Yooka-Replaylee Review - Bright, Funny, but a Pretty Basic Platformer

And indeed, the awkward and clunky camera that plagued the original is now a thing of the past. You can finally control and position it freely, which is undeniably a major improvement. However, beyond that, Yooka-Replaylee doesn’t really make any groundbreaking progress. The gameplay and platforming remain fairly generic and, unfortunately, still fall short of the standards set by titles it clearly draws inspiration from, games like Crash Bandicoot or Astro Bot, which have become benchmarks for quality in the genre.

What I did appreciate, though, was the game’s approach to its overall structure; it offers a semi-open-world setup, or at least a series of interconnected maps that allow for exploration and even fast travel. It’s a refreshing feat for a platformer. However, the core element, the platforming itself, feels somewhat overlooked. Most of the new abilities and features are unlocked early on, which sadly takes away the excitement of gradual discovery and the sense of progression that usually keeps the genre so engaging.

Another rather generic aspect is the combat, which is overly simplistic and completely stripped of any challenge. Most encounters boil down to mashing a single button. Yooka and Laylee spin in place, dealing damage with an attack that’s practically unstoppable. In fact, you can get through the entire game just by spamming this move without breaking a sweat.

There’s also an upgraded fire-spitting attack, but it’s equally overpowered, making battles feel even more trivial. Sadly, this lack of depth extends to the boss fights as well, which end up being one of the game’s biggest disappointments.

The gameplay loop itself is somewhat engaging. In addition to collecting the familiar Pagies, you’ll often take part in various challenges and mini-games that ultimately reward you with those same Pagies. This helps keep things dynamic and prevents the game from feeling too repetitive.

There are also plenty of side activities, new elements, and additional collectables that slightly expand the overall content. However, despite these efforts, it still doesn’t feel like enough to truly elevate Yooka-Replaylee into the ranks of solid, must-play platformers.

GRAPHICS, SOUNDS, AND PERFORMANCE

I have to draw another comparison with the original; after all, this is a remastered edition, and such comparisons are inevitable. While the original Yooka-Laylee isn’t that old, having been released eight years ago, Yooka-Replaylee is undoubtedly a step up, at least visually. The PC version I played looks great, filled with vibrant colours, lively environments, and the kind of eye-catching, cartoonish flair that perfectly suits a game of this genre.

The levels, at least from a visual standpoint, are beautiful and quite impressive. From the grass gently swaying in the wind to the striking colour contrasts, towering mushrooms, and naturally designed platforms, everything looks and feels truly fairy-tale-ish. Even if the gameplay doesn’t always deliver, it’s easy to overlook those shortcomings once you realise just how visually beautiful and inviting the world of Yooka-Replaylee really is.

The sound design is perfectly fine, though nothing particularly remarkable. The familiar platforming sounds, like jumping, gliding, and the cheerful shouts of the main characters as they move about the world, are all well executed. It’s solid and fits the tone of the game nicely, but there’s little here that stands out or deserves special mention, either in praise or criticism.

Performance on the PC version is excellent, though, to be fair, this isn’t the kind of game that demands a powerhouse rig. Even a modest setup will handle it comfortably. On my system (you can check it at the start of the review), the game consistently ran at over 100 FPS without a single hitch, which speaks volumes about its optimisation. At least in this regard, Yooka-Replaylee delivers a flawless technical experience.