Full Review of Rayman Legends - Run, Rayman, Run

Have you ever found yourself thinking that platformers experience some sort of a creative crisis as a genre? In case the answer is positive, Rayman Legends will be glad to prove that it's too early to mark the end of the platform games. Or maybe not?

Graphics: 5

I wouldn't exaggerate in the slightest if I said that Rayman Legends is the most gorgeous platformer I've ever seen. Every level has a unique atmosphere and absolutely unique decorations. You'll make your way through:

• A setting with towers and castles straight from the Compton a fairytale.
• Jungles, where vines somehow turned into spiked tentacles.
• A desert world where everything is made of ice-cream, cupcakes, and pop-tarts.

Depth, lighting, shadows, and animation of Rayman Legends once again prove what a stunning beauty Ubisoft can squeeze out of your GPU. Particle effects, fireflies, waves of orange lava - every effect and every little detail has been designed with microscopic precision, and they nicely co-exist with vibrant and animated backgrounds that make levels look and feel alive.

Each level is cleverly accompanied by a music theme which corresponds with its aesthetic and atmosphere. Some medieval dance tunes illustrate the level with castles for example. Also, you'll hear Hungarian Czardas, Feel the Good music with relaxed whistling, tribal drums and much more.

As for the physics, well... They give you a floating feel as if Rayman had a secret to levitation, which at times makes controlling a bit more complicated. However, the tempo of the game is upbeat and you'll have no time to notice it. 

Gameplay: 3.5

Legendary Rayman returns, yeah. The reason why is told in the introductory cut-scene which could make a splendid cartoon on its own.

Your objectives will include:

• Collecting golden fireflies.
• Jumping over deadly gaps and traps.
• Dodging ax-shaped pendulums.
• Brawling with bosses 46 times bigger than you.

The game mostly looks childish because of its cartoony vibe, but the bosses, OMG... They are pretty frightful. And things get only worse because of the size imbalance between them and Rayman. In case you get tired of overcoming the obstacles yourself, on certain levels you can employ the services of Murphy. Murphy is a cursor-character who can be controlled by you, your friend or AI. He cuts ropes, brings platforms to you, cuts through hindrances and so forth.

All in all, Rayman Legends is a pretty harmless and easy-to-play game with no serious hardship. There are occasional puzzles that can be solved with perfect timing only, but even they don't require much effort. The lack of challenge is a huge minus. And one of the most serious bummers is the absence of notorious Rayman Rabbits. 

Controls: 5

This game is smooth in terms of manipulation. Sometimes it feels like Rayman can fly but don't be deluded - he can't. Watch out for the pits.

Replay Value: 1

Rayman Legends seems irresistible when you're looking at it. But I have no urge to return to it - it's a disposable product, mainly because it has no distinctive character or memorable features. 

Conclusion

Rayman Legends is as much visually mesmerizing, as it is shallow. The game has no psychological depth, no engaging back-story, no challenges that'll make you say "Damn, I've nailed it" when you're done with them. It's a candy, sweet vanilla platformer, which is good for casual playing. And nothing more.