Yooka-Laylee

 PC
Yooka-Laylee Image
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 327 Ratings

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  • Summary: Yooka-Laylee is an all-new 3D platformer from the creative talent behind the Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong Country games. Our new heroes, Yooka (the green bloke with no pants) and Laylee (the wisecracking lady-bat with the big nose) were conceptualised from the ground up for stellarYooka-Laylee is an all-new 3D platformer from the creative talent behind the Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong Country games. Our new heroes, Yooka (the green bloke with no pants) and Laylee (the wisecracking lady-bat with the big nose) were conceptualised from the ground up for stellar platforming gameplay, created by the same character artist behind the rebooted Donkey Kong family and legendary N64 heroes Banjo and Kazooie. Using an arsenal of special moves like Yookas tongue grapple and Laylees tactical sonar blast, players will explore and expand gorgeous 3D worlds drawn up by esteemed environment artist Steven Hurst (Banjo-Kazooie series, Viva Pinata) and through skill discover the plethora of delicious collectibles hidden within.

    FEATURES:

    * Heroes Built for Fun: Our new buddy-duo were dreamed up specifically for entertaining platforming gameplay and exceptional colour coordination. We think we've captured the spirit of our past heroes while introducing our most inventive moves yet.

    * An Arsenal of Abilities: Sonar blasting, tongue whipping, sky soaring a move roster built for platforming fun and unlocked with added freedom. Additionally, there may or may not be a move involving a giant fart bubble.

    * A Dream Soundtrack: David Wise (Donkey Kong Country) and Grant Kirkhope (Banjo-Kazooie) combine in what's sure to be a melodic masterpiece! Seriously, clean out your ears - they're in for a treat.

    * Collect-em-up 2.0: A roster of shiny collectibles with gameplay progression at their core (as well as other, more valuable materials). Every collectible type in our new game will expand gameplay in a meaningful way. Yes, we employ the man responsible for DK64's myriad of trinkets, but we've had a stern word. Our main collectible, Pagies, are used to unlock and expand new worlds in Yooka-Laylee.

    * Expandable Worlds: Experience more of the playgrounds you love by spending collectibles to expand your favourites into bigger, more challenging worlds.

    * A Cast to Last: A huge cast of memorable characters to meet (or beat) brought to life by the art and audio teams behind Banjo-Kazooie and destined to endure in future games as part of Playtonic Universe. Expect all manner of grunts, squeaks and squawks.

    * Introducing Play Tonics: Discover these unique gameplay modifiers and use them to customise gameplay to suit your style. Will you run faster, hit harder or fly further? Also, are they named after our studio or vice versa? We'll never know.

    * Arcade machines: Each world hides at least one secret arcade game encasing old-school gaming goodness. Complete its retro-tastic challenge to claim your Pagie!    … Expand

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Yooka-Laylee - Release Date Trailer

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 32
  3. Negative: 1 out of 32
  1. The Escapist
    Apr 4, 2017
    90
    This time around, Kickstarter actually did come to the rescue, delivering a game that is very much worthy of being called the spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie. Yooka-Laylee is a game for fans who miss the N64 days of running around a huge, open map, collecting a bunch of stuff and having a bit of a laugh. It's cute, it's funny, and a few minor technical issues aside, it's exactly what it promised to deliver.
  2. Gaming Age
    Apr 7, 2017
    83
    Yooka-Laylee is a great experience, and well worth playing if you are a long-time fan of the work that Rare did. This is a game for veterans and newcomers alike though, and there is plenty here to hook a new player or new generation. A lot of the mechanics are a throwback to how things were before, and I don’t necessarily mind that. Some people however may find it slow and tedious at times. All in all I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Yooka-Laylee and would recommend you give it a try if you are even the least bit curious about it.
  3. Game Informer
    Apr 4, 2017
    80
    Though camera problems and outdated level design are present at times, the moments of exhilaration, discovery, and satisfaction far outweigh those pitfalls. It feels like ages since I've played something like Yooka-Laylee. This is a game that was built for those who look back with fondness on the classics that spawned it, and in that regard, it delivers completely.
  4. Hooked Gamers
    Apr 6, 2017
    80
    When it comes down to it, Yooka-Laylee just feels good to play. It’s great to control, it’s fun to explore, and it scratched the collectible itch in me in a way that few games have managed to properly accomplish nowadays. If you’re a fan of wide open 3D platformers, or are wanting to take a nostalgia laden trip through one, Yooka-Laylee is certainly the game for you.
  5. Merlin'in Kazanı (Turkey)
    May 7, 2017
    73
    Quotation forthcoming.
  6. PC Gamer
    Apr 4, 2017
    68
    A decent revival of the N64-era 3D platformer, but with all the flaws that carries, as well as some new ones of its own.
  7. Let's Play Video Games
    Apr 4, 2017
    35
    Sure it looks visually nicer, and the ability to play it with a dual analogue controller fixes some of the control issues Banjo had on N64, but that’s far from enough to redeem this game...I don’t know what else to say. Yooka Laylee, you’re just a poor facsimile of something I used to love. You really didn’t impress me.

See all 35 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 64 out of 94
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 94
  3. Negative: 18 out of 94
  1. wellytop
    Apr 18, 2017
    10
    Get this: Yooka-Laylee has lower scores on Metacritic than Banjo: Nuts & Bolts, including the user score. But if you loved the oldGet this: Yooka-Laylee has lower scores on Metacritic than Banjo: Nuts & Bolts, including the user score. But if you loved the old Banjo-Kazooie games on N64, and were disappointed by the vehicle mechanics of N&B, then you WILL love Yooka-Laylee, I 100% guarantee it.… Expand
  2. Kasspa
    Apr 11, 2017
    10
    After firing up and playing for 3 hours straight now I have to say, this is absolutely exactly what I expected from a banjo-kazooie successor.After firing up and playing for 3 hours straight now I have to say, this is absolutely exactly what I expected from a banjo-kazooie successor. I don't understand how any of the critics or BK enthusiasts can sit back and say this game isn't exactly what you would expect the next iteration after Banjo-Tooie. It plays and feels exactly like Banjo-Tooie and that's a good thing.

    The worlds are a little more expansive like Tooie but all the original stuff you loved is there. Everything down to the dialogue feels similar, if the game weren't a different IP completely it would be Banjo-Threey. I haven't had any camera issues myself, I mean will you have to fight it in a spot or two? Maybe, but I don't think I've played a 3d platforming game where I didn't have to fight the camera once or twice, overall it's a nonissue completely. I can't even believe I'm actually playing a platformer right now and devoting time to it, but that's how nostalgic this feels, and I like it.    … Expand
  4. godzilla772
    Apr 11, 2017
    10
    This genre of gaming is what I grew up playing as a kid and what made me love video games. The camera is some what of a problem but I got usedThis genre of gaming is what I grew up playing as a kid and what made me love video games. The camera is some what of a problem but I got used to it fast and it never prevented me from enjoying this game. I firmly believe Playtonic came through with all the promises they made with their kickstarter and if anyone says the game play is "outdated" then they truly where never fans of the Banjo series.… Expand
  5. MorphVGX
    Apr 17, 2017
    9
    This games looks beautiful. Great presentation, music, sounds. Characters are charming. On the downside, some frame rate drops and cameraThis games looks beautiful. Great presentation, music, sounds. Characters are charming. On the downside, some frame rate drops and camera issues now and then. Controls are challenging but possible.… Expand
  6. darthsitthiande
    May 19, 2017
    8
    It's a nice throwback to the old Banjo Kazooie games but so far there have been two things I'd consider being negative:

    - The water    It's a nice throwback to the old Banjo Kazooie games but so far there have been two things I'd consider being negative:

    - The water sometimes looks awful
    - The controls are not responsive enough
    - The camera has it's own stupid free will, making boss fights especially difficult
    - during cutscenes the game doesn't stop which sometimes results in you being thrown off a cliff during it    … Expand
  7. Steeldude
    Apr 27, 2017
    6
    One of the only two games (the other one being Tales of Symphonia) that I have played where the further I got the more I wished for it to end.One of the only two games (the other one being Tales of Symphonia) that I have played where the further I got the more I wished for it to end. I spent about 36 hours in this game and I did not even 100 % completed it. At first, I was looking forward to playing this game every day. Later on, I was playing just to get to the end finally. The longer I played, the more annoyed I got.

    Some notes:
    - bad controls and camera
    - fun gameplay - at first but then it gets tedious
    - nice characters
    - frustrating elements (mostly minigames which are boring and overly hard but required to 100 %)
    - 5 worlds + hub (expandable) - pretty large - easy to get lost - each world may take even 8 hours to finish - it's simply too long - should've made more varied levels
    - if you take your time, the game is actually very long
    - not optimized for PC (K/M) - Xbox buttons instead and the B doesn't even exist!!! - cannot even rebind!! - this means that if you are in a conversation with a Yes/No choice you have to reset and go back to HUB because you get lost in the never-ending loop of "Yes choice"
    - if not for the minigames and gigantic worlds, it would've been a 9
    - no shadow when jumping most of the time! - leads to many unnecessary deaths
    - out of the 5 worlds I only enjoyed 2 (3rd+4th)    … Expand
  8. ZetaJiffils
    Dec 31, 2019
    0
    Copia descarada de Banjo-Kazooie, tanto en la música, personajes y dialéctica de los mismos.

See all 94 User Reviews

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34
#34 Most Discussed PC Game of 2017
52
#52 Most Shared PC Game of 2017

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