3/5 ★ – isolate_connect's review of Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair.

Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair is an improvement over the first game. The unchecked ambition of the first game is tightened up in The Impossible Lair, but despite some original and well implemented ideas, the level design and aesthetics struggle to leave a lasting impression. Many obstacles in levels look flat out generic. The enemy designs, which are the same enemy types from Yooka Laylee for the most part, are goofy and boring and squashing them or punching them doesn’t feel quite impactful enough. Something about the hit boxes or how much space they take up on the screen doesn’t feel right. Also, the last level is so extremely difficult, it’s like playing a different game entirely. There are some incredible ideas here though like how having an explorable over world with a top down camera adds for some great pace changing. You can collect bees (they serve as a free hit) to help you with the last level, and even though there should have been at least double the amount offered, it’s fun to finish every level knowing your increasing your total.Lastly, you can alter every levels environment by making some kind of change to it in the over world. Playtonic is on the verge of greatness as a developer. Their ideas are some of the best in the business, but they haven’t quite yet hit their stride of old.