Rayman Legends – Playstation 3

I was a huge fan of Rayman Origins, which was released two years ago. At that time, I considered it to be the best 2D platformer in the history of gaming, and I believe that has remained true – until now. Ubisoft has done gamers everywhere a huge service by improving upon their remarkable formula in every possible way, and delivering a game that’s even BETTER than the awesome platformer that is Origins.

Foremost, the visuals of Legends need to be addressed. One of the best things about Origins was that it looked like you were controlling a cartoon, which resulted in terrific animations, slapstick comedy, bizarre spectacles, and OODLES of SMILES. I would have been perfectly happy if this sequel looked exactly like Origins, but somehow the developers have made it look even better. The graphics in this game POP like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and it looks even more like an animated movie than ever. Graphics generally have little to do with actual gameplay, but in the case of the Rayman games, their whimsical presentation has a direct correlation with the end result (that being fun, laughter, and wonder), so they do have a big impact here. This game is a visual treat, and I predict that it will be impervious to the “aging” that most games suffer from, because the art direction is so marvelously realized.

Though Legends’ graphics may make this game look a tad childish, do not be deceived – this is a meticulously designed platformer that offers tremendous challenges. Furthermore, if you study the layout of the levels and practice, you will discover that there is an incredible amount of sophistication here. As far as I can tell, EVERY level can be played in one swift movement, with no hesitation whatsoever – if you have the skill to memorize the patterns and the reflexes to guide you (which comes in handy when attempting to complete time challenges). I am blown away by the amount of care that the designers put into this game. I don’t see any “shortcuts” or evidence of “going through the motions” to fill out content.

And on the subject of content, there is a staggering amount here. The campaign alone is very long, particularly for a 2D platformer, but what makes the game infinitely larger is the amount of additional challenges and collectibles. Multiplayer is also a blast, and I can have fun playing Legends with less experienced gamers. Though it is far harder to complete challenges when I have other gamers along for the ride, that’s not what it’s about – it’s about having fun and watching Rayman and Globox slap each other silly.

It bears mentioning that you can have anybody play this game with you, from a five-year-old to your granny. There is no violence other than the “cartoon” variety, and it’s a huge departure from the glut of ultra-violent titles that have saturated the market in recent years. To me, this is a wonderful, beautiful break from the norm. No longer do you have to worry about “headshots” and the other staples of the shooter genre, but you can focus on the types of things that made us enjoy games when we were younger: a sense of wonder, whimsy, and the relentless pursuit of fun.

Please note that I play this game on PS3 and Vita, but I am posting my review (of Legends’ content) for all consoles, because I feel this game deserves major credit.

*Minor spoilers follow*

My gripe is that whereas Origins had a more or less linear storyline (gradually increasing in difficulty and building up to one final battle), Legends is larded up with a lot of levels where the idea is to finish as quickly as possible. If you die, you have to start the entire level all over again. These two things, taken together, get tedious after a while. Some of these levels are put in as optional Daily Challenges, where you compete against other players. So, for example, you have to run as fast as possible (holding down the L2 key on the PS3 controller) through a dungeon, avoiding obstacles while being chased by a wall of fire. Others are levels in the game which, after you complete them, are “invaded” by bad guys. You have redo them in a race format as quickly as possible. If you finish in 40 seconds, you free all 3 of the “Teensies” you are trying to rescue. 50 seconds gets you 2 Teensies; 60 seconds gets you one. And like I said, in all of these, if you die, you start over.

On the one hand, in moderation, these would be nice. The daily challenge, which lets you see how you stack up against other players and at the end awards bronze, silver and gold cups to various tranches of players, is a nice addition. And the “invasion” concept is not, standing alone, a bad idea. The problem is that these make up a significant portion of the game play. Coupled with the boss battles at the end of each level, they make the overall game play much more frantic. I liked Origins because it was clever, had great graphics, and was engaging to play. By contrast, in many places Legends is very much a “run-and-gun” type of game. I find that I am very stressed when I finish playing, and more often than not frustrated.

Some people will no doubt like this game play, and it is very much an issue of personal taste, so read some of the other reviews, too. It may also be that I am comparing Legends to Origins, which is a tough act to follow. (Even having completed it, I will frequently pop Origins into my PS3 and play a random level). By contrast, I am tired of Legends, and have not even completed it. I still think it’s worth purchasing, but, again, it’s a different style of game play that is not particularly my cup of tea. Caveat emptor.

EDIT: One more point that has manifested itself. Ubisoft’s servers are atrocious. So even if you want to play the Daily / Weekly challenges, as often as not you will get an “Ubisoft’s servers are temporarily unavailable” message, and get booted out of that part of the game. They also have lag times, so if you finish a challenge and try to leave, you will have an inordinately long wait time to exit into the main room.

1. Level Design. I honestly think it is the best level design since Mario Galaxy series.
2. Music: The music in all the levels is great. The music theme levels are a blast.
3. Old levels from Origins. As someone who never played origins, I feel like I got two games in one.
4. Co-OP- While no online co-op…..I love couch co-op with friends.

Try this game if you like platforming games. Great for all ages and honestly more games like this need to be made. I know it has not sold well but I hope UBI Soft has the sense to keep making these games. In an era of shooters it is nice to play a great platforming game once in a while.