Title: Rayman Legends
Format: PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii U, PS Vita, PS4(reviewed), Xbox One
Release Date: September 3, 2013, February 18, 2014(next gen)
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier
Price: $59.99, $39.99(PS4, X1)
ESRB Rating: E
The once Wii U exclusive has now officially been released, and I'm glad it made it's way to multiple platforms. It would have been a shame if I had missed out on this wonderful journey of blissful yet challenging platforming.
Story and Presentation: There is no apparent story in the game, but this a direct followup to Rayman Origins that was released a few years ago. If you played Origins, then you will be familiar with the colorful style that made Origins so popular. Legends take the visual style to new directions, new locales, and even more beautiful vistas. The art style has a very simplistic look at times, but so many characters and bosses are expressive and vibrant with life. The soundtrack is simply infectious at times, and the looney style tunes will nest in your ears for hours on end. There's no voice acting as usual, but the characters in the game still give off lovable personalities. The charm in the game is unparalleled, and I couldn't help from smiling at all of the little nuances the game possesses. You can tell that a lot of hard work went into crafting every single detail in the game, especially with the level design. Besides the gorgeous and varied environments, the devs did a great job at hiding secrets at inconspicuous spots on the level. The game encourages you to take your time and explore every last nook and cranny on a specific map. Rayman Legends has one of the strongest presentations I've come across in years, and it won't take long to fully appreciate it.
Core Gameplay:I've played a lot of platformers over the past couple of years, and this is easily my favorite. The genre as whole as made a lot of strides lately, and Rayman Legends takes it to a whole new level. The platforming felt a little floaty at times, similar to a LittleBigPlanet, but I quickly adjusted and got the hang of the simple mechanics. There isn't much to the control scheme other than, run, jump, glide, and attack, but it all blends together well. The mission structure is well laid out, each world gradually increases in difficulty so it allows you to get your bearings on the game's controls. The various levels are brilliantly designed offering more than just jump and glide challenges to overcome. There is a ton of variety hear. Once I got used to a specific layout for missions, the game throws new layouts and challenges your way. Boss battles are mixed in at different times that break up the action, and they're a lot of fun to play through, but they're never the last level of a world. The last level in a world is reserved for a musically driven speed challenge that thrusts you through a level while listening to booming tunes that are often recognizable. You can play through it single-player, but you can also play through it with up to three other friends. The levels were crafted with both choices in mind, and although it can get a bit hectic with four people on the same screen, the game is just as enjoyable. There's no online play, which is pretty disappointing. There are online leaderboards and daily challenges, but other than that, Legends is strictly couch based.
*Next Gen UpdateMonths after the initial release on current gen systems, Ubisoft has spent the extra time in porting the game over to next gen systems. The PS4 and Xbox One versions feature noticeable improvements over their sister consoles. Given, the visuals on current gen versions already looked stunning, Ubisoft touted that they enhanced the visuals even more. Rayman Legends iconic hand drawn visual style has been magnified thanks to the sharper visuals. The game's load times are a bit hastier as well, getting you in and out of levels in a snap. These may not be the reasons to pluck down the $40 bucks, and that's completely plausible, especially if you already own the game. The PS4 version brings along a few new features, including a cool Rayman skin based on Assassin's Creed 4's Edward Kenway. The touchpad brings a pair of new features. The first being a camera mode, which allows you to capture your own screenshots, with a built in zoom in feature to help you capture the most detail from the backgrounds. You can also use the touchpad to scratch off your lucky tickets, which sounds gimmicky, but ends up being a neat little feature.
Final Thoughts:Rayman Legends is still one of the finest games I've played this year, and if you haven't played it already, you should definitely pick it up at the already discounted price.
S&S Rating: 9/10 @whatsPlay
