As of this writing, I haven't played Enter the Dragonfly, so this game represents the closest anyone got to recreating Insomniac's whole thing (Reignited notwithstanding). It's an all right attempt, but sadly, it's not great.
This game reminds me a lot of the first Jak & Daxter, a comparison I must confess isn't necessarily a compliment from me (but more on that another time). Part of it is the shift to large, open environments with hidden load screens - perhaps a natural extension of Spyro's usual thing, but striking for the lack of hub worlds. Part of it is the writing, with Spyro being more in-your-face than ever before (though I don't remember Daxter breaking the fourth wall to make a drug PSA?).
And part of it is that there's a swamp level, during which you meet up with a redneck stereotype whose farm is being invaded by overgrown bugs, which you must repel as part of an inexplicable turret segment. If I had a nickel for every time that happened...
This game brings back animal buddies, kinda. Sgt. Byrd and Sparx are the only true returning animal buddies, though Bentley gets a cameo (although booooooo they dumbed him down). Hunter has been upgraded to playable, and while there's probably something flagrantly wrong about his newfound competence, I'm not gonna lie, his archery stuff is a fun diversion. That Frozen Glacier level, where you have to play as Hunter, probably represents the game at its best.
Lastly, there's new character Blink, who's... just kinda dumb. That "fresh-air-a-phobia" line is kind of a perfect tone setter for Blink as a character. Also, I guess the Professor, who is his uncle (nephewism!), was a mole this whole time? Definitely thought he was some small bear or something.
The best part of this game is probably the Drew Struzan boxart. Which, to be fair, is a highlight of a lot of his work, but still. The game's fiiiiiiine, but doesn't have much in the way of staying power.
I always hate it when games of this era, in lieu of a denouement, just awkwardly end immediately after the player defeats the final boss.
This game reminds me a lot of the first Jak & Daxter, a comparison I must confess isn't necessarily a compliment from me (but more on that another time). Part of it is the shift to large, open environments with hidden load screens - perhaps a natural extension of Spyro's usual thing, but striking for the lack of hub worlds. Part of it is the writing, with Spyro being more in-your-face than ever before (though I don't remember Daxter breaking the fourth wall to make a drug PSA?).
And part of it is that there's a swamp level, during which you meet up with a redneck stereotype whose farm is being invaded by overgrown bugs, which you must repel as part of an inexplicable turret segment. If I had a nickel for every time that happened...
This game brings back animal buddies, kinda. Sgt. Byrd and Sparx are the only true returning animal buddies, though Bentley gets a cameo (although booooooo they dumbed him down). Hunter has been upgraded to playable, and while there's probably something flagrantly wrong about his newfound competence, I'm not gonna lie, his archery stuff is a fun diversion. That Frozen Glacier level, where you have to play as Hunter, probably represents the game at its best.
Lastly, there's new character Blink, who's... just kinda dumb. That "fresh-air-a-phobia" line is kind of a perfect tone setter for Blink as a character. Also, I guess the Professor, who is his uncle (nephewism!), was a mole this whole time? Definitely thought he was some small bear or something.
The best part of this game is probably the Drew Struzan boxart. Which, to be fair, is a highlight of a lot of his work, but still. The game's fiiiiiiine, but doesn't have much in the way of staying power.
I always hate it when games of this era, in lieu of a denouement, just awkwardly end immediately after the player defeats the final boss.
Spinnerweb
1 month ago