https://mp1st.com/news/report-details-for-project-sundown-skeleton-key-wotcs-cancelled-horror-game

https://web.archive.org/web/20260602102945/https://www.lebetatesteur.ca/apercu-rayman-legends-retold/

Rayman Legends Retold : My first impressions of a remake that dares to touch a still recent game

I had the opportunity to discover a work-in-progress version of Rayman Legends Retold during a closed preview with the Ubisoft team . And, even before discussing the content, there's a particular context that makes this experience interesting: we're not talking about an old, forgotten game being remastered out of nostalgia. We're talking about a title still relatively recent in players' memories, already considered a modern classic of the platform, and yet, it's been thoroughly reworked.

A strange feeling at first: why rework a game that's already solid?

The initial reaction isn't related to gameplay or even new features. It's almost philosophical. "Why revisit a game that still works today?" or "Why tamper with a formula that's already been mastered, appreciated, and refined over the years?"

It's a question that lingers in your mind during the first few minutes of playing because Rayman Legends Retold isn't just a simple technical update. You immediately sense a desire for a deeper transformation, and that's where the game becomes interesting. This choice will likely be divisive, and inevitably it will be, because discontent with Ubisoft has existed for a long time, but let's be honest, it deserves credit for existing.

A familiar base, but deliberately shaken up

Controller in hand, the basic feel remains very close to what players already know. The controls are precise, the movements are fluid, the visuals are stunning, and the level design is exemplary. In this respect, the game doesn't betray its heritage. However, very quickly, new ideas begin to disrupt this familiarity.

The level design no longer strictly adheres to a 2D logic. Certain sections introduce a more open interpretation of space, with transitions that give the impression of slightly deviating from the series' usual framework. It's never a jarring break, far from it, but rather a gradual expansion of the structure. This is where the game truly begins to differentiate itself from its original model.

3D sections: an opening of perception

The most striking change comes from the 3D sections. Without transforming the game into a completely different experience, these sections profoundly alter how the levels are perceived. The platforming is no longer viewed from a purely frontal and perfectly controlled perspective. The camera becomes an active element of the gameplay, and depth plays a role in navigation.

What's interesting is that this evolution isn't trying to impress for no reason. Its main purpose is to enhance the legibility of the spaces and to offer a variety of experiences.

At first, there's a slight adjustment period. A little mental resistance too, because we naturally associate Rayman with an extremely precise 2D platformer. But once you get past that hurdle, these sections offer something refreshing. They provide a different rhythm to the overall pace.

The “Dragon Ride”: a complete change of pace

While the 3D sections alter perception, the “Dragon Ride” sequences completely change the game's pace. Here, we leave behind the methodical platforming to enter something much more intense, fast-paced, and cinematic. These are moments where the player reacts more than they analyze.

We string together dodges, trajectory adjustments, rapid changes of direction, and fireball attacks, all with a constant sense of movement. There's something very spectacular about these sequences, almost excessive at times, but deliberately so.

What struck me was how these sections are used as bursts of energy. They don't replace the core gameplay, but they punctuate it with truly exciting additional content. It's as if the game wants to avoid any kind of monotony by regularly breaking its own rhythm, which is no small feat in these kinds of fast-paced sequences.

A redesign that takes the risk of disrupting an already established balance

This is probably the most interesting point of this experience. Tampering with a balance already recognized as solid is never insignificant, but even though it was a pre-beta, Rayman Legends Retold takes a clear risk: that of dividing players between those who were looking for a faithful experience and those who are ready to see the license evolve towards something else.

Personally, I find this choice more courageous than problematic because it's easy to simply remake the same thing and make it look better. Adding new, original features? That's much more difficult, especially since it's an already popular game and the average gamer, for years now, has been perpetually dissatisfied, always believing they "could have done better."

An art direction that remains faithful but breathes differently

Visually, Rayman 's identity is still there. The artistic style, the colors, the tone, and the overall energy are immediately recognizable. But I must admit that the added depth from the new perspectives changes the overall perception. Some environments seem more alive and even much larger. The backgrounds are no longer simply decorative; they contribute more to the construction of the space.

It's subtle, it's true… but it's effective! Plus, it avoids the “cosmetic remake” effect that many similar projects can sometimes give.

An experience that raises questions as much as it amuses.

What I take away most from this session isn't just the gameplay or the new features themselves. It's primarily the thinking behind the project. How far can you modify a game already considered modern and successful without losing what made it strong? Conversely, at what point can we say that a game is retro or old enough to warrant a remaster or remake?

Rayman Legends Retold 's proposed answer is not to choose between fidelity and evolution, but to try to make them coexist with the way we play in 2026. It's not always perfectly balanced, some ideas still need polishing, some passages seem to test limits rather than fully mastering them, but there is a clear intention and a deliberate direction here.

Conclusion: a risk that deserves close monitoring.

At this stage, it's difficult to say how well the whole thing will hold up over time. But what this version suggests is a project that doesn't simply want to be a "prettier" or "smoother" version of a recent classic. It wants to be bigger than the original, and the cooperative mode would likely be better designed with today's technology.

Seeing all the remasters and remakes, as well as the return of many licenses, I think that simply bringing back Rayman is a good start for Ubisoft , and that simply trying something else already deserves to be highlighted.

We haven't really been able to play much of Rayman Legends Retold or even test the cooperative mode, but it's already a very good start.

https://youtu.be/NoxlKQRhF34?t=2787

He says he won't be surprised that probably "we'll see substantial layoffs in the future"

https://streamable.com/kbaagn

https://www.ign.com/articles/ign-live-2026-lineup-updates

FYI: A leaked logo for the game was found, as well as a report that Bloober Team will participate in Summer Game Fest