Yooka-Replaylee Review: The Remaster Nobody Asked For (But Here We Are Anyway)

 

Ah, Yooka-Replaylee — because apparently, even Banjo-Kazooie’s spiritual successor’s spiritual successor needed a second chance. Playtonic looked at their 2017 “meh-tier” platformer and thought, “You know what’ll fix this? Higher resolution disappointment.”

This isn’t a new game. It’s the same awkwardly charming, technically fine, personality-drenched-but-soulless collectathon — except now, it runs smoother while reminding you why nostalgia can’t save everything.

🎮 The Gameplay

Still the same: jump, roll, collect quills, and desperately try to care about the characters’ weird noises that pass for dialogue. You’ll once again realize that yes, this is how platformers used feel — clunky, floaty, and somehow both too easy and too frustrating. But don’t worry! They added a few “modern improvements,” like quicker menu transitions and smoother camera controls — thrilling stuff if your favorite hobby is watching patch notes.

🦎 The Characters

Yooka and Laylee are still here — the discount gecko and bat duo that radiate “we’re trying so hard to be Banjo and Kazooie, please love us.” Their chemistry remains the kind that can only come from two characters written by committee. Every line still lands with that special brand of “Saturday morning cartoon trying to be meta” energy that makes you wish there were a skip button.

🎨 The Visuals

It’s undeniably prettier — in that “shiny Unreal Engine facelift on an aging design” kind of way. It’s like Playtonic took a selfie in 4K and said, “See? I’m relevant again.” Sure, it looks better, but underneath the bloom and lighting, it’s the same old game pretending to be new.

🔊 The Soundtrack

Grant Kirkhope returns, because of course he does. It’s still whimsical, nostalgic, and genuinely delightful — the one part of this game that doesn’t feel like a relic of regret. Unfortunately, the music just makes you remember how much better Banjo-Tooie was.

💬 Final Thoughts

Yooka-Replaylee isn’t bad. It’s just… aggressively fine. It’s the remaster equivalent of reheating a microwave pizza — it tastes the same, maybe slightly crispier, but deep down you know you could’ve had something better.

Verdict: 6.5/10
A lovingly polished time capsule from an era we all claim to miss — until we actually play it again.