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Playtonics has today revealed that Yooka-Replayee will release on October 9th for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC with the game being fully on cartridge for Switch 2.
Those that own the original game will receive 30% of when purchasing on the same platform. The game is a total remake with a refined story, upgraded graphics, a new Rextro’s Arcade, a new currency and revamped controls and cameras among a bunch of other improvements that you can find below:
- Refined Story: The events of the first game are relived and retold by the main characters, Yooka and Laylee. New sequences and plot points have been added throughout the adventure at key milestones, too.
- Upgraded Graphics: With an art and animations overhaul and enhanced performance and resolution, the favorite buddy duo has never looked or moved better.
- Brand New ‘Rextro’s Arcade’: The old minigames are no more! Instead you’ll jump into the feet of Rextro the dinosaur and undertake brand-new isometric platforming challenges for collectible rewards.
- New Collectible Currency: Capital B’s inept minions have dropped their hard-earned coins all over the place. Collect the official currency of the Hivory Towers to spend on video games’ most beloved sentient vending machine.
- Build Your Own Playstyle: Tonics are back with all new flavors! With the option to equip multiple game-changing enhancements, you can truly customize your playstyle. And as if that wasn’t enough, Vendi has new lines of merchandise for the modern fashionable adventurer.
- Navigate the World Easily: Yooka-Replaylee introduces a brand-new map and collectibles tracker, making it easier for you to traverse the environments, track NPC and Pagie locations, along with tracking their progress. We’re also introducing a new character, (book)Mark, who acts as your warp point and guide.
- Revamped Controls and Camera: The buddy-duo now has access to their entire move set from the start of the game and can sequence the moves together a lot smoother than in the original game. This, combined with the revamped camera controls, makes Yooka-Replayleefeel like a more modern, snappier experience, while also directly addressing player feedback on the original game.
- Dreamy Orchestral Soundtrack: The original score from famed video game composers Grant Kirkhope (Banjo-Kazooie) and David Wise (Donkey Kong Country) returns, but as a beautifully arranged orchestral score. Now, seriously, clean out those ears!
We gave Yooka-Laylee a 6/10 in our original review, with Shannon saying, “Nostalgia will hit hard within the first few hours, but once this fades, you’ll realise that Yooka-Laylee is never able to live up to the brilliance that was Banjo-Kazooie. You’ll get some enjoyment from the open-world platforming aspects of the game, but the unlikable characters, coupled with a clunky camera among other redundant game mechanics will more than likely ruin the experience for you. I don’t doubt that even the biggest of Banjo-Kazooie fans will be left wondering what could have been.”
