Yooka-Replaylee’s Big Upgrades Come at a Cost
▼ Summary
– Yooka-Replaylee is a remastered version of the 2017 3D platformer Yooka-Laylee, developed by Playtonic Games and released on multiple platforms.
– The remaster introduces gameplay improvements such as an unlimited stamina roll for better traversal, a tighter control scheme, and a better camera system.
– It features expanded content including a wordier script with more backstory, new visual designs, and additional challenges and collectibles in each world.
– Some changes, like the altered character designs and upfront ability unlocks, have reduced the original’s old-school charm and clarity according to the author.
– Despite these changes, the core whimsical humor and engaging level design remain, making it a more fluid and enjoyable experience overall.
My initial encounter with the original Yooka-Laylee came well after its launch, allowing me to experience the game after several notorious issues, such as its widely panned camera system, had already been addressed. I found it charming enough that I questioned whether Yooka-Replaylee, a remastered and enhanced version of Playtonic’s 2017 collectathon, could truly justify a revisit. Yet after spending a few hours exploring its polished worlds, I’m pleasantly surprised, even if some of the original’s deliberate retro appeal seems to have faded in the process.
Yooka-Laylee first captured attention in 2015 as a Kickstarter success, raising more than £2 million by promising a nostalgic 3D platforming adventure reminiscent of classics like Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong 64. The development team included several Rare veterans who had worked on those beloved titles, lending the project both credibility and enthusiasm. The final product, released in 2017, delivered a vibrant and pun-filled homage to the genre, though it was often criticized for its uneven execution. Two years later, Playtonic shifted gears with Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair, a side-scrolling platformer inspired by the Donkey Kong Country series. Now, seven years after the original, Yooka-Replaylee aims to refine and elevate that first game.
It succeeds in many ways, though not all changes feel like improvements. Some of the most noticeable updates come across as overly elaborate, straying from the clean, straightforward design that defined the ’90s classics Yooka-Laylee sought to emulate. For example, the script has been expanded significantly, adding backstory to characters and elements that were once left to the imagination. We now get a detailed introduction to Yooka and Laylee’s earlier escapades, along with lore for the newly personified Old Book and even an in-universe justification for progress gating. While these additions provide context, they sacrifice the original’s sharp, witty brevity. This tendency toward excess appears elsewhere too, such as in the more detailed but slightly cluttered visual style, which obscures some of the clarity and charm that defined the first release. Even the heroes’ iconic silhouettes have been altered with added hair and accessories, muddying their once-distinct profiles.
Still, it would be unfair to focus only on these stylistic shifts. Yooka-Replaylee introduces meaningful gameplay enhancements that make exploration and movement far more fluid. The roll move, essential for speedy traversal and scaling ramps, no longer drains stamina, allowing for uninterrupted momentum. Controls feel tighter and more responsive across the board. One curious change is the replacement of the classic double-jump with a static upward leap, but most abilities remain familiar. Although receiving all moves upfront can feel overwhelming, I occasionally struggled to remember a specific ability needed for a puzzle, this approach ultimately offers greater freedom.
Other notable improvements include a much-improved camera system, unlockable fast-travel points, and easier access to collectible tracking. Vendors like Trowzer and Vendi now appear at the start of each level, eliminating the frustration of forgetting their locations. Playtonic has also streamlined progression by presenting each world, from the haunted bog to the shimmering casino, in its expanded form from the beginning, so all challenges are accessible immediately. Freed from the original’s minor annoyances, it’s easier to lose yourself in Yooka-Laylee’s whimsical world and appreciate its clever design.
The first world remains a standout, bursting with creativity across ancient ruins and soaring peaks. It’s packed with diverse activities: checkpoint races, minecart challenges, combat encounters, timed agility tests, and intricate platform puzzles. Older segments have been thoughtfully reworked, and new distractions, like abundant coins to collect and spend on amusing cosmetic items, add depth and incentive to exploration. While the core objective still revolves around checking collectibles off a list, the sheer variety and inventiveness keep the experience engaging, at least in these early stages. The game’s signature humor and lighthearted charm endure, even if the script feels a bit more bloated this time around.
I’ve only explored a handful of worlds so far, and it’s possible the honeymoon phase will fade, especially since I recall the original Yooka-Laylee losing some momentum in its later stages. Whether Playtonic’s revisions extend consistently through the entire adventure remains to be seen. For now, though, I’m thoroughly enjoying my return to this colorful universe, even as I note the irony that modernizing a throwback has, in some ways, made it feel less like one.
(Source: Euro Gamer)
