Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair review - the journey bee-gins

​ (​Release Date: October 2019
Developer: Playtonic Games
Publishers: Team17 Digital Limited
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC 
Price: $29.99
Review Code Provided: Yes
Hello everyone, this may be a very short review, but even though we may need to go back from the first game and how they moved on upon it so let us get into doing so upon the review today.
After a long wait with Yooka-Laylee releasing in 2017, having many inspirations from Classics like Banjo-Kazooie and Chameleon Twist series itself in general, Yooka-Laylee had you controlling two characters in a 3D world where you collect the golden books pages called “Pagies” was used to help unlock new parts of the world of what you could open in the same world or new location and so on forth that their game was in development for possibly 2 years now even though Yooka-Laylee had a huge homage to Banjo-Kazooie.
During the time of being worked on the series hasn’t gotten another game or title for likely two years and even with the main game having mixed or average reviews but was generally favourable on the Nintendo Switch. Until now seeking a return as a 2.5D platformer so let’s take a look at Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair shall we?

On the main menu, it opens up a book where Yooka and Laylee are ready for you to help them in their journey!
Here are the modes to select as follows:
New Game - Beginning your journey to stop Capital B
Load Game/Change Save Files - with different states to continue your journey
Options (pause menu) - which can help you change the sound, learn the controls, language or see the credits.

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​Story so far

​The story kicks off like if it was right after the main game as of it is a spin-off series. 
Yooka-Laylee needed to help Queen Phoebee’s land to be safe from the evil clutches of Capital B until noticing that he has created an impossible lair and obstacles that Yooka and Laylee can't even pass through as Queen Phoebee gives out her battalion to protect them through the courses to go after Capital B until they noticed that he had a trick upon his sleeves by using his device to take them, as Yooka and Laylee are up to take on his so-called Impossible Lair even though failing it made them lose some access to the Beettalions going all missing in need of help as it’s up to Yooka and Laylee to save the Beettalions and stop Capital B from taking over the Royal Kingdom but the Impossible Lair is always awaiting them in their way of platforming and sections to overcome.

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​Gameplay, etc.

The gameplay is so lovely to enjoy when with the island type of feel in some tunes that the game has to offer even the level selection reminds me a lot of Super Mario 3D World for the Nintendo Wii U but with puzzles and platforms throughout the journey of saving the battalions, also changing the elements to the levels world is an excellent feature taking more of a challenge to it from remembering the level a lot to it sometimes you can mix up your gameplay by finding specific tonics in the world like more robust enemies that would have googly eyes, and much more to choose from but my favourite from it has to be the infinite rolling because why not? DK ROLLING FOR LIFE- sorry, I went too far. The platforming is excellent and rhythm-based of a game that reminds me tons of feels like the Donkey Kong Country series even the beettalions are very useful to survive in the impossible lair, and honestly it isn’t impossible if you can do it, I mean I’ve seen a couple do it without one who is insane even though I give them much kudos of doing so.
Even the controls feel friendly and easy to use through the time of the game, yet it has the same challenge as Donkey Kong Country in a fun way of doing so even with secrets and stuff to find is a great thing to see but sadly backtracking can be hard in some.
My issues so far would only be that during my time on the game when reviewing this was that the frames would drop at a certain point given and even the camera going off place on the Capital B boss making it more agitating to focus on, and the details looking little low-res in certain levels but was fixed in a patch which was a good relief to see those changes except the low-res is still there which is only a one and a half-point loss so far (1.5) but do be careful that you have two hit points, and if you get hit Laylee may flight out of pattern or in some part  so make sure you can catch him in time, but if not then be careful doing the level with just Yooka so my advice is to just take your time in the game as it has a lot of exploration to offer in the world.
I’d want to give out that David Wise who composed on Donkey Kong Country series, and Grant Kirkhope who formed the music on Banjo-Kazooie did an excellent job making this music so sympathetic to admire at this flow in the game even though Grant did work on Yooka-Laylee during the time being which I enjoyed his music on as well, and I don’t forget that on Banjo-Kazooie’s spiral mountain was very memorable music on me to know on the N64/Xbox 360 arcade these days..

Verdict

​Playtonic Games did a great job with platforming that was totally different from the last title even with the soothing music and platforming being so nostalgic that is fun in every way they did something that many can replay over and over through the years to come and with the 60FPS being an awesome feature on all platforms, even though it takes a huge love note to the Donkey Kong Country games in a unique way..

Quote: “A love note to the old platform era in a new way.”

8.5/10