You can go ahead and keep your “Last of Uses” and your “Grand Theft Autos” – when it comes to amazing titles of the previous generation, I’d put Rayman Origins at the top of my list. The game was perfect in so many ways. The animation, the music, the gameplay – every aspect of that game was a work of art. And although it had quite a bumpy ride – going from a Wii U exclusive to being delayed to releasing on all consoles – its sequel, Rayman Legends is finally available for the next-generation consoles… and not much has changed. It’s more of the same from Rayman and his buddies, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Platforms: PC, PS3 (Version Played), PS4 (Version Played), Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier
Genre: Side-Scrolling Tomfoolery
Release Date: September 3, 2013 (PC, PS3, Wii U, Xbox 360), February 18, 2014 (PS4, Xbox One)
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+
Rayman Legends is 2D platforming at its finest. At its core, you have all the basics of a classic side-scroller: move from point A to point B, kill bad guys, and collect everything that you can get your mitts on. Each level contains ten captured Teensies that need rescuing. Several levels are locked, and can only be accessed by saving X number of Teensies. There are also Lums to collect. Think of them as Rayman’s take on Mario’s coins or Sonic’s rings. Collecting enough of them in a level earns you a Bronze, Silver, or Gold Medal, as well as prize-dispensing Lucky Tickets that you can scratch off using the DualShock 4’s touchscreen. One of the changes made from Origins to Legends deals with the Lums. In Origins, if you grab a Lum King, it temporarily makes all other Lums turn purple and double in value. In Legends, Lums are in groups, the first being purple and worth double the points. Collect that one, and the next turns purple. The point is to earn as many Lums as possible by collecting them in order. Go out of order, and you lose out on the extra points for that entire group. I do prefer the new method, but man will I miss the original’s singing Lums.
Having bested their enemies at the end of Origins, Rayman and his buddies decide to take a one hundred-year nap. Unfortunately, during their slumber, The Bubble Dreamer’s nightmares have amassed in number, taking over the land and kidnapping the ten princesses. To make matters worse, the evil magician from the first game, thought defeated, split himself into five dark Teensies and is wreaking his own havoc. Hey, I didn’t say it had to make sense. Just look at it this way… you’re the good guys. They’re the bad guys. Go get ‘em, champ.
This is where we are reintroduced to one of Rayman’s oldest friends and an interesting addition to the game: Murfy, the greenbottle fly who has guided Rayman on so many of his adventures. In Legends, Murfy helps by attacking baddies, moving platforms, and removing dangerous obstacles. Originally used as a means of showing off the capabilities of the Wii U GamePad, his moves are mapped to the Circle button on the PS4.. While it can be a bit difficult at first trying to focus on both what your character and Murfy are doing, it does get easier with time.
Normally, a 2D platformer has you going from left to right in order to reach the exit. But many gamers feel that this tried-and-true method gets quite boring after a while. Understanding these complaints, Ubisoft broke up the monotony by including levels that have you moving up a sinking tower, or navigating an underwater mansion, Super Metroid-style. One level in particular involves working your way through a maze fraught with dangerous traps. And if you get bored with the base game, you can play a surprisingly addictive soccer minigame against your friends.
But the fun doesn’t end there. In addition to your regular, story-based levels, you can also unlock “invasion” levels which force Rayman to race the clock towards the end of the level. There is such a feeling of exhilaration and accomplishment when you finish a level with only a fraction of a second left. The aforementioned Lucky Tickets also earn you access to 40 re-imagined levels from Rayman Origins (and yes, those do include some of the fantastic treasure chest chase levels). Add to that leaderboards and challenge levels that change every day, and you’ve got a game that is just packed with content.
Rayman Legends looks gorgeous, too. This is quite possibly one of the most colorful and cheerful games I’ve ever played. The hand-drawn characters and levels have so much personality, and are a real pleasure on the eyes. I’m such a huge sucker for smooth animation, and Rayman Legends delivers that in spades. The developers likely spent a majority of their research watching Chuck Jones and Tex Avery cartoons. Some of the animations also reminded me of the beautifully-animated Earthworm Jim. The overreactions and elaborate movements are a joy to watch. You really have to see it to appreciate it.
There are certain soundtracks that I can listen to over and over. Fez is one of them. Scott Pilgrim vs the World being another. A hefty number of 8-bit games. Rayman Origins, of course. And now Rayman Legends joins that list. The music is so varied – from silly, to mysterious, to outright epic – and every track matches its level perfectly. A few songs from Rayman Origins are reused in Legends, which does seem to be a bit “phoned-in.” But the songs are so great, I’m happy to hear them a second time. The voices and sound effects are also crisp and clear, and in some cases (paratrooping toads humming Flight of the Valkyries) are outright hilarious. And the music levels – oh, the music levels. These bonus levels, which reimagine popular licensed tracks (such as “Eye of the Tiger” and “Black Betty”), are only available once you beat the final boss of a world. Listening to a salsa version of Eye of the Tiger while hopping across platforms in tune to the beat never gets old. If Ubisoft made an entire game using these types of levels, I’d buy it in a heartbeat.
Rayman Legends controls flawlessly, too – which is a must for a game that is so heavily focused on perfect timing. Every jump, every punch has to be spot-on, and there is very little room for error. Legends also features four-player multiplayer (up from two in Origins), and really makes the game much more enjoyable. Having a buddy help you get past a level or beat a particularly tough boss just adds to the replayability of this title. It is unfortunate that there is no online multiplayer, but couch co-op is still a lot of fun. And for those looking for a multiplayer game to play with the kids, Rayman Legends definitely appeals to all ages. It is age-appropriate, so you can play it with your kids and not have to worry about them seeing anything unsuitable.
I’m sure you’re wondering if it’s worth it to pick this title up for the new generation of systems or to just get it for the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3. There certainly isn’t anything wrong with picking up the game on the last-gen systems, but on the PS4 there is no loading whatsoever. The transition from one level to the next is flawless and quick. It was just like playing an SNES or Genesis cartridge game from the early 90s. You can also use the DualShock 4’s touchscreen to pan and zoom on a paused screen to take and share a more precise in-game screenshot. If you have the means, I highly recommend getting the upgraded version, but you certainly won’t go wrong with picking up the last-gen version either.
Side-scrollers are near the top of my favorite video game genres list. I find them to be some of the most engaging experiences one can have. Rayman Legends is a perfect testament to that assertion. It harkens back to a time when video games weren’t about pushing pixels or signing famous actors to voice roles. No, Rayman Legends is all about what video games should be – delivering a fun experience. It is charming and personable, challenging and rewarding, and an absolute joy to play for gamers of all ages. There’s enough content to keep you coming back for a long time, and is especially fun when playing with a group of your buddies. The PS4 version is a blast, but the journey is a fun one no matter what system you play it on. So grab a controller (or four), pick up a copy, and have some fun. I guarantee that you’ll be smiling the whole time.
Review Disclosure: A review copy of Rayman Legends was provided by Ubisoft for the purposes of this review.
