Yooka-Replaylee Review - A second chance that finally sticks the landing

XPN Network
Nov 4
4 min read

Updated: 14 hours ago

Back in 2017, Yooka-Laylee was pitched as a spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie, crafted by ex-Rare devs under the banner of Playtonic Games. It had the DNA: quirky characters, sprawling worlds, and a cheeky sense of humour. But despite its charm, the game felt like a rough draft of something special, held back by clunky controls, bloated level design, and a progression system that didn’t quite respect your time.

Enter Yooka-Replaylee, a full-scale remaster that doesn’t just polish the surface as it reimagines the core. And for those of us who saw the potential in the original but walked away thinking “almost,” this is the redemption arc we hoped for.

Fast forward to 2025, and Yooka-Replaylee arrives not just as a visual upgrade, but as a full-blown reimagining. Playtonic didn’t settle for a texture pass, they rebuilt the foundation. Movement is now fluid and intuitive, with Yooka’s jumps landing precisely and Laylee’s flight feeling like a genuine tool rather than a last-ditch fix. The camera, once a source of constant frustration, has been overhauled to track smoothly and stay out of your way. It’s the kind of mechanical polish that makes you realize how much the original was holding you back from enjoying its world.

And that world? It’s finally worth exploring. Each zone, from the tropical sprawl of Tribalstack Tropics to the icy caverns of Glitterglaze Glacier has been restructured to feel more cohesive and less overwhelming. Collectibles are no longer scattered like confetti; they’re placed with purpose, often tied to clever puzzles or platforming challenges that reward curiosity. The new currency system adds a layer of strategy to exploration, letting you choose which upgrades to pursue and when. Pagies, the golden pages that unlock new worlds, are tied to more inventive tasks that blend platforming, combat, and puzzle-solving in ways that feel fresh without losing the retro vibe.

Narratively, Replaylee doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it does tighten the bolts. The story still follows Yooka and Laylee as they try to stop Capital B from monopolizing literature via the Grand Tome, but new cutscenes and dialogue give the journey more cohesion. Laylee’s snark is still the highlight, but now it’s balanced with moments of genuine warmth between the duo. Side characters like Trowzer and Dr. Quack get more screen time and sharper writing, helping the world feel less like a collection of disconnected zones and more like a living, breathing ecosystem.

Visually, the game is a treat. The environments have been given a vibrant facelift, with richer textures, dynamic lighting, and smoother animations that make each world pop. Character models are more expressive, and the UI has been cleaned up to be more intuitive. It’s still cartoony and colorful, but now it feels like a game that belongs in 2025 and not one stuck in the early 2000s. The soundtrack, remixed by Grant Kirkhope and David Wise, hits all the right notes. Familiar tunes get a modern polish, and dynamic layering means the music shifts based on your location and actions, adding depth to the experience.

Combat remains the weakest link. While new combos and enemy types add some variety, it’s still a fairly shallow system that feels more like a means to an end than a core mechanic. That said, it’s no longer a chore, it’s just not the highlight for me. Some puzzles and challenges still lean on repetition, and a few worlds try a bit too hard to mimic the structure of classic platformers, resulting in occasional clutter. But these are minor blemishes on an otherwise polished package.

Pros

Refined Controls and Camera
Movement feels smooth and responsive, eliminating the floaty jumps and awkward camera angles from the original.
Improved Level Design
Worlds are more compact and better paced, with clearer objectives and less backtracking.
Smarter Progression System
Collectibles now serve meaningful purposes, and unlocking new areas feels rewarding rather than grindy.
Enhanced Visuals
Sharper textures, dynamic lighting, and richer environmental detail make each world feel more alive.
Remixed Soundtrack
Classic tunes get a modern polish, with dynamic layering and improved sound mixing.
Better Story Integration
New cutscenes and dialogue give the adventure more narrative cohesion and character depth.
Optional Challenges and Modes
Time trials, and extra puzzles add replay value without bloating the core experience.
Polished Humour and Writing
Laylee’s snark and the game’s self-aware tone land more consistently, with fewer groan-worthy moments.

Cons

Combat Still Feels Shallow
Despite new combos, enemy encounters remain simplistic and lack strategic depth.
Some Worlds Still Feel Overdesigned
A few areas try too hard to mimic classic platformers, resulting in cluttered layouts or gimmicky mechanics.
Occasional Repetition
Certain challenges and puzzles reuse mechanics without much variation, especially in later zones.
Charm Over Innovation
The game leans heavily on nostalgia and retro vibes, which may feel derivative to players seeking fresh ideas.
Navigation Can Still Be Vague
While improved, some objectives and paths aren’t clearly marked, leading to occasional confusion.

Ultimately, Yooka-Replaylee feels like the game Yooka-Laylee always wanted to be. It’s a confident, charming platformer that respects your time, rewards your curiosity, and finally delivers on the promise of its pedigree. For fans who saw the potential in the original and wished for more, this is the version that earns your trust back. It doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it doesn’t need to, it just needed to get it right. And this time, it does.

XPN Rating: 4 out of 5 (GOLD)