Not as precise a platformer as your Super Meat Boys or Celestes, but it doesn't need to be; Rayman Legends ignores the focus that subset of the genre places on mastering air-tight core mechanics in favor of having players grapple with the vast array of gameplay ideas thrown at the wall at any given moment through varied, imaginative level design. The sheer number of micro mechanics created this way, which in some cases are already left behind after one or two levels to move on to the next idea, is honestly staggering and gives the game a fresh, ever changing quality throughout that is difficult to rival.

A delight to play through, and that feeling is captured no better than by the sublime music levels that close out each world. These aren't just celebrations of your own achievements in the game, they're celebrations of the unadulterated joy that platformers—or any game, really—can bring us in those rare moments where everything locks into place and feels just right.

Reviewed on Jun 16, 2020


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