Rayman Legends' Barbara floats like a Valkyrie, stings like a barbarian

Accidentally unveiled prematurely in the lead up to Gamescom, Rayman Legends' Barara the Barbarian is a big-headed brawler who can use the wings on her helmet to hover and an over-sized ax to bash.

Accidentally unveiled prematurely in the lead up to Gamescom, Rayman Legends' Barbara the Barbarian is a big-headed brawler who can use the wings on her helmet to hover and an over-sized ax to bash.

I had a chance to check out Barbara's moves during a hands on that had a Ubisoft developer and I playing through three new levels.

Orchestral Chaos had us running through a timed map, dodging massive, thorny vines and jumping on monsters and pads to the rhythm of the level's soundtrack.

Grid View

Where Orchestral Chaos was a race from right to left, Six Hundred Feet Under was a map that had us dropping down for nearly the entire level. Spikes lined the walls, and enemies shifted from off screen to interrupt the flow and force shifting between free falls and a slowed descent care of the tiny wings on Barbara's helmet.

Finally, in Swarmed and Dangerous, Barbara and Rayman picked their way across a level unleashing occasional swarms of dark creatures that would break loose in massive waves when objects were broken deliberately or by accident. Of all of the levels, this one required the most precision and care.

My short time with the game, and Barbara, reaffirmed Ubisoft's commitment to the title and colorful, smart character design.