Spyro is a title that has a strong sentimental value to many. Long have its fans campaigned for a remaster of the original 1998 title, and in keeping with the current culture of remake and remediation, it seems that dream has finally become a reality with the recent announcement of the Spyro Reignited Trilogy.
I never played Spyro as a child, so the fervent nostalgia for this whimsical dragon was a bit lost on me. I did have many friends who held the game in high regard, and I know that they’re looking forward to Spyro Reignited Trilogy with much gusto.
First Impressions:
The mechanics of Spryo appear to be easily approachable, and quick to learn. Levels are fairly linear, with easily formidable, squishy enemies that go down in one or two hits. Spyro can glide from tall heights, boost to increase his speed, and shoot fire, similar to the original. My initial impressions aligned the new game closer with the likes of Super Mario Odyssey, or Yooka Laylee in terms of its adorable, sad-to-see-you-go baddies. The music, too, has an ethereal, mystical quality, juxtaposed with the jaunty upbeat tunes of the original series. It is the subtle backdrop of each world, setting a calm, peaceful mood to lull you into a lazy dream world.
The UI is fairly barebones, which is both great and irritating. Great because there’s no filler on the screen, so you as a player become truly immersed in the world without nagging menu items popping up on all sides. However, no-frills means no health bar and no way of knowing how you are progressing. An occasional pop-up occurs when you’ve collected a gem so that you know your total count. But when you’re hit by an enemy, there’s no way of knowing how many hit points you have left; there are no warning signs to let you know that Spyro’s next hit could be his last.
Spyro Reignited Trilogy appears to play rather smoothly, with a few flaws in the general gameplay creeping up around the fringes. Most notably, it seems that Spyro lacks any sort of ledge-grip ability. In this video, you can witness the dev attempting time after time to make a long jump, only to bash his head against the wall and plummet to his death each time. Spyro is mere inches from the tip of the ledge, but there appears to be no way for him to grab on and hoist himself up. This is a staple to so many titles, so it seems to be a glaring oversight if this point was missed, especially in a platformer.
Verdict:
I know that Spyro is a title beloved by many gamers past and present. And so I can imagine that this remaster is very exciting to many. Though I never played Spyro myself, I can see the appeal, and so I may even try this one on when it’s released. It seems to be a fun, simple platformer to be played at a relaxed pace. What more could one want?
How about you, lovely reader? Did you play Spyro as a tike growing up in the 90’s? If so, will you be getting this remaster? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!
Spyro Reginited Trilogy will be released on 21st September 2018 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One at €39.99.
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