Of all the 2D platformers in need of a remake, I’m pretty sure a lot of folks would agree with me when I say that Rayman Legends isn’t one of them.
Originally released for the Wii U and PlayStation Vita back in 2013, its popularity eventually exploded after releasing on PS4 and Xbox One the following year, and then again as an early Nintendo Switch title via its Definitive edition. Its prestigious reputation has only continued to grow ever since, with many (including myself) pondering why Ubisoft was so hesitant to give us a new entry in the Rayman Origins and Legends lineage developed in the still gorgeous UbiArt engine.
Well, as you’ve no doubt just witnessed as part of PlayStation’s Summer State of Play presentation, Rayman Legends is back – just not in the form you likely expected. Rayman Legends Retold isn’t just a remake, but an out and out retelling of that original game that features the return of four-player co-op, all-new levels, and an entirely fresh 3D art style that aims to bring Legends and the wider universe of Rayman up to date for a modern audience. Like I suspect a lot of people, I was hesitant whether this transition to a 3D aesthetic would benefit the original Rayman Legends that I and so many hold dearly.
Imagine my surprise, then to learn that after getting to play two realms’ worth of levels, Rayman Legends Retold isn’t just shaping up to be brilliant but still very much the platformer I love in both design and spirit. Even if the new art style seems outright purposely designed to be divisive, it already feels great to have what is easily the best incarnation of Rayman back in peak platforming form.
View 3 ImagesFour-player co-op makes its grand return in Rayman Legends Retold, with the return of Barbara, Murphy and others.(Image: Ubisoft)
The biggest change to old-school Rayman Legends I picked up on was the way the story is being, well, retold. No longer a mish-mash of ideas that has you jumping between mostly disparate worlds via an art gallery level select, Retold transforms The Glade of Dreams into a more manageable interconnected hub. The first batch of levels, for instance, take place in what’s called Old Teensie Kingdom, referring to the raft of titular critters you’ll be constantly collecting in pursuit of that all-important 100% completion rating. This then leads comfortably into the game’s second realm, The Stinkbog, where the fun is able to continue by quickly jumping in and out of stages.
It might seem like a small change initially, but this sharp change of hub world layout does well to make Rayman Legends a more legible platforming adventure. Better yet, each batch of levels now belonging to their own realm in a consistent world means there’s plenty of opportunity to explore and find collectibles in each hub.
Of course, none of these appeared in the original Rayman Legends, and is perhaps the clearest example of how Retold aims to enhance and not diminish the 2013 game. Another is how characters like Murphy, Globlox, and even Rayman himself now speak thanks to full voice acting support when in cut scenes. I didn’t get to see many, but it’s already making a world of difference.
Getting into the game itself, then, and I’d forgive you for thinking that the original platforming feel of Rayman Legends was perfect. It’s what I thought too! However, after replaying Definitive Edition to compare it with Retold, I was shocked at how slippery the simple act of running felt. It was all too easy to fall off the edge after a mistimed jump. Rayman Legends Retold, by comparison, plays much more consistently in terms of the level of control you have over Rayman. Wall jumping, hovering, and running all operate as expected, but he now comes to a halt much easier on surfaces now in a way that is less punishing.
Level-wise, I’m pleased to report that Retold recreates almost every one featured in the first two realms amazingly despite the slight new perspective. Once Upon a Time still remains an absolutely fantastic opener, ideal for letting you get to grips with jumping, secret hunting, and using your trusty flying companion Murphy to tickle enemies and cut ropes in sections that allow for it. Despite the new art direction, this is very much Rayman Legends as you remember it – and Ubisoft Montpellier and Ubisoft Milan have been fairly meticulous with regards to their attention-to-detail.
Collecting lums and hunting down each level’s 10 teensies are both acts that felt instantly familiar to me as a fan of both Origins and the original Rayman Legends. Whether it meant smashing hanging cages, rescuing them from a monster, or finding a hidden room to complete a running or titling challenge that tests your logic skills and timing, getting all 10 featured in a level is still endlessly rewarding.
Purists will be pleased to know that Retold also brings back Invasion levels (timed challenges, essentially), the first of which I repeatedly beat my head against trying to rescue all three teensies in time. Invasion levels are fun, don’t get me wrong, but they will test your patience.
My time exploring The Stinkbog proved equally as familiar in a great way, as I once again got to grips with the hovering and floating mechanics this section of Rayman Legends asks you to master so well. Using Murphy to poke creatures in the eye, either to open as a platform or shoot out gusts of air, offers the same sense of rub your head, pat your belly brand of platforming Legends always did so well, only here it’s rendered with added depth and slightly more cinematic camera work.
View 3 ImagesNew 3D flying sections challenge you to dodge obstacles and avoid getting hit, both of which plays out cinematically. (Image: Ubisoft)
So Retold brings back all the original game’s levels and bonus stages mostly successfully, then, but there’s also a new bounty of content set to appear. Arguably the most enticing is an all-new, dark-themed sixth world that’ll give Rayman a new power and better tie up the events of Legends. Could it possibly set up the events of a third game, too? I hope so.
For now, though, the only new stage type I got to try were the dragon flight levels, where rayman rides on the back of a dragon trying to take as little damage as possible to protect all 10 teensies holding on for dear life. These levels don’t appear as complex as the main platforming stages obviously, and I do even question the need for flying style sections at all. However, having these levels cap off each realm takes nothing away from what comes before or after, and offers a different style of challenge than the ones included elsewhere.
In the end, following my few hours of hands-on time with Rayman Legends Retold, my incredibly sceptical mindset quickly melted away the more I dug deep into the preview. It’s essentially the game rendered in a new 3D art style with a handful of new levels, yes, but also sprinkled in are a few appreciated changes that work to make Legends a more complete-feeling package.
Sure, the new aesthetic is guaranteed to prove divisive with long-time fans, but then Ubisoft has been honest about the original 2013 game not being taken away. If nothing else, my main hope is that, by taking Rayman Legends and retelling it with slightly new sensibilities, more players will be willing to experience one of the best 2D platformers of all time.
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Rayman Legends is set to launch later this year on PS5, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2