RAYMAN LEGENDS (X360)
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Publisher: Ubisoft.
Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier. Released: August 2013. Genre: 2D Platformer. Other versions: WIIU; PS3; VITA; PC. Posted 6th November 2013. By Shane Battams © 2013 |
To say Rayman Origins was a breath of fresh air would be an understatement. Origins represented the first true 2D instalment of this venerable franchise in more than a decade, and it was a joyous, giddy platformer which was only soiled by a couple of minor gripes which, ultimately, made it great, but not truly fantastic. Now, on the tail-end of the 7th generation of consoles, Ubisoft Montpellier are delivering a second dose of 2D fun with Rayman Legends. A controversial announcement that the formerly Wii U exclusive game would be hitting other consoles did dampen some of the anticipation, but most should qualm those fears: Rayman Legends is stupendous.
Like Origins, Legends ties together the game with a rather thin story, as darkness consumes the land and Rayman and his crew must free the teensies once again. This takes place over 6 different worlds, each divided into around a dozen levels. Most levels offer your standard gauntlet of platforming, as you hurdle across jumping obstacles and punch any goons blocking the path. There’s 10 hidden teensies to scour for in each level, which unlock more levels in the game. Time trials – now dubbed Invasion Missions – appear with progression through the game, and can be rather challenging, particularly in the latter stages. Each level also rewards you with a medal for collecting a certain amount of lums, which are worthwhile, as collecting lots of them unlocks new characters to use. There’s just a ton of incentive to explore every level, making Legends addictive fun.
Legends feels more refined than its predecessor. Combat doesn’t feel as clunky, as you are no longer forced to remain static while punching, and the modest Mosquito levels are no longer in the main game. Legends also remains constantly varied with its settings and challenges, unlike Origins which forced you to trek through the same four worlds in the second half. This makes progression through the game less of a chore. The difficulty curve has almost been smoothed out, as while Legends can be harder than Origins at times, it feels like a gradual and smooth step up. The opening portions of the game may be ridiculously easy, but the game gradually steps up the challenge, until it gets to the last few stages, which are especially challenging.
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Legends refines the kinks, but it also brings so much new to the table. During certain levels, a green companion named Murfy will assist you, allowing you to control a myriad of obstacles such as ledges, adjusting shields and even slapping ghosts. He is a humorous companion, and this just adds more variety to the proceedings. New musical stages challenge you to adjust your platforming to the beat of a selection of outlandish music, which – particularly in the 8-bit versions – can be some of the most challenging parts of the game. Outside of that, Legends also adds a couple of more superficial reward systems. Each level gives you a special scratch card, which in turn can unlock lums, teensies and creatures. Creatures reward you with Lums every day, but perhaps more worthwhile are Back to Origins levels, which consists of 40 remastered stages from the original game.
Variety is the name of the game here. Some levels are more methodical, with challenging obstacles which require precision to pass, while others are fast-paced and exciting. The latter often unlock more characters – one of ten princesses – which bring no gameplay changes, but combined with the huge amount of characters available through lums, let you customise to your preference. One level has you using a special power in order to remove layers of cake to pass, while another incorporates stealth elements through searchlights which shoot lasers should you enter them. Bosses are similarly varied, as though they seem straight forward, each one incorporates different gameplay elements which make them more challenging as you progress.
Legends features co-operative play for up to four players, allowing you to play through the entirety of the game. It sure is chaotic, but also undoubtedly good fun. The only downer is the lack of online co-op, but Legends brings some pretty awesome online competition through its Challenges. Updated daily with new obstacle courses, you can compete against the world in time-trial challenges which reward you with Lums depending on your ranking. You can earn bronze, silver and gold medals for your performance, and the competitive drive is often spurred on as ghosts of your nearby leaderboard adversaries perform the same challenge. It is extremely addictive, and will keep you coming back even after you finish the campaign. Combine that with a fairly lengthy main campaign, all the extra Origins levels, and the collectibles in both, you will be playing Legends for a rather lengthy amount of time.
Variety is the name of the game here. Some levels are more methodical, with challenging obstacles which require precision to pass, while others are fast-paced and exciting. The latter often unlock more characters – one of ten princesses – which bring no gameplay changes, but combined with the huge amount of characters available through lums, let you customise to your preference. One level has you using a special power in order to remove layers of cake to pass, while another incorporates stealth elements through searchlights which shoot lasers should you enter them. Bosses are similarly varied, as though they seem straight forward, each one incorporates different gameplay elements which make them more challenging as you progress.
Legends features co-operative play for up to four players, allowing you to play through the entirety of the game. It sure is chaotic, but also undoubtedly good fun. The only downer is the lack of online co-op, but Legends brings some pretty awesome online competition through its Challenges. Updated daily with new obstacle courses, you can compete against the world in time-trial challenges which reward you with Lums depending on your ranking. You can earn bronze, silver and gold medals for your performance, and the competitive drive is often spurred on as ghosts of your nearby leaderboard adversaries perform the same challenge. It is extremely addictive, and will keep you coming back even after you finish the campaign. Combine that with a fairly lengthy main campaign, all the extra Origins levels, and the collectibles in both, you will be playing Legends for a rather lengthy amount of time.
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If Origins was artistic gold, then Legends is diamond standard. The rendering has been sharpened and polished to a tee. Level design is great, featuring a myriad of beautifully crafted worlds such as Olympus-themed backgrounds and dark submerged bases, which look like they were taken out of a spy movie. Animation is superb, from the charming movements of the main characters to the goofy quirks of the various opposing goons. The boss fights are great looking too, though the 3D rendering of some bosses can feel bizarre. The sound is great as well, particularly the oddball music. The original scores feel well suited to each level, but the highlight come from special stages which utilise alternative versions of songs such as Eye of the Tiger and Black Betty, which are outlandish and hilarious, especially special 8-bit versions which appear in the last world. The random noises characters make also has been reduced this time around, being more charming than repetitive thankfully.
Rayman Legends is just simply joyful to play. Everything which was fun about Origins is cranked up to eleven: it's smoother, more varied, even goofier and just bucket loads of fun. You can tell Ubisoft Montpellier are on top of their game when it comes to this genre, and the resulting product from their craft is, quite simply, superb. The issues with Origins – difficulty balance, repetition of stages, clunky combat – are non-existent in Legends, and the myriad of improvements and additions it brings to the table are all worthwhile. If you’re a fan of 2D platformers – whether casual or hardcore – you should not hesitate to pick up this absolute beauty.
Rayman Legends is just simply joyful to play. Everything which was fun about Origins is cranked up to eleven: it's smoother, more varied, even goofier and just bucket loads of fun. You can tell Ubisoft Montpellier are on top of their game when it comes to this genre, and the resulting product from their craft is, quite simply, superb. The issues with Origins – difficulty balance, repetition of stages, clunky combat – are non-existent in Legends, and the myriad of improvements and additions it brings to the table are all worthwhile. If you’re a fan of 2D platformers – whether casual or hardcore – you should not hesitate to pick up this absolute beauty.
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VERDICT
Visual: 10/10
Audio: 9/10 Gameplay: 9/10 Longevity: 9/10 OVERALL: 9/10 |