Two charismatic heroes, a Nintendo 64-style 3D platformer adventure and a lot, a lot of humor. Developed by former Rare veterans, the spiritual successor to the classic Banjo & Kazooie debuts on Nintendo Switch! but, as we highlighted in Yooka-Laylee’s analysis, Playtonic’s video game, while great in some respects, does not quite reach the heights of genre of genre. Still, it’s worth it? Without hesitation.
They promised to create a 3D platform adventure in the style of Nintendo 64, which they already missed! And that is exactly what Yooka-Layle offers , the long-awaited spiritual successor to the classic Banjo & Kazooie , which although it has been made to beg, finally arrives to Nintendo Switch with the main objective of making lovers of the genre fall in love. In part it succeeds, as this video game developed by former Rare veterans is pure nostalgia; a true love letter to those titles that amazed us in the nineties, but with the recent release of Super Mario Odyssey , the deficiencies of this Playtonic work become more notable. The design of its worlds, the challenges it faces, the charisma of its protagonists, the freedom of action … everything in it gives off the essence of those mythical platform adventures that captivated us in the past, but there are certain challenges to which You can see the passing of the years; there is evidence that, while amusing, pales in the face of the latest advances in the genre.
I say this and inevitably think of the sequences on board the wagon , which although it is true I like them, they are challenging and have their charm, they are far from the level seen in the frantic chases on rails that the most recent Donkey face you. Kong Country from Retro Studios, which are generally more exciting and spectacular. I am fascinated by the ease with which this team, at a stroke, transports you to that time, takes you to relive an experience that you already thought was lost in oblivion, but it is difficult not to feel a certain disappointment at a video game that does not explode everything its potential. Sometimes it is simple, of being unimaginative in some of its challenges … and other times it is simply great, an ode to a genre that already seemed almost extinct.
Yooka-Laylee: Launch Trailer
The good oldie timesEven with its flaws, even with that little bitter aftertaste that Yooka-Laylee leaves you with, this is one of those platform adventures that you should not miss. It is a song of love not only to Nintendo 64 and the classics that made it such a beloved console, but also to Rare’s legacy , to which this British studio honors in a thousand and one different ways. There are winks everywhere, small details that will make fans smile as they explore the colossal five worlds into which the video game is divided. They are so large that it almost seems that we are facing a sandbox, in the sense that we have total freedom to move and explore these gigantic scenarios as we please as long as, of course, we have therelevant special skills .
What will be will be? In each world Dr. Puff awaits us with fun transformations in the Mumbo Jumbo style. Too bad they don’t get the most out of it.
In this sense, the main duet seems extraordinary to me. I admit that I had my doubts, that at the beginning, when the video game was presented, I was not convinced by this couple formed by a chameleon and his scathing companion, a red-nosed bat , who in essence perfectly represent the roles of Banjo and Kazooie . However, after the nearly 20 hours it has taken me to complete the adventure, and I still have a lot of Pagies and items to collect! I ca n’t wait to meet them again. I want to live more and better adventures as two heroes who are capable of making you smile with the illusion of a child. It is the great virtue of Yooka-Laylee.
Camera performance, although improved after an update, is still insufficientThere is a lot of humor condensed in each and every one of the lines of dialogue that the protagonists give us in their encounter with the crazy secondary characters that swarm through this colorful fantasy world, and faithful to the style of the mythical Rare, the Playtonic team plays over and over again with double meanings to create a funny story, with lots of jokes and charismatic characters, to whom you end up taking a special affection. Even the villain, Capital B, which is not that I was excessively passionate when it was presented, it has ended up conquering me with all that bad slob that is spent. I start talking about Yooka-Laylee and, really, my face lights up! I can feel the emotion remembering some of the great moments that the video game treasures. The tests are back! Here called Cuactionarios for being carried out by one of the henchmen of the bad guy, who is also wonderful; and the puzzles , speed tests, races, fights, minigames, impossible jumps and limitless exploration return . Everything you loved about Banjo & Kazooie is here, as is, adapted to the new times, although with more ups and downs than desired.
By fulfilling certain tasks we will unlock the tonics, which offer special powers such as more health, higher energy regeneration rate, etc. We can only access one at a time.
The main problem lies in the design of the sets , which combines areas of unequaled beauty with others that are too austere, simple and unimaginative. The commitment to huge game worlds, of colossal proportions, incredibly enhances the feeling of freedom, that wherever you go you will find new challenges to face, but honestly, I believe that less is more, and in this case, being a small studio, Playtonic should have focused on creating smaller but better laid out scenarios in general. There are great tests, challenges that are fun, but also other tests that almost seem like a joke; They pose no challenge beyond walking and finding the Pagie on duty.
The adventure is full of nods to games from the past, works by Rare herself, and even Shovel Knight has a role in the game!
The Dr. Puff transformations , which are a hallmark of Banjo & Kazooie, are a good example of all this untapped potential. I love seeing the protagonists turned into the most diverse objects and creatures, but then in practice, these almost become tedious tests that do not offer particularly attractive challenges. The same goes for the boss battles , equally unimaginative except for the final fight, which at least is exciting and to some extent, quite challenging. That is why Yooka-Laylee is presented as a video game with many chiaroscuro. As soon as it makes you smile, it disappoints you, and even pissed you off, because of some mistakes of the past. I mean mostly the camera, which does not always show the action from the best point of view. And that this version of Nintendo Switch brings with it the update that refines the camera system among other improvements; is not sufficient.
With so much negativity it seems that I have not enjoyed Yooka-Laylee and it is the opposite! I have loved to meet again with a platform adventure in the style of Nintendo 64, and I have really enjoyed like a child the crazy trip that Playtonic offers us, that nostalgia takes its toll! The problem is that apart from that feeling of happy reunion, of rediscovering an almost lost genre, the video game is below the adventures to which it honors. There’s a lot of potential, great ideas and a wonderful soundtrack by Grant Kirkhope and David Wise, but it lacks the polish and touch of brilliance that made Super Mario 64 and Banjo & Kazooie timeless classics. It’s a shame.
There is a huge amount of content to explore, including an arcade where you can enjoy fun multiplayer testswith arcade style (with the Joy-Con it is very easy to reunite four friends), but in Yooka-Laylee it is difficult to find the middle ground. Either it’s a lot of fun or it doesn’t, or you love the grunts and guttural sounds that the characters speak with, or you hate it; and that makes it difficult to openly recommend your purchase. In my opinion, if you like the classics of N64 you shouldn’t think about it too much, it is a game that is worth it; but don’t expect to find a work at that level. It is not. It’s getting close, but it’s definitely not. As a final note, as it happened on Xbox One and PS4, Yooka-Laylee on Nintendo Switch suffers from significant slowdowns both in its portable mode and in the dock , sometimes making it difficult to fully enjoy the action.
“Okay”
Yooka-Laylee
9.3
Readers
(3)
When nostalgia is involved, it is difficult to offer an opinion that is valid for everyone, and Yooka-Laylee is the best example of this. I am sure that fans of Banjo & Kazooie and, in general, fans of the adventures of 3D platforms typical of the Nintendo 64 era will enjoy this Playtonic video game, but in turn, they will be somewhat disappointed by what it could be it was not. There’s a lot of potential, great ideas, and a good playable base, but its uneven level design and the simplicity of some of its tests set it apart from the biggest.
- A Nintendo 64-style 3D platformer adventure
- The design and colossal size of the five game worlds
- Yooka, Laylee and the rest of the secondary characters. It has a lot of charm!
- Wonderful soundtrack and colorful staging
- Fun local multiplayer for four
- Sometimes the camera can obstruct the action somewhat
- In some ways it feels too simple, somewhat dated
- Slowdowns, which can sometimes be very annoying
