
Band Land
A cavern in Picture City
Picture City
The Temporal Palace
The Organic World
A world of toys

Yann Le Pon–Emeline Bellemin–Jean-Marie Godeau concept art

In 2012, several pieces of Rayman 4 artwork were posted on the portfolio of concept artist Emeline Bellemin. These images, which were drawn by artist Yann Le Pon and coloured by Bellemin, showed further illustrations of the three-dimensional Picture City, as well as images of the Organic Cave and several new environments. Other images have been posted on the site of Jean-Marie Godeau, the game's artistic director.