Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair

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Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair
Developer(s)Playtonic Games
Publisher(s)Team17
Composer(s)
EngineUnity
Platform(s)
ReleaseNintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One
October 8, 2019
Amazon Luna
October 20, 2020
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a 2019 platform game developed by Playtonic Games and published by Team17. As a spin-off to Yooka-Laylee (2017), the game was released digitally for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on October 8, 2019, followed by a version for Amazon Luna on October 20, 2020.[1][2][3]

Gameplay[edit]

The title is a side-scrolling 2D platform game. The player controls Yooka, a male chameleon, and Laylee, a female bat, to complete various levels. In these levels, the objective is to collect quills and T.W.I.T. coins, as well as to free a member of the "Beetalion". The members of the Beetalion each give Yooka and Laylee an extra hit point for use on the final level, the eponymous "Impossible Lair". T.W.I.T. coins are used to unlock further progress on the overworld through Trowzer's "paywalls".[4] Notably, it is possible to enter the final level at any point in the game, though it is heavily encouraged that the player first secure extra hit points by beating the other levels first.

The "Tonics" feature from the first game also return. Tonics are potions that can modify the gameplay in numerous ways after being consumed by Yooka.[5] Between levels, an isometric 3D overworld is used for getting around. Characters can be found and spoken to alongside puzzles to solve for quills and tonics.[6]

Development[edit]

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair was developed by Playtonic Games, a studio composed of former Rare employees. While the game bears similarities with the Donkey Kong Country series, the team opted not to use the moniker "spiritual successor" to market the game.[7] The game was announced on June 8, 2019, by publisher Team17,[8] and released on October 8, 2019.[5]

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair (Original Game Soundtrack) was independently released by Playtonic on October 16, 2019, on Bandcamp, with a fully distributed edition under the video game record label Materia Collective.[9] The music was composed by David Wise, Grant Kirkhope, Matt Griffin, and Dan Murdoch.

Reception[edit]

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair received generally positive reviews upon release according to review aggregator Metacritic.[11][10][12][13] IGN gave the game a glowing review, calling it an "excellent modernized spin on the 2D platformer".[21] Game Informer also spoke highly, praising the game's great replay value and fresh perspective on the 2D platforming genre.[6] Eurogamer's Tom Phillips called the game "a far more polished game than the studio's predecessor", citing the more modern game designs.[22]

Despite the game's mainly positive reviews, some journalists found issues with the game's design. Destructoid's Brett Makedonski, while having overall enjoyed the game, describing the levels and controls as "not innovative" and "good enough".[23] Hayden Dingman of PC World found the game's difficulty too "taxing" to be enjoyable, giving it 3/5 stars.[24]

Accolades[edit]

The game was nominated for "Control Precision" at the NAVGTR Awards.[25]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "NEW GAME: YOOKA-LAYLEE AND THE IMPOSSIBLE LAIR". Playtonic Games. 7 June 2019. Archived from the original on 7 June 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair – Release Date Announcement!". Team 17. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  3. ^ Gartenberg, Chaim (20 October 2020). "Hands-on with Amazon's Luna game streaming service". The Verge. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  4. ^ Campbell, Colin (3 October 2019). "Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair revels in the good ol' days of platforming". Polygon. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  5. ^ a b Beckhelling, Imogen (3 September 2019). "Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair comes to PC and consoles next month". Eurogamer. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  6. ^ a b Shea, Brian (16 October 2019). "Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair". Game Informer. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  7. ^ Dring, Christopher (14 June 2019). "Playtonic: "We are never using the term spiritual successor again"". Gameindustry.biz. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  8. ^ Purlow, Matt (6 July 2019). "Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair Announced". IGN. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  9. ^ admin (March 2020). "Yooka-Laylee and Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair Soundtracks Released". Playtonic Games. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  10. ^ a b "Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  11. ^ a b "Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  12. ^ a b "Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  13. ^ a b "Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  14. ^ "Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair Review – A Fresh Perspective". Game Informer. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  15. ^ "Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair Review". IGN. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  16. ^ "Review: Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair". Destructoid. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  17. ^ "Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  18. ^ "Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  19. ^ "Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair Review - Uninvited Nostalgia". GameSpot. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  20. ^ "Test Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair, cette fois, la nostalgie fait mouche !". Jeuxvideo.com. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  21. ^ Jagneaux, David (3 October 2019). "Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair Review". IGN. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  22. ^ Phillips, Tom (8 October 2019). "Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair review - a brilliant and better follow-up". Eurogamer. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  23. ^ Makedonski, Brett (6 October 2019). "Review: Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair". Destructoid. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  24. ^ Dingman, Hayden (3 October 2019). "Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair review: Not impossible, but not very fun either". PC World. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  25. ^ "2019 Nominees". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. 13 January 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
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