Playtonic Outlines Yooka-Laylee Improvements and Switch Version Progress

Hmmmmm.... interested. Yes.

Good to see Playtonic is improving the existing game unlike Comcept (cough, Mighty No. 9, cough)

I hope their "first significant game update" includes putting JonTron back in.

(That's just a dumb joke btw.)

For all the flaws I've heard about, that is one beautiful game.

All I can say is it's about time we heard something! Really hope this comes out in the next 2 months as far away from Mario as possible.

Can't wait, haven't played the game yet but will definitely pick it up for the Switch (fingers crossed for physical release).

They already released a significant patch a few weeks ago. Glad they're working to iron out the game's problems instead of releasing it and leaving it as is.

Well it's been an open an honest conversation about what improvements this game needs and that's a huge boon for Playtonic. I would like a physical copy but, may go digital. If the update's worth it and the frame rate is solid I will be jamming the Yooka-Laylee for sure.

Just read the list of updates and wish I waited to play through this, they definitely improve the quality of his game (not that it was bad, negativity was exaggerated). Like seriously, I've 100%ed it twice since release (second time with a friend) so I'm not exactly eager to play it all again anytime soon (the mine cart minigames were brutal hard, though to be fair the update is supposed to improve them), but... well, guess that's what I get for not being patient. Switch version will be tight with the bugs ironed out.

I need a physical switch release please playtonic!

At least the Switch version will have the improvements right out of the box. And maybe by then, this game will get a second life.

The fact that we need a Switch update instead of having it out when the game arrived for everyone else is still inexcusable. We're not second class system owners who deserve hand me down releases with stymied sales as most interested parties bought it elsewhere already. Which in turn opens the door to publisher whining about sales and the excuse not to do another. Wash - Rinse - Repeat

Hope it's coming soon, I've been looking forward to it.

Just bought a copy (for the PS4...shhhh), so I'm glad the update is coming out shortly. I believe I'll enjoy the game, negative criticism be flogged.

Backed this on Kickstarter day 1 so this is still heading my way! Crazy to think you can pick the PS4/XBONE copy up for £15 odd!
Even so, looking forward to playing this on the toilet, on my boat, in a hot air balloon or with a goat!

Hopefully they nail down the camera a bit, tighten up the controls a touch more (as things are a touch floaty right now) and completely revamp where the feathers are hidden to give a bit more direction through the levels (ala Banjo Kazooie) instead of the random directionless placement and sprawling empty sections of levels. Other than this, I'm on board as what I played on the PS4 version wasn't as bad as what I've heard. Oh yea, and physical cart is a MUST!

I'll wait for a review.

Just picked up the PS4 and xone versions for $16 each at Best Buy! Switch version on the "to get" list! 😉

Still waiting for the switch version to give THESE a revved up go!

@joey302 For DAT price, i'll check out Best Buy whenever I want the game.

I have it on the xbox but this game would be so much better on the switch.

the fact they are making improvements before launch makes me tempted to pick this up after launch

@tanookisuit I think that's a bit unfair as they had to shift development to the Switch long after the other consoles were under way. If Playtonic had been able to I'm sure they would have released it on Switch along with the others, it just wasn't possible.

It's good to see that they are still improving the game, any extra polish will make the Switch version better than the original release out of the box.

Great news, guys. I hope you revert negative reviews. I'll be waiting for this game.

@tanookisuit Nintendo failed in that aspect more than publishers and developers by creating an underpowered console with a different architecture than the other 3 main platforms. It's all compounded by the fact that they had to change platform mid development cycle (WiiU to Switch)

I guess in releasing it on Switch with everything fixed it will bring in some positive reviews which they didn't necessarily get the first time around and reviews probably won't be bothered to change their scores after the updates. I can't be the only one who wouldn't mind the 'non-polished' version of the game everyone else has now and then just update it later with everyone else. Sigh. I just really want to play it and I have my heart set on the Switch version

It's fun, but there are definitely aspects of it that need improvement. Glad they're continuing to work on it. Seems like a perfect fit for the Switch!

For the time being, it seems the definitive version is on PC. The game runs buttery smooth and looks beautiful. With the updates I see coming to its console counterparts, I'm sure the quality will catch up in no time. I also wonder if the extra time needed for the Switch version was to ensure the game runs flawlessly from the start.

@JTMnM The PC version will always be the one that runs the best. I'm looking forward to the portability of the Switch version, though.

Really hope it's good by the time the Switch version arrives. I want to love it!

@Menchi187 You do realize that comment is inaccurate right? The system may not be on the polygon pushing potential of the PS4/One, but it also does use the same development tools and can get the same games, just with as needed degraded visuals (removed polygons primarily) — see dragon quest heroes 1+2 which is on those formats. The other comment replying to me had it more right, it was started late because of the shift off the deservedly dead WiiU to the Switch which delayed things.

Being a big fan of the first Banjo-Kazooie I wanted so badly to enjoy Yooka-Laylee, but I believe it's intrinsically flawed beyond fixing. I admire though that they're staying the course with the Switch release and improving the smaller flaws.

I switched my backing from Wii U to Switch back when they gave us the options. Possibly should have taken the refund, not because of the game but it'll be some time before I can play it. That and there could be a physical edition eventually. Maybe I can sell on the code. That's a hefty list of improvements, the game should review better on the Switch better than the other versions as a result. I'm glad to see too that they didn't just walk away from the game once it released.

Please give us a physical version for the switch

Based on that comment, sounds like it will come to the Switch in late July - September. I am looking forward to it.

Better launch soon with Mario Odyssey looming.

Playtonic doing there usual here then, obviously concentrated on an update before they bothered to go back to the switch. Par for the course.

I backed it back then (but on PC, and then stopped playing on computer). I was very hyped... then came the reviews. Depending on them I might try it out.

I'm waiting for the Switch version to play the game for the first time. I hope, it won't take too much more time.

I've been waiting (and waiting and waiting) for this game then waiting some more for the switch version.... Best buy just had the ps4 one on sale for 16 bucks and I couldn't resist... I'm picking it up tomorrow.

Back in the day Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie went head to head getting top scores from gamers everwhere. 19 years later people seem to be much more confident in Mario Odyssey than the new spiritual Banjo successor.

I'm still waiting for the Switch release and I'm excited about what Playtonic has to offer. I only watched the trailers of the first two stages and I guess Yooka-Laylee is intended to be much like Banjo-Kazooie, bringing the nostalgic feel of 1998 Triple AAA 3D exploration/adventure platformer with modern HD graphics. Mario Odyssey on the other hand, seems to bring some fresh air to the genre, as it's not a direct sequel to any 3D Mario game, and that gets me really excited.

Anyway, I hope Yooka-Laylee gets a physical release. I might be one of the last ones to buy Yooka-Laylee, but I was one of the first to buy and 100% complete Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie, Donkey Kong 64, Jet Force Gemini, Conker's Bad Fur Day and almost every other Rare game back in the day.

@Urameshi Just wondering what are some of the flaws with the game that you don't think can be fixed? And what do you think of the patch fix list? Curious to learn what someone who played the game thinks as I'm very much in the fence about this game still.

Hope it's physical! Also this is nice it's a better port for once, unlike some other Switch games.....

Any word on if this is getting a retail release?

I look forward to getting this once I also get my ass in gear and buy a Switch.

@Pichuka97 yeah they abandon that game and I don't know why. It wasn't even that bad.

I'm still want to buy this game. I haven't done it cause I'm waiting for the Switch release so here is hoping that it gets release on August.

Interested. Hope it will be available when I get my Switch.

Just need physical release and we're good

@Jessica286 I know, it had some cool ideas but when all is said and done, it was undercooked at best as a whole. Don't even get me started on ReCore :/

Havent bought it yet, was waiting for the switch version

@AG_Awesome I guess I've been meaning to do a small review of the game — this is how I see it.

Large Problems with the game that wont be fixed:

-Levels are too large + lack charm
In Banjo-Kazooie the levels are on the small side, but they're easy to traverse, stuffed with focused objectives and most of all, memorable. In Yooka-Laylee their design approach leans too far towards quantity over quality; there's much to traverse, but it can be somewhat difficult to find objective and the level expansions are just more of the same. Each level has a theme, but each one of them lacks focus which just comes off as structures existing merely for the sake of tieing-in with the theme, facilitating an objective and simply filling space without any thought devoted to making anything quirky and potentially memorable.

-the minigames
It was ambitious of them to try to produce numerous mini-games as tie-ins for obtaining pagies, but all of them are tedious, repetitive and boring.

-the abilities
Some of the abilities are fun to use and were decently conceived, but flying is broken, the berry abilities are far too conditional and short lasting, and grapple is spotty. All they really had to do is look at Banjo-Tooie's abilities and "re-skin"/adjust/expand them; the work was essentially mostly done for them but they decided to gamble with their own ideas.

-the dialogue
Much like the levels the dialogue is unmemorable; it consists mainly of unwitty, fourth-wall jokes and essentially comes off as if the creators are just talking through the characters. Due to this, the character development suffers and ultimately kills any empathy establishment with the characters.

Minor problems that won't be fixed:

-the story
It seems like very little thought was put into the story of the game. The basic premise is that Capital B stole a book from Yooka and Laylee with the intent on monopolizing the market for books. Yooka and Laylee pursue the book with the sole intent on selling it. The book's pages scatting in the midst of Capital B stealing it and it then becomes their goal to collect the pages.
This story completely lacks any sort of urgency, provides little motivation for achieving their goal and fails to add personality to the world and characters.

-the music
You would think the collaboration between the legendary composers Grant Kirkhope, Steve Burke and David Wise would be a match made in heaven, but much like the majority of the game, it is unfortunately unmemorable. The music is slow paced and bland; you will most likely find yourself forgetting that it's playing as it fades into the background while playing. Aside from Kirkhope's "Tribalstack" piece and Wise's Jungle Challenge piece, the music detracts from the experience rather than catchingly-resonate with each area's aesthetic theme.

My opinion can be summed up in a single word: Unmemorable.

The fixes that Playtonic has implemented/going to implement do alleviate some of the problems of the game and make it a more enjoyable experience than it was formally, but the aforementioned overlying problems keep it from being an enjoyable experience for me. If you view Banjo-Kazooie at face value against Yooka-Laylee, the former has so much more to offer. If, however, you don't mind some of the flaws I have mentioned then you may want to give the game a go, but I personally didn't enjoy the game enough to consider it a worthwhile experience.

@Urameshi Thanks for the detailed response. I'm not really sold on the game due to a lot of what you said (which reiterated the same negatives several other reviews I've read and watched brought up). I'll see how the switch one reviews and then consider getting it if I have nothing else to play, lol

@Urameshi

I agree completely regarding the story and have said as much here. Part of me thinks that the reason the game has rubbed some fans, and the general public perhaps, the wrong way is that it's done rather cynically: it operates on the premise that it's the general mode of gameplay that is important, with the story and characters being secondary considerations. For myself, BK and BT are beloved because of the world and the characters just as much as for what you do in that world. Yooka and Laylee are cinema marquee cutouts for all the dimensionality they have.

I understand that we'll never get another true Banjo Kazooie game; Playtonic can't make it and Rare, under the heel of troglodyte Microsoft, has neither the talent nor the desire. I've no problem with other games from the genre being made to take up the slack. I do mind very much when I'm given the games equivalent of The Godfather Part III after waiting sixteen years.

@Pichuka97 Recore looks like a decent game as well. I swear I was really close of getting an Xbox One for that game.