The game Yooka-Laylee, originally known as Project Ukulele, is an immersive 3D-platformer and action-adventure video game by the renowned company, Playtonic Games. Founded by several key personnel from Rareware Yooka-Laylee serves as a spiritual successor to the Banjo-Kazooie franchise utilizing similar gameplay mechanics and level design. At the outset, Playtonic Games launched a successful Kickstarter campaign, which generated substantial media coverage and raised over two million pounds. All fans eagerly awaited the game’s release and speculation was rife after the company released the first teaser, which showed two characters hiding in a bush in the game’s opening world, Tribalstack Tropics. Players were left wondering, who the mysterious silhouettes belonged to until an event where both protagonists were unveiled, and the company later tweeted an identical image on April 30th, revealing their names as Yooka and Laylee. While Yooka-Laylee was praised for recapturing the nostalgic feel of classic 3D platformers, its reviews were overall mixed, according to Metacritic. While many critics praised the game’s charm, visual appeal, and engaging gameplay mechanics, others criticized its unoriginal design and outdated feel, unfavorably comparing it to the Banjo-Kazooie series. Despite the mixed reviews, the game offers hours of entertainment and takes players on a thrilling adventure filled with discovery.
» Game Prologue
The game begins with a video sequence showing the protagonists Yooka and Laylee renovating their home, an old shipwreck. During renovations, they discover a book with golden pages which they consider selling. Suddenly, the their book is sucked into a nearby factory that serves as the headquarters for the game’s antagonist, Capital B. Yooka and Laylee quickly realize that Capital B plans to harvest their book and convert all of the world’s literature into profit. Furthermore, he aims to create a powerful artifact known as the “Only Book,” which would allow him to rewrite the future according to his wishes. Responding to this threat, Yooka and Laylee embark on a journey through the vast company grounds to retrieve Pagies by entering worlds hidden in books called Grand Tomes scattered throughout Hivory Towers. Along the way, they face numerous obstacles and traps as Capital B and his vice-president Dr. Quack attempt to stop them. As they progress through the game, Yooka and Laylee must navigate Capital B’s traps and complete Dr. Quack’s quizzes to reach Capital B’s office found at the top of Hivory Towers. When they finally encounter Capital B, he offers to admit them for handing over one hundred Pagies, which turns out to be a trap. Undeterred, they follow the antagonist to the top of Hivory Towers where they must defeat him to retrieve their book. In the post-credits, it’s revealed that Capital B and Dr. Quack belong to an organization called V.I.L.E., which aims to use the Book’s power for nefarious purposes.
» Gameplay Mechanics
Yooka-Laylee is a thrilling 3D platformer featuring two lovable characters, Yooka and Laylee, as the protagonists. It comprises five differently themed worlds hidden in Grand Tomes, adding elements of mystery and excitement to the gameplay. To progress, players must collect Quills and Pagies scattered throughout these worlds. Pagies play an important role by unlocking additional worlds in the game’s hub world, Hivory Towers, and expanding ones that have already been unlocked. Players can perform a wide range of techniques with Yooka and Laylee, many of which consume energy. The energy can be refilled by either collecting butterflies without using Yooka’s Slurp ability or simply waiting a few seconds. Players can learn new techniques from a charming salesman named Trowzer in exchange for Quills. Finding Trowzer in Hivory Towers also provides free teachings of new techniques, adding diversity to the gameplay. One of the most unique features is the transformation system, which allows players to transform the protagonists using Dr. Puzz’s D.N.A. Ray Generator. These transformations grant new abilities and access to areas unreachable in Yooka and Laylee’s normal form. The system works similarly to Humba Wumba in Banjo-Tooie, with the difference being that Yooka and Laylee must bring a Mollycool instead of a Glowbo. Each playable world contains numerous challenges, such as solving puzzles, defeating enemies and bosses, gathering collectibles, and participating in thrilling mini-games.
