I loved Banjo-Kazooie, but I did not love Yooka-Laylee.
Instead of conjuring memories of the heyday of 90s-style 3D platformers, it underscored
why they may have gone extinct in the first place.
And now Yooka and Laylee are back to try it again, but this time with a change of perspective,
and using a different game as the source of its inspiration: DKC: Tropical Freeze.
And the game isn’t exactly shy about that fact bearing many, many similarities--I mean,
I’m pretty I’ve seen these Windmills somewhere before...
Now Tropical Freeze is, in my opinion, one of the greatest side-scrolling platformers
ever created, so how can the Impossible Lair possibly compete, considering it was made
with a fraction of Nintendo’s budget and manpower?
Does it embarrass itself by even trying?
Well, that’d be a pretty rude way introduction if so, so let’s just get it out of the way:
Not only does Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair not embarrass itself, but it even manages
to better Tropical Freeze in a few interesting ways while introducing some fun twists all
of its own.
So let’s dive into what Impossible Lair does right--or wrong--as we compare it to
Tropical Freeze way too many times.
And the comparisons are nearly unavoidable because, at its platforming core, Impossible
Lair is nearly indistinguishable from Tropical Freeze, sharing a similar weighty feel, controls,
and even moveset.
Which is to say, it all feels fantastic, as to be expected when you’re aping the best.
Yooka has a great sense of momentum, allowing precision control even at top-speed.
Laylee takes on the partner role, granting an extra hit, while also permitting you to
gain some extra hangtime by spinning in the air...which is something you’ll definitely
miss if you lose her after taking damage.
But in a neat twist, you actually have a brief window in which you can try to get Laylee
back as she frantically flies around, Baby Mario style.
It’s a clever mechanic that adds a risk vs reward element, as you weigh trying to
get her back at the risk of dying entirely by taking damage again--especially since her
flight path can be a bit erratic.
Of course, you can always get her back by ringing one of the Laylee Bells, which is
the game’s version of a DK barrel.
So yeah, the controls just feel great--and it’s a good thing too since the level design
will frequently put them to the test.
Impossible Lair, as you might expect, isn’t easy--but it rarely feels unfair.
The levels were clearly built by those who understand the craft--which is refreshing
after just having come off the, let’s say uneven quality, of Super Mario Maker 2.
And though tough, I never found myself frustrated--which is partially thanks to a generous checkpoint
system and the complete removal of lives as a concept--you’re able to retry as many
times as you wish, and nearly instantly too.
And if you find yourself completely stuck, the game will even eventually offer to let
you skip ahead to the next checkpoint.
Isn’t that nice?
Like Tropical Freeze, the 40 worlds here are brought to life with surprising realism--by
cartoonish lizard & bat standards, at least.
You won’t find any magical floating platforms here, as every object has some contextual
reason for existing, whether its wooden platforms suspended by rope in a forest or the machinery
of active factory!
It all feels remarkably grounded, while also offering some of the best platforming I’ve
experienced since Tropical Freeze.
But while Tropical Freeze is renowned for its countless large-scale set pieces, such
as traversing an freaking tornado, Yooka-Laylee takes a more classic approach, but one still
built around highly active and dynamic environments, whether it’s treadmill platforms or ferris-wheels
that shift under your weight.
There’s always a lot going on and I loved that I had to stay on my toes, rather than
sleepwalk through it as I have with the more recent 2D Marios.
Now while the environments are pretty varied on the whole, you will find yourself exploring
some similar looking areas a bit more often than in Tropical Freeze, with buildings such
as this being the most egregious.
Now while you’re running and jumping, you’ll also want to keep an eye out for two types
of collectibles: 5 secret coins hidden in each level, along with a constantly replenished
supply of quills, which is the game’s main currency, both of which are a lot of fun to
collect.
The former because they’re often cleverly hidden and usually require some challenging
platforming to get, unlike the incredibly repetitive bonus rooms of Tropical Freeze,
while the latter are just fun--especially since they’re offered as a reward for completing
mid-level Ghost Writing challenges --yeah, this guy barfs up a storm and I love it.
And part of the reason why I found the collectibles fun to find is because they’re also meaningful,
allowing you to unlock additional levels in the case of the coins, or purchase Tonics
you’ve found that can be equipped to augment your looks or skills.
By default, you’re allowed to equip 3 Tonics at a time.
Some are just for fun, like this rad Game Boy filter or a creepy Humanized version of
Yooka, while others can adjust the difficulty of the game itself, such as granting more
invincibility time when hit or giving enemies Googly eyes--and an extra health point each.
But beware, as any tonics that affect the difficulty will affect your final quill count,
with easier ones subtracting from your total, while harder ones will actually add to it.
It’s a pretty neat way to moderate difficulty, albeit at the risk--or reward--of your quill
count.
Now while the bulk of the game is based around 2D platforming, Yooka-Laylee hasn’t completely
abandoned its 3D roots, thanks to a shockingly in-depth hub world that you’ll explore between
stages.
Although visually similar to Super Mario 3D World’s map, it offers a much deeper experience,
featuring light platforming, Zelda-seque puzzles, various NPCS, and tons of secrets to uncover.
I was expecting a mindless time-waster, but what I ended up with was something that I
enjoyed nearly as much as the platforming itself--which is a good thing considering
you’ll likely spend around a third of your play time here.
Not only does it act as a nice break between platforming challenges, but it’s fun to
explore in its own right and unravel all of the world’s secrets, including how to access
about half of the levels.
Because while most of the levels, which come in the form of books--or tomes--are easily
found out in the open, each one has a secret 2nd version that requires you to solve some
kind of puzzle to uncover.
For instance, freezing the water around this one will result in freezing everything within
the level, whereas spilling honey all over this one will saturate nearly every surface
with the sticky goo, allowing you to clamber up walls DKC2 style.
It’s a brilliant idea and I loved discovering how to change each world, and what effects
it would have.
And in case you’re concerned about these variations coming across as a cheap way to
extend gameplay: Don’t be.
Functionally, they might as well be entirely different stages.
Now the overworld is sectioned off by Pay Walls--as in literal walls that you have to
pay to have removed--pretty clever, eh?
Thankfully, no real money is required here, as you’ll instead the collectible coins
found within each level--and these paywalls help create a wonderful interplay between
world map progression and level exploration, lending them a real value for discovering.
Now each section generally has 3 worlds to find which you can tackle in most any order,
along with numerous puzzles and secrets, lending a quasi-sandbox approach to each area--which
is appreciated, even if the adventure is still largely linear.
But not entirely...
As there is one major aspect that isn’t.
And paradoxically, it’s the final level, aka The Impossible Lair--or should we say
the first level?
Because in a brilliant Breath of the Wild-style twist, you can attempt to tackle it at any
point in the game--even before you’ve played a single normal level.
The only thing standing in your way is your own skill--aaaaand lack of health.
Because as you might expect, this level is long, brutal, and well, basically Impossible,
so Yooka & Laylee are going to need all the help they can get.
And that help comes in the form of the Beettalion army, which you’ll find an individual member
of at the end of every level.
Together, the Beettalion army act as health points allowing Yooka & Laylee to absorb an
extra hit for each bee you find--so the more levels you Bee-t the better odds you’ll
have against the Impossible Lair.
But hey, if you want to go in bee-fensless, there’s nothing stopping you.
It’s a super cool idea that makes completing each level feel just a little more special,
and together with the 3D hub world, truly helps Yooka-Laylee and The Impossible Lair
stand apart as more than just a mere Tropical Freeze clone--as if that were such a bad thing
anyway.
Whether you’re platforming or exploring the overworld, the presentation remains stellar
throughout.
Hell, even the title screen impressed me--that book looks real darn it!
The animation is fantastic across the board, with the Queen Bee being a particular standout.
And I love some of the little details, such as how rocket-pack enemies barrel toward the
screen when defeated.
The lighting effects are especially impressive, going well beyond Tropical Freeze with far
more dynamic--and colorful--light sources.
You’ll even see real-time shadows cast onto the background.
The only downside is the added realism does have the side-effect of making it a little
harder to discern enemies at times, though it’s rarely much of an issue.
The framerate is also nearly a rock-solid 60fps, with only rare hitches that are over
in a flash.
Impossible Lair’s soundtrack is consistently great and perfectly befitting each level’s
setting, and is always pleasure to listen to--which is to be expected given both Grant
Kirkhope and David Wise of Tropical Freeze lent their expertise.
However, with maybe a handful of close exceptions, the tracks never quite reach the insane heights
of Tropical Freeze’s soundtrack, and take on a slightly more subdued role.
I also did encounter an issue where the music would occasionally stutter when moving between
areas; it’s always brief but does stand out when the presentation is otherwise stellar.
All in all, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair really took me by surprise, offering
one of the best 2D platforming experiences since Tropical Freeze.
While it may not always reach the ridiculous heights of that game’s varied worlds, dynamic
setpieces, and soundtrack, it nearly makes up for it with bang-on controls, splendid
level design, great music, fun-to-find collections, and a fantastic World Map that could almost
serve as the basis for its own game.
It seems Playtonic took the lessons they learned from their first game to heart and purposefully
dialed back the ambition in order to deliver in terms of substance and quality, and I couldn’t
be happier that it turned out as great as it has.
I liked it a lot and I can’t wait to see where the series goes next.
Yooka Laylee Racing anyone?!
Thanks for watching and make sure to stay tuned to GameXplain for tons more on Yooka-Laylee
and everything else Nintendo Switch as well.