As much nostalgia as there is here, there is one big caveat that will unfortunately probably not sit well with fans of the original experience, and that is the fact that the original soundtrack by Remi Gazel is not included, instead it’s replaced with music from Rayman Legends / Origins composer Christophe Heral, and whilst I’m a fan of his work and especially adore the Rayman Origins soundtrack, music is such a key part of nostalgia that the lack of the original soundtrack in the collection does sting a tad.
The emulation in these games is solid, and there are the usual included filters, effects, and ratios included so you can make it a more modern experience, or perhaps really dig into the retro vibe and 4:3 / CRT scan your way back to the mid-‘90s!.
It’s interesting to check out the different versions, and especially the original prototype included here, and whilst there are brief notes on the history of the game, it does feel a little bare bones, with perhaps a documentary, a real deep dive into artwork, original storyboards, or even perhaps some pictures and text-based interviews with the original staff would have helped to really make this feel like a must-have retrospective. As the versions of Rayman are interesting but mostly similar, inclusions of some other games in the franchise would have been a nice touch and filled out the experience a little.
As it stands, the Rayman 30th Anniversary Collection feels a bit slight, and a missed opportunity. If there are licensing issues with the other games in the franchise - and the original soundtrack - there could have instead been a lean into behind-the-scenes details and snippets for those that love the character and worlds, as Rayman is certainly a world worth returning to!
6/10
MELTING
(also available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC)
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