Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc

Plot synopsis:
André, the leader of the Black Lums, is a lum who was supposedly said to have grown out of pure evil. One night, he transforms other Red Lums into Black Lums to join him. The group eventually gains enough hair from various animals throughout the forest to dress themselves as Hoodlums. In the middle of the process, Murfy, one of the residents and workers of the Fairy Council, discovers them. André later discovers him hiding nearby and begins to pursue him. Murfy is eventually chased to a small clearing, where Rayman and his friend Globox are sound asleep. Just as Murfy reaches them, Globox is awakened by the commotion. Now aware of the situation, Globox helps Murfy try to get Rayman, who is still asleep, to safety. In the process, Globox accidentally removes Rayman's hands, forcing Murfy to pick Rayman up by his hair and drag him away from the clearing himself. In an attempt to save himself, Globox runs away to safety, taking Rayman's hands along with him.
As time passes, more and more Hoodlums invade the forest. After reaching the entrance to the Council, Rayman and Murfy discover Globox hiding in a barrel. Just as Rayman gets his hands back from Globox, André and a few of his minions appear, following Globox as he flees into the Council. As Rayman and Murfy pursue them, they learn of André's evil plan: to taint the heart of the world so that he can create an army of Hoodlums. Eventually, André catches up with Globox, who ends up accidentally swallowing the evil creature. Afterwards, Rayman attempts to seek out a doctor that can rid André from Globox's insides and Murfy departs from the team, warning Rayman that the Black Lum may force Globox to drink plum juice, in spite of the latter's allergy to it. Along the way, Rayman meets up with three doctors: Otto Psi (a play on the word autopsy), Romeo Patti (homeopathy), and Art Rytus (arthritis). After all three doctors attempt to independently purge André by using various parts of Globox's body as musical instruments, they succeed in getting rid of him after collaborating in Art Rytus' clinic room. Refusing to admit defeat, André teams up with Reflux, a member of the Knaaren race that Rayman had previously defeated.
Reflux steals the scepter of the Leptys - a god worshiped by his people - from the child king of the Knaaren and uses it to increase his power, which in turn will allow Andre to infinitely reproduce. With Globox's help, Rayman climbs to the top of the Tower of the Leptys and faces Reflux and André as the former transforms into a giant winged monster. After a prolonged battle, Rayman and Globox destroy Reflux and Rayman turns André back into a Red Lum. Shortly thereafter, Rayman and Globox return to the clearing that they were in before. Before they resume their nap, Globox admits that he misses André and would like him back, but Rayman says that's not a good idea and that he doesn't know how. Globox says that a Red Lum has to be scared to be a Black Lum to which Rayman replies that he would hate to imagine what could scare a Lum. A flashback to before the beginning of the game reveals that Rayman unwittingly created André when his hands went off on their own and scared a Red Lum with frightening shadow puppets.

Tags: psychedelic, fantasy

Review: