Rayman Legends: Difference between revisions

'''''Rayman Legends''''' is a 2D platform game, and the fifth major game in the [[Rayman (series)|''Rayman'' series]]. It is a direct sequel to ''[[Rayman Origins]]'', and features similar gameplay. It was initially planned to be a release title for the Nintendo Wii U,<ref name="joystiqrelease">http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/13/rayman-legends-a-european-wii-u-launch-title-launching-nov-30/</ref><ref name="exclusive">http://kotaku.com/5934894/wii-u-exclusive-rayman-legends-looks-so-lovely</ref> but [[Ubisoft]] delayed the game multiple times. [[Ubisoft]] would later announce ports for Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The Nintendo Wii U version and the ports were released on different dates in August, September and October 2013.

The game was also released on the Sony PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Xbox One in February 2014.<ref name="NeoGAF">http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=59607797&postcount=34</ref> The versions come with new features like no loading times and added [[List of heroes and costumes in UbiArt games|costumes]].

An enhanced port, titled ''Rayman Legends Definitive Edition'', was announced to release on the Nintendo Switch on September 12, 2017.<ref name="Ubiblog">https://blog.ubi.com/ubisoft-reveals-nintendo-switch-lineup/</ref> This version includes an expanded [[Kung Foot]] mode and the [[Murfy's Touch]] painting.

On 27 April 2012, the first full-length trailer for the game was leaked to the public.<ref>MCV, ''VIDEO: Rayman Legends trailer confirms special Wii U functionality'', http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/video-rayman-legends-trailer-confirms-special-wii-u-functionality/095175</ref> It features the aforementioned settings, gives more details on online gameplay and reveals a new playable character: a [[Betilla]] the Fairy-like warrior girl known as [[Barbara]].<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&v=gmx17Mwo-2c</ref> In the Wii U version of the game, the player will be able to use certain physical toys to interact with the game world; this is similar to the premise of ''Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure''. The trailer shows a player scanning a [[Rabbid]] toy to enter a level where [[Rayman]] must fight [[Rabbid]]s, and hints that similar functionality will be possible with toys based on other [[Ubisoft]] characters, such as Ezio from the ''Assassin's Creed'' series. However, according to one of the developers, the demonstration of this function was just a joke due to the growing popularity of such toys. [[Ubisoft]] initially attempted to suppress the videos, but after a few hours they released an official statement, confirming that ''Rayman Legends'' was being developed by [[Michel Ancel]] and [[Ubisoft|Ubisoft Montpellier]], but downplaying the video's accuracy, claiming that 'This video was intended as a purely internal demonstrative video, and in NO way represents the final game, the final console or their features. The game was officially unveiled with a gameplay demonstration at the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo, showcasing [[Murfy]], a new playable character, controlled via the Wii U system's touch screen on the tablet controller. It also showed medieval-themed stages as well as a rhythm-based map of the [[Land of the Livid Dead (UbiArt games)|Land of the Livid Dead]] from ''[[Rayman Origins]]'' featuring remixed music.'<ref>Wii News at IGN, ''Wii U Details Revealed By Leaked Rayman Trailer'', http://ie.wii.ign.com/articles/122/1223893p1.html</ref>

It was originally set to be released on November 30, 2012, as a Wii U launch title. However, on October 8, 2012, it was reported to be delayed to the first quarter of 2013. On December 13, 2012, a [[List of Rayman demos|demo]] of the game was released on the eShop. The official release date was revealed to be February 26, 2013 for North America and the 1st March 2013 for Europe, still exclusively for the Wii U. However, on the 7th February 2013, [[Ubisoft]] revealed that the game was no longer a Wii U exclusive, and that there was a Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 version under development, consequently causing a delay for the second time and pushing the release date to September 2013.<ref name="IGN">http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/02/07/rayman-legends-delayed-no-longer-wii-u-exclusive</ref> This delay was negatively received by gamers and critics since the developer stated that the Wii U version was finished. Fans started a petition for the game to be released on the original date on the Wii U, which at one point had over 11,000 people signed onto it. To appease fans, [[Ubisoft]] said the Wii U would get another exclusive [[List of Rayman demos|demo]] in the future, however this was just as negatively received. Developers that worked on the game have also expressed their distaste for the delay, with creator [[Michel Ancel]] also protesting for the release of the game.

The game features various improvements to the Ubi Art Framework engine used in ''[[Rayman Origins|Origins]]''. These include a new dynamic lighting system, which lightens or silhouettes characters based on their environment, along with stealth sections that make use of light and shadow, and the seamless integration of 3D elements in 2D environments, made prominent in the game's 3D modelled bosses and monsters. Further improvements were made in the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions, which uses upgraded graphics and has decreased load times.<ref>http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/11/5200310/rayman-legends-ps4-xbox-one-release-date</ref>

A PlayStation Vita port<ref>PlayStation Vita trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXlsVfpuL0w</ref> was released in September 2013. This version has the player control [[Murfy]] on the touch-screen like on the Wii U version. A new painting, titled [[Murfy's Challenges]], was added with new levels and two new costumes. Several other stages have minor changes made to them. This version supports 2-player co-op, in which the second player controls [[Murfy]]. This is the only version to not have the [[Online Challenges]] go through Uplay. At launch the game didn't come with any Invasion levels. These were however added in the 1.02 patch in November 2013.

In December 2013, a next-gen port was announced for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.<ref>Next-gen trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2dLyui0Vek</ref> These versions were released in February 2014 with the removal of loading screens and various other new features, such as being able to scratch [[Lucky ticket]]s using the touch-pad on the DualShock 4 and being able to enter a new photo mode. New [[List of heroes and costumes in UbiArt games|costumes]] were also added.

In January 2017, a remake, titled ''Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition'' was announced for the Nintendo Switch. This version utilizes touch screen controls for [[Murfy]], similarly to the Wii U and PlayStation Vita versions, while the console is in handheld mode through the new [[Murfy's Touch]] painting. Old features, such as the [[Online Challenges]], make a return with online leaderboards. Unlike the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions it does have loading screens between levels. Every [[List of heroes and costumes in UbiArt games|hero]] is available in this version, with the non-Nintendo console-exclusives unlocked from the start. The main difference is the inclusion of the [[Kung Foot|Kung Foot Tournament]] mode where players can play several rounds of the game in a tournament style. The game also features a new painting titled [[Murfy's Touch]] which can only be played in handheld mode. It included past sections involving [[Murfy]] and has 126 new [[Teensie]]s to free, making the total amount 826. The unlock requirements for the paintings has however not changed. Other changes include [[Kung Foot]] now having a Single Player mode and the ability to play local co-op using two systems.<ref>Nintendo Direct https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDedvre19es</ref><ref>Rayman Legends Definitive Edition Official page https://www.ubisoft.com/en-US/game/rayman-legends-definitive-edition</ref> In July 2017 a free [[List of Rayman demos|demo]] was accidentally released with noticeable sound glitches. Within a few hours the [[List of Rayman demos|demo]] was removed from the eShop. On July 25, 2017, the game was officially announced to be launching on September 12, 2017 in both North America and Europe with the [[List of Rayman demos|demo]] stated to be properly release later in Summer 2017. The demo was released close thereafter with the same content as the previously released one, though without the sound glitches.

''Rayman Legends Definitive Edition'' received generally favourable reviews,<ref>Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition Critic Reviews for Switch - Metacritic http://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/rayman-legends-definitive-edition/critic-reviews</ref> however, some critics noted that the changes made to the game were not noteworthy enough to warrant the "Definitive" title. Digital Foundry also noted longer loading times and slight frame-rate drops not present in other versions, speculating that the cause was due to the compression used to reduce the size of the game.<ref>Switch's Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition Is Not Really Definitive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BENbHo5cvck</ref>