Rayman is the loveable character with no arms which players got to love even more through the Raving Rabbids franchise of casual games. Well, Rayman is back for another edition and this time things have gone a bit pear-shaped.
What we like about it
We have to admit that Rayman Legends is way more fun than we initially thought it would be. Ubisoft’s UbiArt Framework engine delivers the graphics in a fun and playful manner, while keeping them crisp and full of beautiful detail.
Legends is a direct sequel to 2011’s Rayman Origins, and the engine continues with the style and gameplay from the previous version.
While the plot is not terribly important to remember, it revolves around Rayman, Globox, and the Teensies being asleep for a century, all while the Bubble Dreamer’s nightmares grew in strength. It is up to the player to rid the land of these horrors and save the ten princesses.
Users familiar with the franchise will know that players control Rayman (or a variety of other characters) through a vast number of platform levels where he has to jump, run and duck his way through the enemies.
Controlling the characters is rather easy, as the title makes use of minimal button combinations, such as the analogue sticks to run and move around, and a button to jump.
The title consists of a number of areas in which Rayman needs to explore and collect Teensies – the more he collects, the more areas will open up for exploring. There are many interesting aspects of Rayman Legends, such as 40 remastered levels from the original Rayman Origins, and the ability to collect heroes. In total, the game features over 120 levels and it is not often that gamers will find the same level design in two different maps.
An honourable mention should also go out to the game’s soundtrack, as it is entertaining with a comedic Southern banjo feel. The music changes throughout each level, but the general style remains the same, which also brings consistency to the title. The musical score was composed by Christophe Heral and Billy Martin.
What we do not like about it
With Legends being a platform title, players will have to perform a lot of jumps – and we mean a lot. And therein lies the problem – some of the jumps do not trigger as they should. It could lead to frustration as players die instantly if they have not collected an extra life.
The title also requires players think quick, as some of the levels will be time-based or slowly be engulfed in flames, and if gamers do not react fast enough, will die a body-popping death. The ties in with the aspect of not always jumping as Rayman should…
Conclusion
Having never played a Rayman title before, Legends made for an entertaining experience, packed with a lot of action and hilarious moments. A number of elements could have been tweaked a bit, but the overall gameplay is enjoyable. In terms of graphics, the UbiArt Framework engine provides the title with beautifully rendered visuals, while the controls are pretty simple to grasp.
Other than the slight miscalculations in the jumping mechanic, Rayman Legends is a solid, fun offering from Ubisoft which should provide players with many hours of fun.
Charlie Fripp – Consumer Tech editor
