Rayman Legends: Saving The Teensies

Game still from Rayman Legends

[easyreview cat1title = “Rayman Legends” cat1rating = 5]

Ubisoft

PS3, Xbox 360, PS Vita (Rs. 2499)

Rayman Legends is what happens when gorgeous 2D art style, fantastic controls and oodles of awesome levels combine to give what is possibly the best platforming game we’ve seen this generation. Yes, it really is that good.

You’ll jump, swim, punch and tickle (yes, tickle) your way across a myriad of levels across land, sea, air and beyond. Oh and there’ll be a musical or five to take part in. And while it won’t be a Broadway production, it’ll be just as enthralling. Try running from scorching flames across castle walls while being chased by a dragon while you time your movements to the tune of  “Black Betty.”

Oh and there’s some semblance of a story too. You and your friends have been woken after a seemingly eternal slumber to save tiny blue folk with big noses known as teensies. Rescue enough of them and you open up newer worlds to run riot in.

While the story serves as an excuse to traverse across a variety of well thought out locales, you’ll find yourself at ease with the game’s controls. They’re responsive, intuitive and extremely fun to handle. At no point of time do you think that you’ve died unfairly, rather you seeing the game over screen is your fault alone.

As you play, you’ll find yourself unlocking a host of things including new playable characters. There are daily challenges that will make you pace yourself in terms of timing on specified levels against the rest of the world and an Invasion mode that has you running across remix versions of already completed levels. Both daily challenges and Invasion do a fair bit to keep you going once you’re done conquering the superlative single-player mode.

All in all, Rayman Legends is one of the better games you can get your hands on this year. Even if you aren’t a fan of the genre.