The Menhir Hills
From RayWiki
The Menhir Hills is a location from Rayman 2: The Great Escape, Rayman 2: Revolution, and Rayman DS. It is characterized by its focus on riding Walking Shells, its short length (one of the shortest levels in all versions of Rayman 2), being the only level other than the Fairy Glade and Marshes of Awakening that Rayman must re-visit at least once to complete the game, and being the first level in the game to give Rayman a sidekick--in this case, Clark.
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[edit] Description
The Menhir Hills are mountainous foothills covered with large, pine tree-like boulders known as "menhirs," hence the area's name. In most regions of the foothills, barely a sound of life can be heard, though every now and then the falling over of a menhir breaks the silence. Large trees stand as loners in the small clearings that dot the landscape. A great river flows through the Menhir Hills, and bridges are twice necessary to cross them.
The Menhir Hills are in several instances exceedingly difficult to cross on foot; similar to the Lava Sanctuary, patches of the hills are engulfed by giant, thorny plant roots crossable only by machines. These roots occasionally poke out of the walls of the several small tunnels that pave holes in the mountainside. Where the roots don't grow, the ground is still commonly too steep to hike.
When Admiral Razorbeard seized Rayman's world, the Menhir Hills was the construction site of two Robo-Pirate training facilities: the Military Academy and the Elite Troop Training Academy. These facilities largely cut the hills into three segments.
[edit] As a Level
The Menhir Hills is one of the few levels in Rayman 2 to generally be exactly the same in every version, with the exception of some terminology. The Menhir Hills must be passed through twice; once after the Sanctuary of Water and Ice (Whale Bay in the PS version), and again after the Cave of Bad Dreams. In Rayman 2: Revolution, the Menhir Hills are located near Globox's House.
[edit] The First Visit
When Rayman first arrives in the Menhir Hills (in Revolution the Globox's House Teensie explains that Clark went to the hills and Rayman must follow him), Murfy immediately appears right in Rayman's face and warns him about the nearby academy's Walking Bullet. Murfy hints that the bullet may be tamable, and Rayman shortly does just that. By riding the Walking Bullet, Rayman is able to cross a patch of thorned plant roots to reach the Military Academy.
Rayman enters the academy to find two Henchman 800s asleep; though the sign outside hints at sneaking past them, the Robo-Pirates are of the weak variety and are fairly easy to defeat (though particularly in all versions but Revolution this is the first time multiple Robo-Pirates are encountered at the same time) (it should also be noted that there are more than two Robo-Pirates in the academy in Revolution, some of which being hidden). Whatever the player has Rayman do, the hero must continue on to leave the small academy.
After taming another Walking Shell, Rayman crosses a root patch and must dodge and weave through crates and the thorned roots that protrude in the various tunnels he goes through. The end of the ride leaves Rayman at the entrance of the Elite Troop Training Academy. As intimidating as the name is, Rayman soon finds there's nothing to worry about: Clark has already taken care of the students inside.
Clark is not feeling well; apparently, while fighting the Robo-Pirates he accidentally swallowed a robot part. Clark's future will not be bright unless Rayman can bring him the Elixir of Life from the Cave of Bad Dreams.
This requirement forces the level to end immediately, unfinished. In all versions other than the PS version, Rayman must backtrack to the Marshes of Awakening (in Revolution's case, this may be the first visit) to locate the Guardian of the Cave of Bad Dreams. As Rayman does not know the cave's name prior to his encounter with Clark, this cave was not accessible prior to the encounter. In the PS version, Rayman may go directly to the Cave of Bad Dreams from the Menhir Hills.
[edit] The Return Visit
In all versions other than Revolution, Rayman is again lectured by Murfy about the Walking Bullets when he returns to the Menhir Hills. Rayman must travel through the entire level once more until he reaches Clark.
Revived by the Elixir of Life, Clark busts a wooden wall in the Elite Troop Training Academy, allowing Rayman access to the empty school. Rayman must lead Clark to other wooden walls so that he may break through them as well. In the end Rayman leaves Clark and descends a staircase leading out of the academy.
In the final segment of the Menhir Hills, Rayman must once again tame a Walking Shell. After doing so, he must ride it up a steep slope and then through a tunnel full of rising menhirs. The tunnel leads to a menhir "forest" full of toppling menhirs Rayman must dodge; the bridge he crosses has a similar set of obstacles. Finally, after avoiding the many menhirs, Rayman and the Walking Bullet leap off a cliff and into a portal. The level is now finished, though incomplete.
[edit] The Final Visit
After Rayman has completed the Canopy, he is able to light torches. An alcove under the entrance of the Elite Troop Training Academy holds one of the Menhir Hills' cages, but to reach it Rayman must first light a nearby torch and ride a Keg over a large gap.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Enemies
- Walking Shell (debut)
- Blue Henchman 800 (non-Revolution only)
- Purple Henchman 800
- Green Henchman 800 (Revolution only)
- Yellow Henchman 800 (Revolution only)
- Thorned plant root (debut)
[edit] Trivia
- Admiral Razorbeard's bulletin about the Military Academy requests that visitors be quiet so as not to distract the cadets from their "deep concentration." However, the cadets are actually sleeping.
- In the Rayman DS and the N64 and PC versions of Rayman 2, a Walking Shell runs by the Hall of Doors Menhir Hills portal.
[edit] See Also
[edit] Level Details
[edit] Rayman 2/Rayman DS
Sanctuary of Water and Ice => The Menhir Hills => Cave of Bad Dreams
Cave of Bad Dreams => The Menhir Hills => Canopy
- Level Type: Mountain
- Number of Lums: 50
- Number of Cages: 7
[edit] Rayman 2: Revolution
Sanctuary of Water and Ice => The Menhir Hills => Marshes of Awakening
Cave of Bad Dreams => The Menhir Hills => Canopy
- Level Type: Mountain
- Number of Lums: 50
- Number of Familiar Spirits: 7
- Location: Globox's House - Main Area
[edit] Rayman 2 (PS Version)
Whale Bay => The Menhir Hills => Canopy
The Menhir Hills => Cave of Bad Dreams
- Level Type: Mountain
- Number of Lums: 55
- Number of Denys: 2
- Number of Ludivs: 3
