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

I actually rather liked Yooka Laylee despite... everything! But this feels extremely cynical, even accounting for Rare's history with remasters.

I also don't think a remaster is what this game needs. The issues with Yooka Laylee are way deeper than a fresh coat of paint could fix. They would need to reformulate how the mission structure and worlds are designed. They'd be better served making a sequel.
 


playtonic is responding to tweets that are basically saying the obvious…seems like this is more of a “fixed” version than they’re letting on. Or at least they’re attempting it.
 
It’s also very sad that Playtonic splintered off from Rare and so far they’ve only (internally) developed three Yooka Laylee games, one being a remake of the first one.
 
This is neat to see. I loved the idea behind yooka Kaylee, but the game had major design flaws. I don't know if this will fix things like the worlds being too big and cumbersome to explore, but it can fix things like having collectibles be so haphazardly placed, the cameras, removing the magic meter to do something as basic as rolling on laylee, ect… hopefully the new visuals will help to make some of the worlds a little less bland as well. That casino level is one of the ugliest most unenjoyable platformer levels I’ve ever experienced
 
Looks pretty, but don't really get the point of remaking a rather mid game with uninteresting gameplay.

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!"

People "They should remake more bad games!"
Playtonic: remakes their divisive game
People "No, not like that!"
Click to expand...

lmao, that's like saying Sonic 4 is the same as Sonic Mania.
 
Funny how multiple people have called out the casino level in this thread, I thought that was usually considered the game's best world. It was my favorite when I finally got around to Yooka-Laylee a couple years back, due to the easily understandable square shape that made it hard to get completely lost and the different way you get Pagies playing to the game's strengths, which definitely lie more in the moment to moment and less in the big individual objectives.

Granted, it's also the world that has one of the worst boss fights I've ever played, so you win some you lose some.
 
I backed Yooka-Laylee's crowdfunding campaign and my name is in the credits as a result, but I still never played much of it. I own it twice over, one digitally on PS4 and one physically on Switch, and I haven't even opened the latter copy. This remake might finally give me the motivation to actually dig into it properly.
 
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I always had the feeling that this was some kind of beta game. The stages were more or less good and quality was consistent design-wise, but the edges of the game were rough (like the controls, the art department, and the animations were not as polished as they should be).

As OP and others said, this was a game with so much potential that was limited by time and budget. Hopefully the remake will address those weak areas of the otherwise enjoyable game.

PS: I own the Switch version, which may be the "worst" one, performance wise at least.
 
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!"

People "They should remake more bad games!"
Playtonic: remakes their divisive game
People "No, not like that!"
Click to expand...
Playtonic did not do exactly that haha. YL was super poorly designed. and if Replaylee is an actual remake, to say that's been poorly communicated is an understatement. that's why i find it so weird they're replying to tweets. like why not just say they're fixing it?
 
If this version fixes issues people had with the original release, I may be tempted to pick it up. I get the sense a lot of the problems though were fundamental design decisions and would probably require a lot of heavy lifting on Playtonic's part to correct.
 
I don't know how much they could polish up this game to make it enjoyable. It's really boring on a fundamental level.

Then again I always thought that the Banjo games were every bit as boring as YL, so maybe mission accomplished I guess?
 
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I didn't play much of the first one but I'd like to see how improved the controls and camera will be, I had some issues there in the original. Didn't feel the fluidity of Banjo Kazooie.
 
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Christo750 said:
Playtonic did not do exactly that haha. YL was super poorly designed. and if Replaylee is an actual remake, to say that's been poorly communicated is an understatement. that's why i find it so weird they're replying to tweets. like why not just say they're fixing it?
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I mean, they talk about gameplay changes being made in the announcement tweet and mentioned that it's not the only thing they've been working on 10 minutes after the initial tweet, and given that the Steam page goes a little bit more in depth to changes, I dunno what more you could want. This seems pretty clearly communicated to me.
 
Abenit97 said:
I always had the feeling that this was some kind of beta game. The stages were more or less good and quality was consistent design-wise, but the edges of the game were rough (like the controls, the art department, and the animations were not as polished as they should be).

As OP and others said, this was a game with so much potential that was limited by time and budget. Hopefully the remake will address those weak areas of the otherwise enjoyable game.

PS: I own the Switch version, which may be the "worst" one, performance wise at least.
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The Switch version was built from the ground-up, and had pretty much all the improvements applied post-patches on the original releases.
 
I feel this will be a fresh start “Retry” button press moment for Yooka-Laylee which I feel is much needed.

As much as I do like a lot of the original game (I backed it, huge Rareware fan so of course I did), I also realize there are lots of issues that needed ironed out at the time - especially when Super Mario Odyssey was that same year - and THAT game felt oddly enough like a Banjo collectathon to me and felt incredible to play.

But seven years is a long time - gaming is more popular now than it was in 2017, the original game had a staggered release for Nintendo platforms, Nintendo was releasing the Switch - new engines have been made, the team has grown substantially - people are craving these games or more open to the idea of playing them since gaming has grown vastly in the last five years.

But now it might have proper legs. It’s not being beholden to responding to the Kickstarter but rather their own years of work to make this really the best they wanted this to be, and correcting the errors and hopefully more. They can cook.

I can understand the sentiment “Wait seriously a remake?” - but in a way, I can’t help but respect them going “Okay, let’s try this again.” Because they clearly felt they didn’t get it fully right the first time.

So…yeah! I’m freaking stoked! I’ve watched the trailer many times already. Might go back and replay Impossible Lair in celebration of the announcement.

Also PSI LAYLEE HAS FUR SHADING NOW SHE ALMOST LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE VIVA PIÑATA AHH CUTE
Yooka-Replaylee_2024_06-06-24_001.jpg
 
Oh, wait. They're actually self-publishing this version? Without Team17?
In that case: you have my sword, I'll be there no matter what, etc., etc.
 
Never got round to playing the original despite being a massive banjo kazooie fan- all the negativity scared me off 😅 loved the impossible lair though so I am willing to give the remake a shot.
 
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Regulus Tera said:
I actually rather liked Yooka Laylee despite... everything! But this feels extremely cynical, even accounting for Rare's history with remasters.

I also don't think a remaster is what this game needs. The issues with Yooka Laylee are way deeper than a fresh coat of paint could fix. They would need to reformulate how the mission structure and worlds are designed. They'd be better served making a sequel.
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I think there is always some worth to a studio going back to old ideas. Especially when games take longer, this in theory allows them to train up new talent and help fund their projects in the pipeworks.

And thats not even getting aside from the creators wanting their first game as studio to be better presented as they envisioned without the kickstarter limits.

Whether consumers want that is another story.
 
Regulus Tera said:
I actually rather liked Yooka Laylee despite... everything! But this feels extremely cynical, even accounting for Rare's history with remasters.

I also don't think a remaster is what this game needs. The issues with Yooka Laylee are way deeper than a fresh coat of paint could fix. They would need to reformulate how the mission structure and worlds are designed. They'd be better served making a sequel.
Click to expand...
Normally I would agree but I think this is a good call. The first game is flawed but not without potential, and I would love to see them fix it with the knowledge they've accumulated as a development team before abandoning it for a sequel.
 
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Dark Cloud said:
Didn’t most people not like this game? I love the Banjo Kazooie games, but I thought this game had too much negative so I didn’t get it.
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The reception could best be described as "mixed". I also skipped it on release for the same reason, and my impression after finally playing the fully patched version many years later was that it's not quite bad if you're into this sort of thing, but there's also not really any reason to recommend it over other games in the genre.

If you want an indie Banjo game, you'd be better served playing Cavern of Dreams, which manages to more accurately replicate their aesthetics and level design while also feeling like less of a knockoff.

I'd recommend Yooka over the likes of DK64, Gex 2, or Bugs Bunny Lost in Time, but I'd likely rank it towards the lower end of games made in this style. It's a "go for it if you want more after playing Banjo-Kazooie, Mario 64, Sunshine, Spyro, Tooie, Ty, Battle for Bikini Bottom, Ripto's Rage, Cavern of Dreams, Bowser's Fury, Odyssey, A Hat in Time, Year of the Dragon, Rocket Robot on Wheels, Yellow Taxi Goes Vroom, etc." game.
 
Wasn't exactly chomping at the bit for a remaster of this game but indie devs have to pay bills too. The original was okay with a lot of room for improvement so they definitely got their work cut out for them. Gonna echo the posts that said they could make most if not all levels much smaller lol.
 
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I'll go as far as to say Yooka-Laylee is one of the most underrated games ever and I am surprised yet thrilled at this news. Then again I'm highly biased in favor of 3D collectathons so I consider the controversial Donkey Kong 64 to be a masterpiece.
 
Christo750 said:


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.
Click to expand...

My main concern is that when playing YL I had a hard time finding stuff cause the graphics were very busy like too many graphical objects (brushes etc) and shadows. So making the graphics even better won't help unless they somehow highlight better the collectibles. I mean look at Mario Odyssey, it's a pretty game but you can clearly distinguish the interactive stuff, the coins, the levels are clean.
I will keep an eye one this but I have the feeling they didn't really get the issues. Maybe the better camera and controls will help.
 
Samurai Goroh said:
Is it possible for them to make the ice level smaller?
Click to expand...
Mer.Saloon said:
Actually, if they could make every level a bit smaller, or make traversal through them more streamlined, thatd be a big improvement.
Click to expand...
The new version will include an ingame map :)

Dark Cloud said:
Didn’t most people not like this game? I love the Banjo Kazooie games, but I thought this game had too much negative so I didn’t get it.
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Jontron being kicked out for coming out as a white supremacist just before release put the game in a massive shitstorm.

Kudos to the team for not bringing him back, unlike the devs of A Hat in Time.
 
Regulus Tera said:
The Switch version was built from the ground-up, and had pretty much all the improvements applied post-patches on the original releases.
Click to expand...
Yeah, you're right, I kind of forgot about that. It is true that the game feels more or less good and is completely playable from start to finish, but somehow this game lacks some of the polish and magic that Nintendo games have (I say Nintendo because it is the platform I play 90% of my time, and also I was interested because there was no Mario game back then).

So despite all the improvements that had been made, the game felt a bit lacking. And I said it before, the core design of the game is fantastic, but the execution fell short.
 
Last edited:
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!"

People "They should remake more bad games!"
Playtonic: remakes their divisive game
People "No, not like that!"
Click to expand...
YL is nothing like Banjo, they only got the same structure, level design wise they are worlds apart. Too bad they couldn't get Gregg Mayles on board.
 
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i'm curious if they're going to do a twist where the game starts like a straightforward remake, but is revealed to be drastically different early on. like Rare's original pitch for an Xbox Banjo game.

We were going to make a remake of Banjo-Kazooie (so the previous game) but we were actually going to change things about the game as you played.
Click to expand...
We got as far as taking Mumbo's Mountain (the first level from Banjo-Kazooie) and all of the puzzles and tasks in that level we could adapt them.
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Congo was going to be kinda aware that you had already fought him previously, and he was gonna behave differently. we were really concerned that trying to get the message out "this is not just a reskin/the old game with new graphics.", we thought it would be a hard sell and that players would expect a brand new game.
Click to expand...
 
Krvavi Abadas said:
i'm curious if they're going to do a twist where the game starts like a straightforward remake, but is revealed to be drastically different early on. like Rare's original pitch for an Xbox Banjo game.
Click to expand...

Please, no. Don’t put me through this a second time.
 
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JonTron's far-right political views are well-documented, the reason he got cut from the game before release, and run contrary to everything our community stands for. – MissingNo., Dardan Sandiego, IsisStormDragon, Party Sklar, NabiscoFelt, TC, Zellia
oh this is so fucking up. i remember being so hyped when it was first announced but then really disappointed when i heard it was mid (i was too broke at the time to buy it and i just got to it), but Im assuming this will be improving the game? I'm redeeming younger me and buying it with my hard earned money. also bring back jontrons voice
 
marialionza said:
oh this is so fucking up. i remember being so hyped when it was first announced but then really disappointed when i heard it was mid (i was too broke at the time to buy it and i just got to it), but Im assuming this will be improving the game? I'm redeeming younger me and buying it with my hard earned money. also bring back jontrons voice
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Uhhhhhhhh.......
 
marialionza said:
oh this is so fucking up. i remember being so hyped when it was first announced but then really disappointed when i heard it was mid (i was too broke at the time to buy it and i just got to it), but Im assuming this will be improving the game? I'm redeeming younger me and buying it with my hard earned money. also bring back jontrons voice
Click to expand...
Oh I was so ready to yeah this…
 
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I have this game on Switch and have tried to play it multiple times. However, the gameplay and visuals both didn't grab me and I couldn't stick with it. I believe I ended up playing with the 64-esque visuals because I found them more interesting. I approached this game as someone who didn't play the 3D N64 platformers at the time of release and started more seriously playing 3D platformers one generation later, so maybe that's partly why I couldn't get sucked in.

One thing I appreciated, though, was how the team paid a lot of attention to the Switch version. My hope with this version is that Nintendo platforms continue to get some love. The graphics look beyond what I'd expect from a multiplatform Switch game, so I hope that means a solid Switch 2 version is coming.

I'll consider giving this game another shot if the gameplay updates are meaningful and reception is positive.
 
kirbyfan407 said:
I have this game on Switch and have tried to play it multiple times. However, the gameplay and visuals both didn't grab me and I couldn't stick with it. I believe I ended up playing with the 64-esque visuals because I found them more interesting. I approached this game as someone who didn't play the 3D N64 platformers at the time of release and started more seriously playing 3D platformers one generation later, so maybe that's partly why I couldn't get sucked in.

One thing I appreciated, though, was how the team paid a lot of attention to the Switch version. My hope with this version is that Nintendo platforms continue to get some love. The graphics look beyond what I'd expect from a multiplatform Switch game, so I hope that means a solid Switch 2 version is coming.

I'll consider giving this game another shot if the gameplay updates are meaningful and reception is positive.
Click to expand...
Considering there's no release year and they just showed the tutorial area, I'm betting this is very early on and that Switch 2 is the plan.
 
JazzyFuture said:
Considering there's no release year and they just showed the tutorial area, I'm betting this is very early on and that Switch 2 is the plan.
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I suspect you're right. With all the talk and expectation of a new 3D platformer launching next year on Switch 2, I'd probably wait to see what Nintendo is planning before making a commitment to a date. I may be wrong, but my guess is Switch is the console where the original version performed best and they'd want to make sure they don't launch in a way that reduces their sales potential on the successor.
 
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It’s weird to include “your favourite buddy duo” unironically in the trailer. I’d wager most people who enjoyed YL also adore Banjo-Kazooie. Given the tone and self-awareness of the game, they should have went with “your second favourite buddy duo.”
 
JazzyFuture said:
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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Quite the glow up. I kinda wish they kept the more intense colors of the OG. Made the game really feel like a successor to that era of 3D platformers. But this looks nice so far!
 
Krvavi Abadas said:
i'm curious if they're going to do a twist where the game starts like a straightforward remake, but is revealed to be drastically different early on. like Rare's original pitch for an Xbox Banjo game.
Click to expand...

no company would ever do something insane like this, imagine selling something as a remake when in the end is a reboot
 
Man, i hope they offer some sort of upgrade package for owners of the OG game. Not for free, i understand they put a lot of work into that.

But i wouldn't want to pay full price again.
 
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