Yooka-Replaylee Review – Second Verse, Same as the First

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I was really excited for the release of *Yooka-Laylee*, like a lot of people back then. It was being made by the original creators of *Banjo-Kazooie*, which made sense since there hadn’t been a new *Banjo-Kazooie* game in a long time (this was in 2017). But while it’s nice to see something inspired by a classic, *Yooka-Laylee* didn’t really improve upon what made *Banjo-Kazooie* great, and it also had some technical issues.

Following the success of *The Impossible Lair*, Playtonic Games has revisited its roots with *Yooka-Replaylee*. This new version features updated graphics and animations, helpful quality-of-life improvements, and a completely redesigned arcade. While it offers many changes and enhancements to the original, *Yooka-Replaylee* still struggles with level design and platforming that can be either too easy or frustratingly difficult. The result is a decent 3D platformer, but one that doesn’t quite stand out from the crowd.

Okay, so the story is pretty much what you’d expect. Me and Laylee crash landed on this island and found this crazy book, the One Book, that actually *makes* anything written in it real. We tried to help it escape from this bad guy, Capital B, but he recaptured it and broke it up into these little things called Pagies, scattering them everywhere to keep its power out of the wrong hands. Now it’s up to us to find all those Pagies, and a lot of them are hidden inside other books that lead to whole different worlds. Honestly, it feels like we’re kinda helping Capital B and his weird scientist, Dr. Quack, even while we’re trying to stop them!

The core of the game is its platforming, and that’s where Yooka-Replaylee really shines. A convenient story element—the One Book—lets Yooka and Laylee use all their abilities almost right away.

The story is pretty simple, even with a surprise near the end. What really stands out are the well-written characters, like Clara Lost, a skeleton explorer – naturally, there are jokes about her lack of a heart! – and Dr. Puzz, a former scientist who’s undergone some unusual changes resembling marine life. Expect plenty of sea-related humor with him. Laylee’s witty remarks can be funny, but the constant stream of jokes, puns, and sarcastic comments sometimes feels excessive and loses its impact. And honestly, the Galleon Galaxy section and the Blamphibians are just confusing.

The best part of the game is definitely how you move around, and that’s where *Yooka-Laylee* really shines. Thanks to a convenient story element, Yooka and Laylee have all their abilities almost right away. Instead of waiting until the second world to unlock moves like Lizard Leap (which lets you jump higher), you get them from the start, giving you much more freedom to explore. It’s especially great when combined with the Glide ability! Having access to moves like Slurp Shot immediately – letting you spray enemies or break objects – is also a huge improvement. You don’t have to collect things and buy them from a character first. Plus, the moves flow together smoothly and feel really good to use. Whether you love the game or not, Playtonic really got the movement right.

Despite the variety of moves, they don’t feel particularly impactful. While some, like Sonar Shot (which finds hidden platforms), Slurp State (copying object properties), and Camo Cloak (invisibility), are interesting, their uses are often too basic. This is largely due to the game’s easy challenges and weak enemies. Most foes fall quickly to simple attacks, so I often skipped fighting them altogether. The few tougher enemies, like the energy-wave-shooting bot or the spiky ones requiring Sonar Shot, don’t really add much variety to the gameplay.

The game brings back helpful tonics, and there are plenty to unlock, but I didn’t find most of them essential. I did enjoy the wide range of customization options and the upgrades you can buy from Trowzer. While not strictly needed, given how easy the game is, they’re a nice addition, though they do make collecting Quills feel less important.

It’s not that the levels are bad, but they don’t feel particularly special or memorable during gameplay, and they don’t quite come together as a unified experience. The character transformations still aren’t very impressive either.

The update also includes a new map and challenge tracker to help you find any remaining Pagies. Several challenges have been revamped, too – the *Shovel Knight* quest is now more engaging, focusing on using seesaw platforms and freezing them, rather than just shooting switches like before. Rextro’s Arcade is now a series of separate puzzle platforming levels where you directly control Rextro, and his unique chomp ability is essential for solving puzzles, since he can’t jump.

Despite the game aiming for difficulty, many challenges aren’t very hard, and the levels themselves could be better designed. Some areas feel unfinished and basic, like they were added without much thought. Others, such as the underwater section in Moodymaze Marsh – where you rush past spikes to collect a Pagie – feel poorly made and offer no real challenge.

Finding key items, like pages, is often too simple – you can get them from riding in minecarts just as easily as from finding a hidden treasure. This makes the levels feel less special and memorable, and doesn’t create a strong overall gameplay experience. The changes the pages trigger are also still disappointing.

It’s not all bad, though. Players might enjoy the range of activities available, like using the Sonar Shield at gates, beaming up to destroy targets (which isn’t as thrilling as it seems), and navigating a shifting maze from above. Everything looks visually appealing, with a high level of detail, and the updated lighting and reflections are a definite improvement. It’s particularly noticeable how much better some locations look – the Waterworks, for example, now feels appropriately grimy compared to the original version.

Despite the improvements, Yooka-Laylee still feels like its original self, meaning you’ll encounter uninspired platforming, mediocre bosses, jokes that don’t land, and worlds that feel haphazardly thrown together rather than carefully designed.

The game runs very smoothly with almost no slowdown, and the music is fantastic, thanks to the work of Grant Kirkhope and David Wise. The camera has also been improved, though it can still feel a bit too close to the action and lacks options for rotation or movement.

As promised, *Yooka-Replaylee* is a greatly improved version of *Yooka-Laylee*. It boasts better visuals and addresses many of the original game’s frustrating elements. However, it still retains the core gameplay of *Yooka-Laylee*, meaning you’ll encounter uninspired platforming, mediocre bosses, and humor that doesn’t quite land. The worlds still feel a bit disjointed. While this might satisfy fans who enjoyed the original despite its issues, and could attract new players, it doesn’t quite reach the level of a truly great platformer.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

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2025-10-08 19:13