Here we are at the conclusion of the "Rayman" marathon. "Rayman Legends," released in 2013, is still the latest entry in one of Ubisoft's first franchises, and it's still remembered in some infamy today. Ubisoft absolutely botched the marketing of this game; it was initially set for a February release as a Wii U exclusive, but the company delayed the game several months (even though it was completely finished) to turn it multiplatform. This isn't an issue, but to delay the entire game on all platforms and stop Wii U owners from getting the completed game on time? That's bizarre. They also boned themselves by releasing the game in the same month as "Grand Theft Auto V." It's almost like they WANTED the game to get curb-stomped and not sell as many copies as it could've if it was released as planned in February. And if they did want to sabotage their own game...it's a shame they picked this one to sabotage, because it's probably one of the finest things Ubisoft has ever created.
If "Rayman Legends" was a sign that the "Rayman" series could work well in 2D, "Rayman Legends" is a message that the series can master 2D. It takes everything that made "Origins" great and improves on it immensely. The characters are still very funny, and the minimal writing is still as charming as ever. The soundtrack remains fantastic (especially on the new musical stages, which are an absolute blast), and the visuals are stunning and even more clever than "Origins." The combat, platforming, and controls are as strong and polished as ever, and the new powers add an added layer of fun to the game. "Legends" also features some of the best level design in the series (which is no easy task, as "Rayman" has almost always had amazing level design), and the game is accessible while still adding a good amount of challenge.
It's hard to find many flaws with this game. The only very minor one that pops in my head is that running up walls can occasionally be wonky. Even then, though, it’s not intrusive enough for me to feel like I have to dock points.
Overall, "Rayman Legends" lives up to its title: it's a masterpiece that is by far my favorite entry in this great series. It's a damn shame that Ubisoft sees fit to completely ignore this franchise these days; I know the "tough act to follow" trope could be kicking in after a game like this, but Rayman has to be a mascot for Ubisoft, right? I mean, keeping him as a mascot has to be a better idea than their original plan of parading around the literal corpse of Tom Clancy, doesn't it? Okay, all jokes aside, even if it takes Ubisoft forever to acknowledge "Rayman" again, at least their latest entry in the series is a gem. If you haven't played it yet...what are you waiting for? Go play it!
Final rating: 10 out of 10 "Fantastic"