Rayman Legends: Retold Preview - My Worries are Gone
I love Rayman Legends. In fact, I have gone on record numerous times to state that, for me, it is the single best 2D platformer ever made. I’m sorry, Mario, it’s true. So when I heard that Ubisoft were remaking this stone-cold classic in a new engine, I was worried. In fact, I was scared. The UbiArt Engine was so unique, so stunning, that the thought of Legends being built with any other set of tools put the fear of god into me. Jess’ earlier preview put my mind at ease, but I wasn’t fully convinced. That is, until Ubisoft Australia let me swing by and try it out for myself, and I have to say… Rayman is back, Baby!
First things first, when I played the preview build, we were all still under the impression that Rayman Legends: Retold was coming in October. We were informed of the delay until December a little later. That said, what I played was perfect. There were no noticeable bugs or issues at all, and while I understand press builds are often polished before letting us play, I feel like I have got a pretty good nose for sniffing out problematic or buggy releases. There was none of that here, so it is my unconfirmed speculation that Rayman Legends: Retold was moved to December simply to give it the breathing room it deserves.
Let me tell you, it absolutely does deserve it. I was instantly back in the groove with Rayman. It felt just as I remembered, and my worries that the new engine would mess with the flow were completely unfounded. This was everything I loved about the original and, dare I say, a little more. Tight, challenging platforming, a huge variety of level types, secrets galore and an offbeat sense of humour all return with the addition of new 3D levels and some new music-based levels.
The classic levels all feel just as good as I remember, and my urge to explore every corner to find every secret really goes against playing in a press demo situation. I just wanted to sink in and discover everything I could, but I really needed to get a move on to see as much as possible, so I couldn’t afford that luxury. Needless to say, if you have fond memories of Legends, you will be well served here.
The new stuff that I got to partake in was particularly interesting. The first was a 3D level that saw Rayman riding on the back of a dragon. This level switched between perspectives a couple of times, changing from a 3rd-person on-rails level similar to something you would find in Crash Bandicoot to a 2D Vertical Shmup that saw me shooting down waves of enemies. It fit wonderfully within the context of the game and in no way felt out of place or tacked on. I can’t wait to have a crack at more of these levels once the full game has been released.
The second new thing I got my hands on is a brand new music level. Now, anyone who played Legends will tell you just how good the music levels are. The first time you get a perfect run through Black Betty is just *chef’s kiss. So knowing there were new music levels coming had me super excited, and I wasn’t disappointed. This level was to the tune of everyone’s favourite mid-90s one-hit-wonder/dance track, The Macarena. Granted, the song is terrible, but here it shone as I jumped through the level, timing my hits and dodging giant cooking implements as a huge luchador prepared a meal around me.
Now it is here that I first encountered the new accessibility settings that are built into the game. If, after dying a few times, you are struggling, there is an option for a fairy to follow you around, protecting you from harm. Perfect for younguns or those who struggle. But, and this is a hill I will die on, it will be a cold day in hell before I use any assistance on a Rayman music level. Getting that perfect run is something so few other games reproduce (funnily enough, one of the only other games I can think of is another Ubisoft joint, Trials). I will not have my lack of ability tarnish it. I will get that perfect run or destroy my thumbs trying.
As an added bonus, while we were at the press day, we were informed that Rayman Legends Retold is coming with a remastered version of Rayman Origins, and we even got to play a little of it. That game holds up really, really well. In part because it is such a good platformer and in part because of the beautiful UbiArt Engine. It is essentially the same game I played to death back in the day, but now in 4K. So, as an extra add-on to Legends: Retold, I am finding it hard to be upset about that.
In all, while my time with Rayman Legends: Retold was too short, it gave me everything I needed. It confirmed that this was still the same great game I loved, looking better than before and with a bunch of new content. I was worried, but now I have converted. Rayman Legends: Retold is looking to end this year’s gaming release schedule with a bang in early December, and frankly, I can’t think of anything better to find in your stocking on Christmas morning.
