'Yooka-Laylee' Review: Critics Are Divided on Game's Nostalgic Appeal
Playtonic Games' 3D platformer "Yooka-Laylee" was just released a few days ago and critics have weighed in on how the game fares. Now that the reviews are in, it looks like most are conflicted with the title's nod to classics that introduced the said genre to the gaming world.
A blog at Post-Gazette describes the game as "an enjoyable time capsule," reliving elements of simple platformers that fans loved before. Termed as the "collectathon" genre, Yooka and Laylee scour worlds to collect Quills that teach skills and a number of Pagies that will ultimately give access to new environment.
Having just two types of collectable items to find, it makes the game both challenging and enjoyable at the same time. There is some feeling of achievement in exploring the vast world and progress through the game while marveling at the whimsical theme of the title.
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The Guardian agrees with positively praising the game. It has magnificently adapted the quirky yet free gameplay of classic platformers, in which mini-quests are scattered everywhere. There is no linearity in doing them, as the player is given the liberty to choose which one to start with.
Moreover, the lack of instruction to how things work, like replenishing Yooka's health, is given to one's discovery. This could be perceived as both a pro and a con, depending on how one sees it, but it does remove the lengthy tutorials and plunges the gamer into the world.
Kotaku, however, thinks that it is "nostalgia gone wrong." While it revives the classic gameplay, it has also implemented the same mistakes of the past titles. Playtonic Games should have looked at the classics as a springboard and not the gold standard.
Polygon seconds this sentiment, and delves more into the gameplay that could have been improved. The shift to first-person view when shooting and aiming is a bit tedious. Movement is also disabled, making the character vulnerable.
Ultimately, the verdict lies on the players. "Yooka-Laylee" is now available on PlayStation 4 (PS4), Xbox One and PC. The Nintendo Switch version is still underway.
