Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair

 Xbox One
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair Image
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 51 Ratings

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  • Summary: Yooka & Laylee are back in a brand-new platform hybrid adventure. They must run, jump and roll their way through a series of challenging 2D levels, face a puzzling Overworld and rally the Royal Bee-tallion to take down Capital B and his Impossible Lair.
    * The overworld isn't just a hub to    Yooka & Laylee are back in a brand-new platform hybrid adventure. They must run, jump and roll their way through a series of challenging 2D levels, face a puzzling Overworld and rally the Royal Bee-tallion to take down Capital B and his Impossible Lair.
    * The overworld isn't just a hub to hop from level to level, it provides a whole separate gaming experience. Explore and unlock more 2D levels by completing objectives and puzzles, rescue Royal Bees and find collectibles.
    * Alternate Level States. Think you've got a level figured out? Try it in its alternate state! Flip switches in the overworld to create new landscapes.
    * Bee-at the Impossible Lair. Players are free to tackle Capital B's Impossible Lair at any time; however, they may find it too much of a challenge without the help of the Royal Bee Guards.    … Expand
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Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair - 2D Platforming Gameplay | PAX West 2019

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. ZTGD
    Oct 28, 2019
    100
    I love this game. Playtonic definitely made something special here. It’s going to be hard to look at other platformers without wondering why they didn’t ape more of the concepts from The Impossible Lair. Not to mention the soundtrack by Grant Kirkhope and David Wise – which is probably one of my favorite soundtracks of the year. While I hope they give the 3D platformer another fair shake, I will be more than happy if Playtonic does more sidescrolling platformers in the future because The Impossible Lair is impossibly good.
  2. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Nov 18, 2019
    90
    Yooka-Laylee smartly ditches 3D to instead focus on perfecting 2D platforming. [Issue#184, p.77]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. Cubed3
    Jan 21, 2022
    90
    A love letter to the Donkey Kong Country series, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair goes beyond a standard homage, and crafts something beautiful of its own. Fantastic challenging platforming, spanning across 40 imaginative levels, and a charming graphical art style. This is an essential 2D platformer that should not be missed, even more so by the fact that it is being sold for budget point.
  4. Stevivor
    Oct 3, 2019
    85
    While I’m annoyed that the Lair itself is more frustrating than fun, it’s that very quality that keeps you coming back to beat it.
  5. Jeuxvideo.com
    Oct 11, 2019
    80
    Yooka-Laylee finally succeeds in bringing the platformer to the next level. With an original structure, made of puzzle and reverse narration, this new episode brings a fresh OST and some great ideas, while being sometimes too difficult or unprecise. A really good game for nostalgics and newcommers.
  6. AusGamers
    Oct 7, 2019
    80
    If there’s one gripe to be had, which could be said of the original Yooka-Laylee from 2017 is that some of the stages feel overly large to traverse – which can adversely affect the pacing. That said, that’s only a minor gripe as Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair succeeds in delivering a fun, challenging, and rewarding old-school romp. By incorporating some of the classic 2D design of previous generations this once N64 throwback has matured and grown into its own slice of platforming gold.
  7. Destructoid
    Oct 3, 2019
    70
    Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair neatly captures the essence of Yooka-Laylee and reimagines it as a new type of game. It's a distillation and a simplification, but it's effective. Then, as its grand finale -- a necessary conclusion that looms over the whole game -- it turns uncharacteristically punitive. It's rewarding, that much is undeniable. But it also leaves you feeling like all those hours spent beekeeping never really prepared you for the final challenge. Those bees just afford more leeway over the course of a very long struggle. It's kind of a buzzkill.

See all 15 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 12
  3. Negative: 4 out of 12
  1. PietStok
    Oct 10, 2019
    10
    DON'T believe the negative reviews (which are all posted by 1 guy with multiple accounts), 'cause it runs like a charm (60fps) and the onlyDON'T believe the negative reviews (which are all posted by 1 guy with multiple accounts), 'cause it runs like a charm (60fps) and the only DLC is a tonic pack, which costs just $/€4,- (and is 100% optional)!… Expand
  2. Chrisosttimo
    Dec 21, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Jogo excelente e muito bem desenvolvido!. é isso ai Playtonic, mostra para a Rare as origens deles e como é pra ser feito.… Expand
  4. Xbox_Alive
    Oct 30, 2019
    9
    Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair: I highly recommend trying this game even if you weren't a huge fan oof the 1st game in the series asYooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair: I highly recommend trying this game even if you weren't a huge fan oof the 1st game in the series as it’s completely different and extremely well done to the excellence we've come to expect from Rare. An Absolute delight to play, every bit of this game shows how much heart and soul was poured into making this brilliant 2.5 platforming game, the game play is top notch the platforming is near perfect, the difficultly doesn’t expect amazing feats of platforming nor is it afraid of challenging you at times. The game rewards exploration with an abundance of secrets, some are really hard to find some are easy, again it has the perfect balance, The game feels like a perfect length, not to short and doesn't overstay it’s welcome. The way the levels play is very unique as each level has two variants, these variants are not simple padding nor are they duplicates, each variant offers a big change in the gameplay of that level. The variants are unlocked in a rather unique way, you have to change the overworld in some small way and have it effect the level’s entrance to access them. The music is outstanding, truly an OST that will be put on repeat many times over the following years, each track fits the level perfectly in both theme and pace of the levels, The graphics are beautiful, colorful and charming to say the least, the strong art direction has easily helped give Yooka-Laylee their own identity in the gaming world. With so many games going for the simplistic flatfish art style, Yooka Laylee easily standout with their strong vibrant colourful style in your Xbox One Library.… Expand
  5. BlueReview
    Feb 1, 2021
    5
    The core of this game as a platformer is great and most of the overworld stuff really enhances the experience that brings back some greatThe core of this game as a platformer is great and most of the overworld stuff really enhances the experience that brings back some great nostalgia from older SNES platformer games with hub worlds. Unfortunately though, there's a lot of major issues with the hit boxes in this game. I believe a lot of the hitbox problems are built around the reliance on creating tonics as collectibles, having to balance a game around a collection of Tonics that increase speed and rolling and enemy health seems lacking as parts of the games can feel broken with certain tonics on or off. Early on in the game, I put a tonic on that made enemies take 2 hits which made some future collectibles nearly impossible to collect, doubly so when 75% of the games hitboxes feel off. The overworld gimmicks are awesome but the fact that every level has one felt like it took away some of that special feeling of finding them. I believe the game would have benefited from more unique levels and making the alternate levels more scarce especially when you sometimes feel like you are spending more time on the overworld than in actual levels. A lot of this is nitpicky but in the long run, that is because I really like the basic aspect of the game but the little things here and there add up but ultimately this game would be a solid 8/10 if the hitboxes and occassional jump momentum shifts didn't feel off so frequently.… Expand
  6. PikachuRebelde
    Oct 9, 2019
    5
    While this game can be very fun in some parts, it´s too frustrating found glitches in every level. You can pass time with this, but thisWhile this game can be very fun in some parts, it´s too frustrating found glitches in every level. You can pass time with this, but this "little fun" goes away after a while. Recommended only if you are a platformer fan.… Expand
  7. JinoGamer
    Oct 9, 2019
    1
    Right now, this game is unplayable in some parts. Well, it can be a decent game, but the DLC are a joke. With this buggy game what man wantsRight now, this game is unplayable in some parts. Well, it can be a decent game, but the DLC are a joke. With this buggy game what man wants to paid for this???… Expand
  8. Gaffelstein
    Dec 15, 2020
    0
    One of the best platformers I've played in a long time. Reminds me of the warm fuzzy feeling I'd get playing the N64

See all 12 User Reviews

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Awards & Rankings

19
#19 Best Xbox One Game of 2019
57
#57 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2019

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