“Yooka-Replaylee” is a game made by Playtonic Games, who are both the publishers and developers. We played the Steam version, where the price is €29.99, and the prices for the Nintendo Switch and Xbox versions are similar. The PlayStation version is a bit more expensive – €39.99.
“Yooka-Replaylee” is a game that is sold as a remaster of the game “Yooka-Laylee” from 2017. However, this game is much more than that. The ambition of the remake and the focus on details make it perhaps a full-fledged remake. It can be said that this is the ultimate vision of a game that was supposed to be released eight years ago. The game retains the main elements that attracted fans to the original, which are the charming duo – the green chameleon Yooka and the sarcastic bat Laylee. Together, they fight against the notorious Capital Bee corporation and collect Pagies (book pages) to unlock new, intricately expansive worlds. The story and characters, therefore, remain the same. The key difference in the games lies in the gameplay and the overall feel. The original “Yooka-Laylee” was loved for its nostalgic spirit, but it was often criticized for technical shortcomings. The biggest complaints were about clunky and imprecise controls, a problematic camera that often got stuck or blocked the view, and level design that often seemed too large and too empty, with too few details. “Yooka-Replaylee” is a targeted solution to all these problems. The improvements are thorough. The controls are much smoother, more responsive, and precise, and we know that this is the most important aspect of all platformers. The camera has been completely overhauled and is now much more stable and reliable, allowing players to focus on jumping and exploring rather than struggling with movement. One of the improvements is that some abilities, which were unlocked later in the original, are now available right from the start, such as gliding. This fact makes navigating the expansive worlds much more enjoyable right from the beginning of the game.
What may be most important is the redesign of the worlds themselves. Playtonic Games took existing locations and expanded and thoroughly rearranged them, but in a much more meaningful way. The number of 'paigesa' to collect in each world has doubled – from 25 to 50, making every corner of the map more significant and rewarding. The worlds no longer feel empty. They are much more detailed. They have become dense mazes filled with new challenges, puzzles, and hidden secrets. The world designers added new paths, reworked the layout of objects, and filled in the gaps. Now, the experience of traversing the worlds of this game is less confusing but more enjoyable.
Visually, the game is significantly polished. The graphics are cleaner, with better textures, richer lighting, and more vibrant colors, which greatly contributes to the constant cheerful atmosphere that is a hallmark of the platformer genre. In this game, even the music has received an upgrade compared to the original. The soundtrack of the original was praised, but now the developers have included orchestrated arrangements.
In the end, the question arises – does the game from 2017 deserve a remake or does more time need to pass? Our answer is – if it’s done in the “Yooka-Replaylee” way, the definitive answer is – YES. This game is an advanced version of “Yooka-Laylee.” The developers have managed to fully realize the potential that the original had. The general consensus among critics is that this is an excellent platformer, filled with witty dialogues, classic charm, and an outstanding gameplay experience. Many who were disappointed with the original will improve their impression with this game. For fans of this genre, this is a must-buy.
A copy of the game for review purposes was provided by the publisher Playtonic Games
