We may have already uploaded a review of Rayman Legends when it first came out on multiple platforms, which you can find here, but what you haven’t been told about is what next-gen versions bring to the mix. No-one is to blame for that though, as it would have involved time travel, and sadly we’re not quite there yet. Instead where we are happens to be at the dawn of a brand new console war between the Playstation 4 and Xbox One, with all the next-gen features that come with it.
One such feature, the Vita's Remote Play, I'll be telling you about as I hold in my hands the Playstation 4 copy of Rayman Legends. However, before I jump into the benefits of owning the next-gen version of this fist-throwing, lum-loving game, I have to echo a few of the sentiments put forward in Igor’s original review.
Rayman Legends, has managed to improve upon its predecessor in every way, and is a delight to play. Gameplay is fast, fun, and packs an insane amount of variety, extras and unlockables into the time you'll spend with it, keeping you entertained the entire way through. And if that wasn’t enough it is simply one of the best-looking games I have seen in a while, the UbiArt engine really bringing to life the bright, hand-painted art style.
Playing through each level, whether alone or bustling on the settee with your friends, is probably going to be the most fun you’ve had on a platformer in a while as every part of the game is at its best. Now, before I start stepping on Igor’s toes, I’ll move onto why the next-gen versions are worth considering.
REMOTE PLAY
Most notably on the Playstation 4 is the ability for ‘remote play’ via the Vita. In case you don’t know about remote play, it allows a gamer to continue playing their PS4 games even if someone has taken over the television. All it takes is the touch of a few buttons – and a WiFi connection – and voila; the game you were playing on your television is now displayed on, and controlled by, the Vita. Magic.
Rayman Legends plays extremely well on the Vita, and the charm that shines out on the big screen is just as bright on its smaller counterpart. The Vita’s controls are identical to Dualshock 4, with the change of the touch-screen for the touch-pad, and as a result it feels completely natural switching from one method of playing to the next. In a game that relies as much on fluidity and timing as Rayman Legends, this is incredibly important, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.
SHARE
With gamers now able to share their pictures, scores, comments and even stream gameplay so that others can watch and learn from their successes and failures, a whole new level of interactivity opens up to enhance your experience. Can’t beat a level? Watch someone else play and then do what they did. It’s a simple feature that adds to the experience, and something that next-gen has made possible.
ASSASSINATE
Though it may not be a life-changer, there is one other small addition; the PS4’s ‘Rayman Assassin’ costume. As you may have guessed, this costume makes Rayman look like an assassin from Ubisoft’s acclaimed Assassin’s Creed series. It looks cool but to spare you the disappointment that I went through, Rayman still uses his fists to fight, rather than sticking hidden blades into the smirking faces of the enemies like I’d hoped.
CONCLUSION
Quite frankly, Rayman Legends is a game that you should own, no matter what system you buy it for. However, if you happen to own one of the next-gen consoles, you’d be making the right choice if you bought the game that’d fit snugly inside of it. Not only will you get to enjoy the 12+ hours of platforming fun, eye-popping visuals, zany characters and humour, but you’ll also get to enjoy the additions that come along with the new consoles’ capabilities – including a pretty snazzy assassin costume. If that doesn’t win you over, nothing will.
