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[Cerium]

The other thread proved that early impressions of this game, no matter how vague, are in high demand at present. Well, here you go.

One review leaked and has been deleted, but Google Cache exists

BrashGames 8/10

"Its commitment to nostalgia is both Yooka-Laylee's greatest strength and its greatest weakness. The characters are largely annoying and the writing and delivery is almost universally bad, but man, that gameplay is still very special indeed. Having been largely starved of traditional 3D platformers for the past 15 years, this serves as a perfectly timed reminder of why the genre was so popular in the first place. With its fantastic mechanics married to a selection of sprawling words chock full of challenges and a fantastically addictive sense of progression, Yooka-Laylee overcomes its occasional rough edges and lack of polish to deliver the finest 3D platformer this side of Super Mario Galaxy."

Edit: Another.

Another review has popped up (and then down again). "It's a delightfully beautiful return to classic platform gaming and shows when done right that there's life in the old dog yet." 9/10

http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...h.com/2017/04/video-game-review-yooka-laylee/

 

[Acquiescence]

BrashGames' review of Rain World also leaked before the embargo.

They gave it 10/10.

 

[DKHF]

Seems about how I was expecting it to be received, like around a 78 on OpenCritic.

 

[RayearthRob]

The other thread proved that early impressions of this game, no matter how vague, are in high demand at present. Well, here you go.

I need this game NOW!

 

[-shadow-]

Not long until release. I cant wait!

 

[playXray]

BrashGames' review of Rain World also leaked before the embargo.

They gave it 10/10.

Haha that's insane. They must be so worried about these 'leaks'.

 

[Fahzgoolin]

the complaints about story are interesting. I think Banjo was fun cuz the story was so stupid...I enjoyed that blatant style. I'm thinking this might be the same?

 

[Luigiv]

8/10? What is this trash! Hype Destroyed!!!

In all seriousness, looks about in line with what I expect from reviews, given what we've seen so far. I predict the metacritic score to fall in the high 70's to low 80's.

 

[Skyzard]

Sounds like the Snake in a hat sells abilities.

Can't wait for more platforming after playing Snake Pass.

Bring me the 90s!

 

[Tonyx]

Seems pretty much what we were promised.

Which is more than I expected.

 

[DeuceGamer]

the complaints about story are interesting. I think Banjo was fun cuz the story was so stupid...I enjoyed that blatant style. I'm thinking this might be the same?

Yea...most of the N64 era 3D Platformers don't have highly regarded stories, so I somewhat expected this I guess.

 

[sirap]

Looks like they delivered exactly what they promised.

 

[Burbeting]

When is the review embargo?

 

[J@hranimo]

Kickstarter backing rejustified

Nah but really sounds solid, right up my alley.

 

[faridmon]

I am waiting for that Switch version.

Announce it soon Please, you have my money!

 

[prudislav]

BrashGames' review of Rain World also leaked before the embargo.

They gave it 10/10.

ok great so they are more in line with my tastes ;-) Good news indeed

 

[Cyanity]

I am waiting for that Switch version.

Announce it soon Please, you have my money!

Is the Switch version not a launch day release? I thought they abandoned the Wii U version in favor of it?

 

[benzopil]

When is the review embargo?

In less than 30 hours

 

[Burbeting]

In less than 30 hours

Cool. Way too many games out in past months, so in the fence about this one for now.

 

[JaseC]

When is the review embargo?

 

[Salty Rice]

Are they really criticising annoying characters and bad story?

Thats the point and charm of the Banjo and other Rare games.

Nobody plays such games for a Oscar worthy story and well written characters.

 

[sinonobu]

I was doubtful but now super pumped!

Can't wait to receive my deluxe pc version!

 

[FelipeMGM]

BrashGames' review of Rain World also leaked before the embargo.

They gave it 10/10.

you know whats crazier, they have two reviews on Rain World, one 10/10 and a 6/10. And Opencritic only picked up the 6/10

 

[Skyzard]

^ just looked it up, two different authors for two different platforms, same game, same site. I like that.

Too much databasing for metacritic.

Are they really criticising annoying characters and bad story?

Thats the point and charm of the Banjo and other Rare games.

Nobody plays such games for a Oscar worthy story and well written characters.

Did you see some of the responses in the rap thread lol?

 

[Spaghetti]

The characters are largely annoying and the writing and delivery is almost universally bad

I don't really get this part. YL seems to largely continue the Rare platformer style of writing that drifts between tongue-in-cheek self awareness and kid friendly Saturday morning cartoon fare from what I've seen in the extended gameplay videos.

If the writer of this review was totally unaware of that kind of style, I'd understand maybe being a little turned off by it, but it seems they have at least a baseline nostalgia and experience with Rare's N64 platformers.

Eh whatever. People are going to get what they paid for by the looks of things, and they're going to enjoy it too hopefully.

 

[MUnited83]

The characters are largely annoying and the writing and delivery is almost universally bad,

So it is a faithful Banjo successor

 

[BassForever]

Did you see some of the responses in the rap thread lol?

I feel a lot of reviews are gonna fall into this category about how cheesy the writing is

http://m.neogaf.com/showpost.php?p=233205002

 

[FelipeMGM]

The characters are largely annoying and the writing and delivery is almost universally bad,

Im on some risky embargo breaking edge here, but man, I dont agree at all with this...

Maybe only with the delivery part, because of the mumbling thing

 

[Forkball]

I hope this game is good. I like the concept, but the footage has all been fairly slow and uninteresting. Hopefully I'm a big fat dummy on this one.

 

[Wok]

A score of 80/100 was my prediction on OpenCritic.

There is an archive with more pics (for me) there: http://archive.is/TZipX

I'm compiling the critics below, because this is what I'm most interested in (the rest of the review is all praises):

Under normal circumstances, Yooka-Laylee might well be described as a rip-off

with such a return comes a host of issues that have been ironed out of many other genres in the accompanying years.

there is fun to be had with its strong sense of nostalgia, but man, some of it, just some if it would have benefitted from a more contemporary approach.

the writing is.....it's pretty bad. Tonally, it's all Banjo-Kazooie, but with those old rose tinted glasses on, it appears that everyone has forgotten just how bad it was (even back in the 90s). The delivery is even worse.

be warned, the story and delivery will likely prove something to get through rather than genuinely enjoy.

The worlds themselves could be better sign posted (it certainly lacks that level of creative polish that is easy to take for granted in Nintendo's finest efforts)

The challenges are enjoyable and the quality, despite the occasional dip, is pretty consistent throughout.

Projectiles are a bit awkward and the occasionally stuttering frame rate can annoy from time to time

You have to chat to some horribly designed and incredibly annoying snake to unlock said abilities (which is a bit of a bummer)

Its commitment to nostalgia is both Yooka-Laylee's greatest strength and its greatest weakness. The characters are largely annoying and the writing and delivery is almost universally bad

To sum it up:

• a rip-off of Banjo-Kazooie (although I guess it is a joke)
• commitment to nostalgia
• bad writing
• worse delivery
• annoying characters
• horrible design for some characters
• lack of polish of world sign-posting
• stuttering framerate on PS4
• occasional dip for challenges (whatever that means)

 

[jonno394]

Pleasantly surprised, hope more are this positive.

Yooka-Laylee overcomes its occasional rough edges and lack of polish to deliver the finest 3D platformer this side of Super Mario Galaxy.

So, better than Mario Galaxy 2 and Mario 3D World....?

 

[The perfect Dark]

No Switch release date, no buy.

 

[faridmon]

Is the Switch version not a launch day release? I thought they abandoned the Wii U version in favor of it?

I wish that was the case. Apparently they got the dev kits rather late (which explains the delay in canceling the WiiU version) and they said that they are working hard with Nintendo to get this version done and released.

We still don't have a release day.

 

[JaffeLion]

sounds good.. But didn't say jim something else? Hm. can't wait for the embargo to end 🙂

 

[Modoru]

The characters are largely annoying and the writing and delivery is almost universally bad

Seriously, the fanbase that backed this game did so BECAUSE they want an absurdly pointless storyline with over-the-top silly puns and humour

At least, I want to play this game and groan at the jokes, but laugh anyway.

 

[NEO0MJ]

If someone doesn't like that style of writing it makes sense that it would be a negative to them.

 

[Snarfington]

I feel like the writing in-game is going to be top-notch for what it's going for, but you'll get a lot of people going "oh man no it sucks look how corny the jokes are" and not getting it at all.

I expect a solid 6/10 game with snappy writing (and appropriately cheesy) and nice controls but some rough sections and performance. If I get anything more than that I'll be ecstatic.

 

[Goose_Se7en]

BrashGames' review of Rain World also leaked before the embargo.

They gave it 10/10.

Lol

 

[Kouichi]

Seems about how I was expecting it to be received, like around a 78 on OpenCritic.

Same. It'd line up with how the classic Banjo games were received when they released on XBLA.

Kazooie: 77
Tooie: 73

 

[jacob armitage]

Seems like a great score. I'll just be happy so long as its pretty functional to be honest, i'm just so starved for the genre.

I expect a solid 6/10 game with snappy writing (and appropriately cheesy) and nice controls but some rough sections and performance. If I get anything more than that I'll be ecstatic.

Yup.

 

[bede-x]

That review sounds spot on in terms of what I wanted from this. Everything else I'm playing will be put on hold the minute it releases on Steam. Can't wait.

 

[lvl99 Pixel]

BrashGames' review of Rain World also leaked before the embargo.

are you telling me that BrashGames are Brash?

 

[Possumowner]

Not bad not bad at all.Was worried about this considering recent grumbling.If reviews can stay around this I'll be over the moon

 

[pislit]

if the gameplay is great that is enough, the best games have horrible/non-existent/convoluted stories

 

[Ozium]

You have to chat to some horribly designed and incredibly annoying snake to unlock said abilities

You have to chat to some horribly designed...snake to unlock said abilities

horribly designed...snake to unlock said abilities

horribly designed

wat

 

[The perfect Dark]

Same. It'd line up with how the classic Banjo games were received when they released on XBLA.

Kazooie: 77
Tooie: 73

Embarrassing scores.

 

[DieNgamers]

British humor. You like it or you don't, haha.

The design is so bad-tastic in the best way possible. I know reviews have to mention this but for me it's a positive.

It's basically going to be "Puns – The Game".

 

[ramparter]

wat

Yeah I don't get the bad character thing at all.

Embarrassing scores.

Yup, even if the games were old when they released on XBLA, Banjo Kazooie is nowhere near 78. Modern games wish they had the creativity and design of Banjo Kazooie levels.

 

[HeelPower]

There is a huge resurgence in focus on numbers. Is all this because of Zelda's insanity ?

 

[Sesuadra]

There is a huge resurgence in focus on numbers. Is all this because of Zelda's insanity ?

not only because of zelda but because of so many high-rated games in 2017. horizon, nier, p5, zelda and more.