Pondering again to the unique launch of Rayman Legends again in 2013, there isn’t a lot I’d change about it. Slick 2D motion platforming with a superb mixture of heady puzzles and shmup sequences – when executed properly, these sorts of issues can maintain up over time. And Ubisoft would agree, as a result of after getting my fingers on the upcoming remake in Rayman Legends Retold, I do know first-hand that it performs precisely as you’d count on for the reason that core gameplay hasn’t actually been touched (though there may be loads of new content material). However as a lot as I imagine the painterly pre-rendered artwork model of the unique did not essentially want a makeover, Ubisoft appeared to place in painstaking effort in recreating Rayman Legends with a contemporary visible overhaul, bringing the identical 2D motion into a brand new 3D world.
To be abundantly clear, Rayman Legends Retold shouldn’t be a 3D platformer – it’s nonetheless the 2D motion you’ll have performed, or at the least seen. This time round, its worlds, backgrounds, and foregrounds have modified considerably, with trendy graphical sensibilities that I’d virtually describe as taking part in by way of a Dreamworks animated movie. I say that due to the model and tone of Rayman’s cartoonish low-brow goofiness that works properly sufficient for what the collection is, and that comes by way of clearly with the brand new cutscenes and absolutely voiced dialogue. Rayman does not should be rather more than a lighthearted romp with fart jokes, foolish popular culture references, and some nebulous evil entity terrorizing frogs. Hear, I do not thoughts somebody simply jingling keys in entrance of me, I am not above that!
Now if you have not performed Rayman Legends, it is a strong 2D motion platformer starring Ubisoft’s long-time limbless protagonist that got here with a superb number of hearty challenges that helped it stand out inside a crowded style. I acquired to play about two hours of this remake once I visited the studio at Ubisoft Montpellier, and I used to be comfortable to see that it is held up fairly properly all these years later. Working, wall-jumping, swinging on vines, and avoiding lethal hazards are in fact the traditions of the style, however it’s the tempo at which it throws these items at you, with the identical tight controls, that builds a superb sense of momentum.
The very best instance of that is within the “Invaded” variations of regular ranges, which turns issues right into a time-attack run the place finishing it beneath a sure time means you save extra Teensies, that are these blue little freakos who inhabit the world. Retry after retry, I used to be capable of get the quickest time vital in all of the out there ranges by understanding how Rayman’s momentum carries when speedrunning, the timing of every leap to maintain tempo, and the way in which assaults carry you previous obstacles. It may be irritating, however it’s the type that makes you wish to full it since you’re both so shut otherwise you see precisely what you probably did fallacious.
This was most true within the Enchanted Forest degree the place a ghost of Rayman shadows your each motion, forcing you to keep away from him lest you die. However there’s particular leap timing, hostile frogs parachuting in you must bounce off of, and spiky platforms paired with an updraft that’ll ship you into the spikes in the event you’re not cautious. You must string all of this in a single run, however piecing all of it along with every retry was as a lot about being sensible because it was about pure execution.
Selection Is the Spice
The principle ranges aren’t fairly as treacherous as this, however afterward within the Stinkbog, the second zone with a batch of swamp-themed ranges, the updraft mechanic provides selection to the conventional 2D platforming, asking you to keep away from thorny vines as you management Rayman’s helicopter hair whereas dodging enemies and saving Teensies alongside the way in which. There are additionally these wild dragon-riding ranges that flip Rayman Legends right into a Star Fox-style rail shooter – these are easy at first, simply having you dodge incoming obstacles and blast fireballs at every thing in entrance of you. However it’s when issues flip right into a 2D shmup I actually loved; it is not precisely tough, however it’s an excellent enjoyable and seamless option to preserve the twists coming, stopping the expertise from getting repetitive or predictable.
I additionally fairly loved the quick problem rooms tucked inside ranges the place you are tasked with manipulating the surroundings in a intelligent option to save further Teensies on the finish of the room. One such instance had Rayman hanging on to hooks within a large wheel with spikes inside its maze-like innards. With the intention to progress by way of the room, you must rotate the wheel utilizing the companion character Murphy, then line up your drops and jumps all whereas inside an inch of hazard. These sorts of duties break up the tempo properly, and made me search them out fastidiously since they’re straightforward to overlook inside the regular ranges.
In simply two hours with Rayman Legends Retold, I noticed a lot variation which will appear delicate till you look again on all of the various things it is doing. And all these concepts circulation into one another easily at a brisk tempo. It isn’t a posh recreation that is going to work your mind intensely or have nail-biting problem, it is nice and foolish enjoyable that is tuned good to maintain itself partaking all through. I am unsure I vibe with its characters just like the Bubble Dreamer, who’s type of a tacky hippy stereotype, or the peanut-brained Globox, however like, no matter man! It is goofy enjoyable even when I believe loads of it’s fairly corny.
OK, However What’s New?
I would be remiss to not point out extra of the brand new content material that bolsters Rayman Legends Retold as greater than only a one-to-one remake. Musical ranges are again with 4 new ones in addition; these are a bit gimmicky, however neat little diversions – timed platforming runs to the tune of covers of licensed songs with obstacles timed to the beat. I performed one which was backed by MC Hammer’s “U Cannot Contact This” – which I am unsure what it is doing in Rayman, however…cool! Kung Foot is again as properly, however now has quite a few choices to make this 2v2 fight soccer minigame extra attention-grabbing. You possibly can modify the platform layouts and management what sort of powerups drop – like zero gravity, objective shields, objective switching, and many others. I performed a handful of matches throughout my studio go to, and to assume Rayman has a strong little multiplayer mode alongside every thing else additional speaks to the wacky but enjoyable concepts Rayman Legends Retold packs right into a single recreation.
Interested by the visible overhaul broadly, it felt like a type of instances the place “that is how I remembered it trying again within the day,” and if you take a look at the unique, it is positively not the case. Ubisoft Montpellier and Ubisoft Milan used the unique ranges and visuals as a reference to then broaden on it, including particulars that give further depth to its 2D gameplay. So, on the subject of the remade ranges, every thing is in place because it was within the authentic – the builders even confirmed us a side-by-side comparability of each variations being managed with one controller, and all of it performed out the identical. Bringing the outdated ranges into the Snowdrop engine (the identical one utilized in all different trendy Ubisoft video games) permits for that greater constancy, and I hope the remainder of Retold makes good use of it – we’ll see in that brand-new sixth realm with further ranges towards the ending, which Ubisoft has confirmed. I imply, the brand new dragon-riding ranges really feel virtually like a theme park experience inside a 2D platformer, and it is a microcosm of the type of spectacle this new artwork model can convey. And it holds up fairly properly on Nintendo Swap 2, maintaining a strong 60 fps, which Ubisoft credit to the work it did and classes discovered with the Star Wars Outlaws port.
Retaining it Fashionable
I am not all the time keen on the fixed remaking of video games that do not essentially want a remake, particularly if it is not going to be a basic rethinking of the supply materials. And taking a definite, considerably whimsical 2D artwork model and making it denser in 3D does not mechanically make it look “higher” per se. However I believe Rayman Legends Retold is simply imaginative sufficient to separate itself from the unique. And in a manner, it is a trendy throwback as soon as once more, identical to it was in 2013. With the brand new content material on prime of it and the quality-of-life tweaks like a extra navigable overworld to make it a smoother expertise, I can see the way it distinguishes itself to warrant a remake. And with four-player co-op returning, it is not one thing you see fairly often.
I do hope that is extra of a stepping stone for a completely new Rayman or one thing related on this vein. In any case, Ubisoft Montpellier was the crew behind the excellent Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown from 2024, which I nonetheless assume is a really excessive bar for contemporary 2D motion. So, a remake of a recreation that wasn’t in dire want of 1 cannot be all they’ve cooking up, proper? And maybe this work utilizing the Snowdrop engine paves the way in which for one thing larger.
For now, although, you possibly can count on Rayman Legends Retold to launch on October 1 this yr for PlayStation 5, Xbox Sequence X|S, Nintendo Swap 2, and PC.
Michael Higham is an editor at IGN who repeatedly contributes with opinions, previews, options, and information in written and video type. He is normally entrusted with protecting lengthy RPGs and tech merchandise, however he is acquired vary on the subject of video games. You may additionally catch him at occasions and internet hosting video content material, together with IGN’s weekly podcast Unlocked.