Rayman Legends review: particle man

While Legends is mechanically a simple 2D platformer — you run, jump and hit things — there's a great deal of variety designed around that core. The team at Ubisoft Montpellier demonstrates a masterful grasp of flow. It manages to seamlessly combine sections of swimming, flying, stealth, combat, racing and even rhythm without missing a beat, due largely in part to Legend’s level design.

There's hardly a dull stage in the bunch. There are ridiculous races set on quicksand, a playable instrumental vision of "Black Betty," and even underwater stealth levels that balance risk and reward precariously. In one level, I had to spread guacamole to create platforms over a sea of lava, and run around in hollowed-out fruits. In another, I had to defeat a giant, rocket-shooting armored toad in a windstorm. There's more variety in some of of Rayman Legends' stages than exists in entire other games, and gameplay transitions seamlessly from section to section.

The fun stays consistent for as long as the challenge level is consistent, or at least fair. Once the game really gets going in the second world, the gloves come off and Ubisoft Montpellier's brilliant, sometimes brutal designs really start to shine. This is helped by intelligent checkpoints (though there never seem to be enough on tougher levels), and the ability to earn "hearts" that grant your hero one free hit. But Legends' mean streak shows up in special "invaded stages."