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Discussion Yooka-Laylee is Getting a Remaster Before Banjo-Kazooie, called Yooka Re-Playlee

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Christo750

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full graphical overhaul, gameplay and camera movements, and a meta-bit at the end of the trailer about the terrible name that they're keeping regardless.

Playtonic is also teasing more changes. Tbh I am hoping this means some level design tweaks that edge the project into "remake" status. As much as I was disappointed in the original, there was lots of potential there. Hoping Playtonic can capitalize on it!

available to wish-list on Steam. no other platforms mentioned.
 
Reposting what I said in the Direct thread...

If I could simply pay to upgrade my Switch version, I'd do it.

Love the game, save for the casino level. I did only play the game after all its issues had been fixed, but I've always thought it deserved more praise. The same goes for The Impossible Lair: its stages are awesome and the overworld is by far the best one I've ever seen in a sidescroller.
 
I skipped the Switch version of this, just wasn't feeling RARE style platformers back then.
May pick it up whenever it comes out on Switch 2.
 
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I'm actually pretty hyped for this. I wasn't super down on Yooka-Laylee like everyone else was, but I recognized a lot of the problems with that initial release.

By the time we got the Switch version, Playtonic did a lot to clean up the experience, but it still suffered a lot from that core world design. But a lot of passion and talent clearly went into this game, and I think a remaster could go a long way to fixing those problems.
 
I'm in the rare camp that actually liked this one a decent amount when it came out. But also, it's a 2017 game so a remaster just feels weird to me. I know Playtonic's been publishing a lot of indie games, but I hope they've got something new of their own soon, like a Yooka-Laylee 2 or Impossible Lair 2

Also, huge own goal potential here depending on when this comes out. The Switch version of the original came out like 2 months after Mario Odyssey and that didn't do it any favors; with Astro Bot in September and a new 3D Mario presumed to be coming with the Switch 2 (early?) next year, they could really make themselves into the Horizon of 3D platformers
 
I wanted to get this game originally but there were so many games I was playing so I didn't. I'll probably get this though.
 
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TheMindOfThomas said:
I applaud the effort but why not just update the original game with these additions? Or at the very least give people who bought the original a way to upgrade for a reduced price.
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that they're not doing this leads me to believe there's more changes to the core game than what constitutes a patch.
 
Well, the map will help a bit with navigating the terrible 3D level design I suppose. It sounds like they're making pretty significant changes to it, additive if nothing else, but I wouldn't expect them to be too conservative given how much they were willing to change Impossible Lair in just a patch. The Not So Impossible Lair was also probably their smartest game design work ever from the sound of it, so... Maybe this will be good?

The core gameplay is honestly quite strong, so if they take an aggressive enough approach to reworking the objectives the game would be pretty solid. Like maybe half of the Pagies were already decent enough, but it's a huge-ass game, and the half of the game consisting of things like INEPT brought it way down.

With how soon they're remaking this after its release, they should advertise it as "The Last of Us of 3D platformers".
 
I really really really really hate the trend of remastering/making games from a gen ago...even two gens ago. Its easily playable on all current consoles and PC's. Remaster seems stupid.
 
ProteusRidley said:
I really really really really hate the trend of remastering/making games from a gen ago...even two gens ago. Its easily playable on all current consoles and PC's. Remaster seems stupid.
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I mean, it is one thing if it's a really acclaimed game like Last of Us, but when it's a bit more divisive like Yooka Laylee, there is some merit there.
 
super pumped for this, I played but never finished the original, I can’t put my finger on it but it felt lacking in something that I just can’t explain. It wasn’t a bad game by any means and it certainly had charm but it just didn’t grab me the way I thought it would.
 
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I mean of course it does, have you seen the company that owns Banjo? I don't think those guys know they're in video game business.
ProteusRidley said:
I really really really really hate the trend of remastering/making games from a gen ago...even two gens ago. Its easily playable on all current consoles and PC's. Remaster seems stupid.
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The reason here is that the game wasn't very good. This is exactly what a video game remaster should be: a chance to fix mistakes, and not just a rerelease of a super popular game but again.
 
Mer.Saloon said:
I mean, it is one thing if it's a really acclaimed game like Last of Us, but when it's a bit more divisive like Yooka Laylee, there is some merit there.
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Vookatos said:
I mean of course it does, have you seen the company that owns Banjo? I don't think those guys know they're in video game business.

The reason here is that the game wasn't very good. This is exactly what a video game remaster should be: a chance to fix mistakes, and not just a rerelease of a super popular game but again.
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I understand your points, but why not just bring out a patch for the older game, and release one at $10 for the newer consoles as a new sku, and upgrade option.

This will likely be $50, maybe $40, so I don't see the appeal.
 
I remember being a bit underwhelmed by the game after waiting for the Switch release, but tbh I can't remember exactly why. I don't subscribe to the idea Banjo-Kazooie design is outdated because I still had a blast of a time revisiting those games recently, but I wonder what they could change to really make it different and worth experiencing again 🤔
 
ProteusRidley said:
I understand your points, but why not just bring out a patch for the older game, and release one at $10 for the newer consoles as a new sku, and upgrade option.

This will likely be $50, maybe $40, so I don't see the appeal.
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We don't know the price, nor do we know that they haven't switched engines or rebuilt the game entirely.
Looking at the changes, it's a fairly impressive remaster, and I'm glad they're selling it. I would be wary of a big publisher, but indies have time and again fallen into infinite dev cycles for their Kickstarter successes so between the two "clean up and sell additional things" is way better than "keep working on old stuff for years and years with barely any income"
 
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I had a very hate-love relation with Yooka-Laylee 1.
I got my key on Steam (from the Kickstarter) and well the OG version wasn't very good, and I hated back then the "stamina" bar for Laylee.
Then I took the game on Switch and... I pretty much completed it and loved it, while still hating only one thing : those damn cart challenges.

It seems they packed quite a lot of QoL this time, like a MAP ! And new tonics ! And an improved camera ! And better collectables display !

Yes to all !

Also loved The Impossible Lair from A to BEEZ, which became one of my favorite 2D platformer of all time (not counting Turrican, obvs).


EDIT :
The press-kit mentions players : 1 to 4.
The OG version is single player only.
 
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I own the original Yooka-Laylee a whopping 3 times and still haven't played it... maybe I'll just wait for this, lol.
 
I have a physical copy of this game but never actually played it. Kinda glad I waited, now my first experience will be the definitive one!
 
TheMindOfThomas said:
I applaud the effort but why not just update the original game with these additions? Or at the very least give people who bought the original a way to upgrade for a reduced price.
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probably can't. this would be made on a new version of unity, meaning you can't just patch in stuff, but need to make a whole new build

also, this title is terrible
 
Hm. This gives me the vibes of "engineering team can build this while we work on the proper sequel" so it doesn't hurt, but I definitely didn't expect it.
 
Yooka-Laylee could have been good, I guess. So maybe this will do it, but I'm not really feeling it.
 
Baked the original game… but didn’t “clicked” with me at time, maybe with this update I could give it another try.
 
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ProteusRidley said:
I understand your points, but why not just bring out a patch for the older game, and release one at $10 for the newer consoles as a new sku, and upgrade option.

This will likely be $50, maybe $40, so I don't see the appeal.
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Because a new release generates more interest and sales than a patch. It can serve as a relaunch and new onboarding opportunity for people who didn't buy the game the first time around. It's definitely the smart decision here.
 
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Man this all sounds great...nit sure if it's enough for me to rebuild it at this time though, might change at release of course. Hopefully the new changes bring in more fans those!!
 
Stopdoor said:
I remember being a bit underwhelmed by the game after waiting for the Switch release, but tbh I can't remember exactly why. I don't subscribe to the idea Banjo-Kazooie design is outdated because I still had a blast of a time revisiting those games recently, but I wonder what they could change to really make it different and worth experiencing again 🤔
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Banjo-Kazooie's design isn't outdated, the issue is more that the guy who actually designed the Banjo games is still back at Rare, and it shows. Basic level design stuff has been Playtonic's consistent Achilles heel.
 
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N75 said:
Looks like Playtonic have dumped Team17. Probably over the NFT stuff lol.
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They've gotten into publishing other indies in the last few years (Demon Turf, Lil Gator Game, Blossom Tales 2), so it makes sense their own games would be self-published now
 
I backed this back in the day and used to have the LRG physical on Switch...but I just didn't gel with the original game after the 2nd world. I still can't put my finger on what it was that had me drop it.

Might have been the controls and presentation, though the world design was alright.

I'll keep an eye out. Maybe this could be really, really good!
 
I'll be curious to see what gameplay improvements they make. I think the OG has hamstrung by adhering to Banjo-Kazooie/Tooie too much. It brought back a lot of the things people liked about those games but it brought back a lot of things that people didn't actually like but forgot about. I'd like to see what the team can do with the formula unconstrained by needing to copy the past so strictly.
 
As long as it doesn't replace the original version, this is good news. Horror show if it does replace the original though.
 
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Calling it now, Yooka Laylee sequel is not too far away anymore. Great news! Can't wait to explore the definitive version of Yooka Laylee and see if that final secret is finally done... Or is that bot still calculating?

It is interesting that they decided to remake the game as quick as they did, it kinda feels like they have a reason to let us play the first game again, maybe to make up for some shortcomings that the first game suffered from but I actually believe the second installment is nearby and this might be a way to get the game back in the spotlight a little bit again, we'll get a primary showing to see the technical advancements that will be availible for the next game at least!
 
People: "Just make a game like Banjo Kazooie again!"
Playtonic: does exactly that
People: "No, not like that! We meant a game that is like how we remember those games!"

People "They should remake more bad games!"
Playtonic: remakes their divisive game
People "No, not like that!"
 
Before Banjo-Kazooie? The game that got a remaster on XBLA that you can still access today?

Anyway, although I haven't played it, the impression I got from Yooka-Laylee is that it was a game that had good ideas and a solid pedigree but didn't quite nail it. It's a bit soon (least not as soon as the Conker remake), but this could be good for the game. A few key tweaks, a fresh coat of paint, and you have renewed interest in the game and a basis to work on a sequel with the same control tweaks and graphical standards.
 
I liked Yooka Laylee quite a bit. Is it rough, yeah. Needed more time in the oven, yeah. But it was made by a tiny team with money from a kickstarter and published by a small indie publisher.

I never expected the quality/scope/polish of Super Mario Odyssey which came out around the same, two vastly different situations.

I'm sure this will get a port to the next Nintendo system with likely a physical release and some kind of cool collectors edition so I'll be on the look out for that.

For reference I've back 4 kickstarters in my life and half of those were Yooka Laylee related (the original game and the graphic novel).
 
you start a company , make two games, and your third project is a remake of your first game ??, come on, just too soon

is that the guy from Despicable Me and cappy ??
 
HockeyBird said:
I'll be curious to see what gameplay improvements they make. I think the OG has hamstrung by adhering to Banjo-Kazooie/Tooie too much. It brought back a lot of the things people liked about those games but it brought back a lot of things that people didn't actually like but forgot about. I'd like to see what the team can do with the formula unconstrained by needing to copy the past so strictly.
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oomoepoo said:
People: "Just make a game like Banjo Kazooie again!"
Playtonic: does exactly that
People: "No, not like that! We meant a game that is like how we remember those games!"
Click to expand...

It could also simply just be that, well, Yooka-Laylee just ain't as good as Banjo-Kazooie, the same way Mighty No. 9 obviously doesn't hold a candle to most classic Mega Man games (tbf YL isn't that bad but yeah)

Like what @Stilt Village said, Banjo and Yooka don't even share the same level designer, who still works at Rare making games like Sea of Thieves...and is also probably the reason Rare hasn't made a new Banjo considering his stance on making one.
 
oomoepoo said:
People: "Just make a game like Banjo Kazooie again!"
Playtonic: does exactly that
People: "No, not like that! We meant a game that is like how we remember those games!"
Click to expand...
The difference is that Banjo Kazooie is good. I have some sympathy for Mediatonic they were lumped in with Mighty No 9 for making a simply divisive game rather than a bad one, but the fact that people instantly went to saying Banjo Kazooie was the problem is weird. Especially when the game is more a sequel to Tooie, something people didn't want.
 
Going to be brutally honest here, this looks worse than the original. The new lighting looks generic and clashes hard with the artstyle. It's giving me those jarring "mario if he UNREAL" vibes.

The rest of the changes seem pretty nice, am looking foward to hearing orchestrated tribalstack tropics. But at the same time the level design probably wont see any major changes which was arguably one of the if not THE biggest issue with the OG.

I think it would've been better if this effort went towards an entirely new game like a threelee. To start on a clean state with some of these ideas taken, so they could work at a deeper level on the criticism of the first game with an all new experience for old fans to enjoy too :D

A more optimistic way to look at it, maybe the next game is in planning stages and the developers needed something to do during the wait? Who knows!
 
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I neither care or am I angry or anything.

I'm mostly just curious. The studio has grown in size. They do publishing now to, but not that many games. Theyr own ones are not that recent.

They have to have been working on something bigger for a while.

So imho this is the side project while they where updating the engine for a sequel -> might as well get the original moved to that version.
 
Hot take: Yooka Re-playlee is actually a great name and exactly the kind of incredibly bad pun humour I would expect from Playtonic.
 
Name is great. Game was…not great. Maybe this will fix the game like how Super Mario 3D World was fixed by the Switch port! I’m aware this is a much more uphill battle.
 
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I played the original version recently and wasn't especially impressed with it. There was definitely a lot of room for improvement, but I don't really think I'd be willing to replay it even with some pretty deep fixes.
ILikeFeet said:
probably can't. this would be made on a new version of unity, meaning you can't just patch in stuff, but need to make a whole new build
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If the patches are being managed by the platform/launcher and not the game itself, I don't think that's really an issue. Probably more just a situation where they don't want it to replace the original version for philosophical and/or save compatibility reasons.
 
But Banjo-Kazooie already got a remaster in 2008.

Anyways, excited for this remake, I really liked Yooka-Laylee despite it's issues, so I'm excited to see them go back and address said issues while also making the game much prettier. The promise of reworks of most aspects of the game is really cool, even though this is clearly very early because there's no date and they just showed off the tutorial area.
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