A prototype video for Rayman 4 has been shared online, giving us a glimpse at what could have been before it was turned into Raving Rabbids.

Following Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc, very early work began on Rayman 4, which was envisioned as a return to the world of the original game, but this time in 3D. Concept art showed off areas like Band Land and indicated that Rayman would have even more abilities than in the third game, some giving him abilities such as using shadow puppets and gum.

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Although Rayman 4's concept art has been out there in the wild for some time, a prototype video created by Phoenix Studio to show off what the game might look like has recently surfaced.

The footage was posted to YouTube from an account called Robin and shows Rayman adventuring through Band Land from the original game. A caveman-esque Rayman is following behind the main player and seems to phase in and out of existence.

Combat is then shown off and it looks like it would have been very similar to Hoodlum Havoc, including directional punches. The caveman Rayman then slams into the air and disappears, defeating the enemies. Another short clip shows a Rabbit Rayman creating mushrooms to use as platforms.

It's not clear how this test footage has suddenly been released, but it's interesting to get another look at a cancelled Rayman project. Animation tests from the project were released last year, but this is the best look yet at what the game might have been like.

The test footage looks promising and very similar to Rayman 3, although we know that Ubisoft decided to go in another direction and focus on the Rabbids. Rayman Raving Rabbids also started life as an action platformer, but slowly morphed into a party game that ironically ended up putting leading vegetable thingamajig Rayman into a hiatus.

It's not all doom and gloom though, as Rayman made a comeback a few years later with Rayman Origins and then its sequel, Rayman Legends. Shame he's gone quiet again.

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