Rayman Legends
Score: 100% ESRB: Everyone 10+ Publisher: Ubisoft Entertainment Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier Media: Blu-ray/1 Players: 1 - 4 (Local Only) Genre: Platformer (2D)/ Action
Graphics & Sound: Rayman Legends is one of the greatest 2D platformers of all time. It continues the noble work of Rayman Origins, a game that masterfully blends old-school hardcore platforming challenges with an irresistibly quirky cartoon aesthetic. Not much is different about this exquisite sequel, but it's better than all of its competition. Yes, New Super Mario Bros. I'm looking squarely at you. Long story short, if you like 2D platformers, you should own this game. Where do I even begin with Rayman Legends' extraordinary visuals? Is it in the explosively vivid color palette? Or is it in the character models, which ooze charm out of every inch of their being? How about the stunning animation work, which renders this bizarre bunch of creatures some of the most adorably expressive video game characters of the generation? It's in all of it. Rayman Legends takes the high artistic standard set by its predecessor and punts it skyward. No inch of this stunning and lovingly hand-crafted world is wasted: everything is a character. It's equal parts beautiful and bizarre, and it's a perfect litmus test for those who question whether or not they have a soul. Those who do will be tickled pink (and all other colors on the spectrum) by all the goofiness and cartoonish wonderment. Cap all of this off with nearly non-existent load times, and you've got what is hands-down one of the finest looking games ever. Rayman Legends looks absolutely gorgeous, but it marries its exceptional sense of style with audio design that is patently designed to have you giggling uncontrollably. Composers Christophe Héral and Billy Martin have obviously been tinkering around in some sort of crazy laboratory full of chipmunks, whoopee cushions, and also the Macedonian Radio Symphonic Orchestra, resulting in a soundtrack that frequently goes from majestic to bonkers at the drop of a hat. There are a handful of licensed music covers in here, and...well...I can't ruin them for you, because they are just too awesome. There isn't a whole lot of voicework in this game, but it's not really necessary. Everything that needs to be communicated is done so with style and charm in lieu of words.
Gameplay: After the events of Rayman Origins, our heroes Rayman, Globox, and their legion of pals have earned another century of peaceful sleep. But the Magician, who also survived the game, has been plotting and scheming along with the Bubble Dreamer's nightmares, being the all-around jerks that they are. During Rayman's little nap, seven hundred Teensies and ten Princesses are captured. And so our limbless hero ventures out once more to save his friends. Rayman Legends' story is mainly there for context, as the gameplay is the star of the show. Not much has changed, and that's a good thing; Origins' platforming was a delicious combination of buttercream and lightning, and its level design played wonderfully off of Rayman's abilities. The same is true for Legends. So this means more running, jumping, hovering, swimming, swinging, and sliding as you attempt to save the Teensies and the Princesses. As you delight in Rayman's exhilarating acrobatics, you'll come across a number of collectibles in each level. Of course, Lums make a return, but the way they operate this time around is a bit different. There are no more King Lums -- giant Lums that made smaller Lums double in value and break out into song. If you want your Lums to be worth more, you'll need to collect them in a particular sequence. Purple Lums are always at the front of one of these sequences, and when you grab it, you earn two Lums instead of one -- and the next one turns purple. It's a great reward for precision platforming and an effective teaching tool, as well. Most levels contain ten Teensies that Rayman needs to free. Some of these are out in the open, being terrorized by enemies. Others are not, and require a keen eye and the drive of an explorer. Two Teensies are always hidden in special bonus rooms, and the other eight can generally be found anywhere in the level proper. A special list smartly documents the sequence of each found and hidden Teensy, so if you miss one, you'll at least have an idea of where you can find it. And once you rescue the Princesses, you can play as them -- among many, many others. As you progress, you'll unlock new types of levels, including Invasions and special musical stages. Invasions are essentially Time Trials, only far more forgiving than those in Origins. Musical stages end Rayman's stint in each world with a flourish. These are quite possibly the best moving screen levels ever. They are rhythmic, hilarious, and challenging. Rayman Legends can be enjoyed alone or with up to three friends, though skill level is very much a factor in your enjoyment of the cooperative play. Stragglers tend to get left behind, but players who are on equal footing will find a fast, crazy, slap-happy roller coaster ride like no other. Competitive play works a bit better, though. Rayman Legends features a truly insane interpretation of soccer called Kung Foot. It's simple 2D soccer, but with a Rayman twist.
Difficulty: Rayman Legends isn't as brutal as Rayman Origins in some respects, but it is frequently challenging. Some moments will require some trial and error, but between liberal checkpoint placement and blink-length reload times, it never, ever gets frustrating. And when you do land that perfect jump or outrun a particularly nasty monster, it's sweeter than candy. Where Legends isn't as demanding as Origins is in the collection of Lums. When you finish each level, the game tallies up the number of Lums you've collected and awards you a cup based on how well (or poorly) you did. Lum requirements are much more lax than they were last time around, and as a result, veterans can expect to Gold Cup each level on their first time through. You may miss some hidden Teensies, though, and it's there that you'll get the most replay value from the game.
Game Mechanics: Rayman Legends plays identically to Rayman Origins. The controls were perfect from the start, so there was absolutely no need to change them around. Everything feels exactly like it should, so your failures can only be blamed on poor reflexes and planning. Each level has a "perfect" way through it, so those who know when to jump, hover, and slide will get the most out of the game. Rayman's hub world is actually an art gallery, rather than a world map. Just like in Super Mario 64, paintings contain worlds and levels; it's extremely easy to identify which levels you've completed to perfection and which ones you still need to work on. As you save Teensies and collect Lums, you unlock new paintings and earn scratch tickets, which are always winners but don't always offer the same prizes. You might win a creature for your Creatures gallery, a Teensy, some Lums, or even paintings containing enhanced levels pulled straight out of Rayman Origins. The biggest change to gameplay is the addition of Murfy, Rayman and Globox's greenbottle pal. Originally developed as an application for the Wii U Gamepad (back when it was planned as an exclusive), Murfy's greater command of the second dimension allows him to reach higher places and manipulate the environment to help Rayman advance. Having played the Wii U demo, I thought this broke up the breakneck pace of the game, as control of Rayman himself was given to the computer. On PlayStation 3, however, most of Murfy's functions are mapped to a single button. When he must manipulate a rotatable platform, it's handled with the top two triggers. It works, though I wouldn't call Murfy's sections the highlights of the game. With Rayman Legends, Michel Ancel and his team at Ubisoft Montpellier have refined everything about what was already a nearly-perfect game. Unsurprisingly, the result is a game that is practically perfect across the board and absolutely deserves all the support it can get. Buy this game.
-FenixDown, GameVortex Communications AKA Jon Carlos
Related Links: Official Website of Rayman Legends Game Vortex's Rayman Coverage Buy Rayman Legends on Amazon
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2 Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs