Yooka-Replaylee was a bit of a welcome surprise when it was announced back in June. It looks utterly gorgeous and promises plenty of tweaks, changes, and accessibility features when it eventually launches. But one thing that many fans spotted was Laylee, Yooka's purple bat companion, and her new, incredibly fluffy design.
In a Q&A published on the Playtonic YouTube Channel, community manager Steve James sat down with members of the Yooka-Replaylee art team — Ed Bryan, Nikita De Ruysscher, and Steve Mayles — to talk about the game's brand new look. And one section focuses on the wisecracking bat.
In 2017's Yooka-Laylee, Laylee's design is smooth — there's not a hair on her, except maybe her eyebrows. But in 2024, Laylee sports a whole load of purple fur. Steve points out that her new design was one of the "most notable" parts of the reveal trailer, and the team shared some insights.
Laylee was "never meant to be fluffy" according to Mayles, and after tweaking her initial model and popping her in the game, someone said "Wouldn't it be nice if she was furry?" to which Mayles dismayed a tiny bit. Mayles mentions that fur is pretty tricky to add and animate in 3D, but he's using a tool where he starts by adding one single strand to the character that may sound like a long process, but apparently "doesn't take that long" even with "a lot of tweaking".
It doesn't end with just that, of course. Ed Bryan had to make sure the "vertex colours" transferred over so the fur looked perfect in all kinds of light and from different angles. Mayles hopes that fans will enjoy her new design, and James responds that "she is already a fan favourite". We're not surprised, though we do have a question that seemingly many others have also expressed — why isn't Capital B fluffy? though apparently it's because he "likes to shave".
The trio go into a lot of detail about the various processes involved in remastering a title like this, plus with Replaylee, there are lots of new assets such as new skyboxes, new lighting engine, and just how "interactive" the environment is.
You can watch the whole video below, but let us know what you think of Laylee's new design in the comments.
[source youtu.be]
Comments 38
I'm still bothered that both characters don't have any kind of clothes. They always looked so incomplete for me. A scarf or a hat or even a wrist or ankle bracelet would be a good addition.
I need a Laylee plush right now so I can hug her, dood THAT'S FLUFFY
The Impossible Lair was such a disappointment, that I really can't be interested by this. A remaster of a 7 year old game adding hair to one of the main characters ... wow!
A lot of the character designs for that game are meh to ugly. Making Laylee hairy still doesn't change that.
I trust them to strike a good balance between realism and cartoony. I enjoyed Yooka Layle for what it was.
I'm not looking to pick the remaster on launch as I've only played the original very recently, but I'd be lying if I said I'm not interested in the wrinkle ironing they did, especially the labyrinthine overworld between levels
Get a haircut, is all I can say about that.
@Bobb I tried to go back and play Yooka Layle a few months ago. I had already finished about half of the game. I had no idea where to go. I spent two hours trying to find where I left off. The world layout made to sense to me.
I love their reasoning for Capital B not being fluffy, and it seems in-character. I can't echo the sentiment that The Impossible Lair was awful, because I found it to be one of my favorite 2D platformers in recent time (even if I may never be good enough to finish that last level)
Love these kinds of behind-the-scenes looks. Never played the original game, so interested in this remaster.
@Yalloo Disappointing how? Impossible Lair is a well-regarded title. Personally, I loved it. The mix of the overworld and platform levels, the humour, the music. One of the best examples of third-party titles from early in the Switch's lifecycle.
The original game was such a disappointment but I'm really hoping this remake (?) can solve a lot of those issues. Impossible Lair was excellent so hopefully this follows suit.
@Yalloo Yeah IMO they should have had another sequel by now that addresses the flaws of the original. Not a remaster
@CartoonDan tbf that’s been a problem these devs have had with their games since their early days at rare with dk64 and banjo tooie especially dear GOD that game is overstuffed and convoluted for no reason
Honestly I prefer them not fluffy. It make them lean too much into the realistic style.
Wish it was a sequel not a re-make of a 7 year old game.
I know a lot of people had hate for it, but I loved it.
They took a second chance with the Impossible Lair and they nailed it! Just love that game!
Although they're very different games, I'm sure they have seen and heard a lot about Yooka Laylee for the past 7 years and I hope they'll use this knowledge to fix some its flaws to make it more accessible, aka playable now
I really like the way characters look in the screenshots!
@Bunkerneath yeah I really enjoyed it. I'm extremely confused by this remaster though. Just give me a new game.
This simply isn't enough. If it was a sequel I'd buy it immediately but it's not, it's just the same game I already have with a small coat of paint.
Removed - offensive remarks
@Dr_Lugae Same! It's really baffling they still put this one out. Fun, but definitely a first try!
@Qwiff Ah well, I tried to explain how I got disappointed by that game ... I usually don't want to offend anyone, especially online, but seeing that my comment got immiediatly removed I'm kind of considering not sharing my opinions here anymore. Wow.
Anyways, glad other people liked it, and sorry that I didn't.
Never played it, but maybe one day.
@CartoonDan the hardest level in the game is finding where the heck they hid the last level
@Yalloo I think The Impossible Lair is by far the better of the two. But it really comes down to whether you prefer collectathons or DKC style platformers.
Affordable stuffed toys when?
@Olrun a few years back I won a Yooka and Laylee plush directly from Playtonic themselves! Totally by surprise.
I made the mistake of later giving them to my nephew who was 3-4yrs at the time as he loved the duo. Never seen the duo plushies again! Dread to think if my sister threw them out!
So fluffy, would make for a great plushie as others mentioned!
Personally, I'm really looking forward to this remaster as I've never played Yooka-Laylee and I hope I'll be able to do so without most if not all the issues of the original - having remasters/remakes of already good games is great, but it's even better when the original had the potential to be one but had problems and so such a rerelease can finally be the chance to fix them (another example of this being Epic Mickey)!
I liked the original, but so far nothing screams "this couldn't have just been an update for YL itself". Games can get engine upgrades now through updates, harder on consoles sure but possible.
I'm glad they're doing this, but I have to see VAST amounts of remixed and new content to justify doing this before a proper followup sequel, especially if its still being charged full price. I backed the original on Kickstarter, name in the credits (one of countless, fair) but this is still kind of a weird choice.
@Erigen They need PANTS.
At least Braid had a few more years behind it before the remaster...
This looks fantastic. I may just grab this one if and when it hits Switch or Switch 2 (and if not, PS5?) regardless- wow! I’m thoroughly impressed.
They've talked about a discount for Replaylee if you own the original, but I doubt it will release on Switch. They'll probably abandon this console just like how they ditched Wii U owners who backed the game.
So the question is what are the platforms this is coming to it certainly won't be the switch given the original was smartly tweaked from the PS4 version to be able to run excellently within the confines of the handheld. Ps5 and xsx is confirmed but the fact that Nintendo life is publishing this is it a hidden message for switch 2 support and what if the update path
@Chlocean Yeah Impossible Lair was super well designed to reward exploration and experimentation with the presentation
I’m afraid I won’t be placing my trust in this company again. After their disastrous Yookla-Laylee release and their subsequent retreat to "assist" other developers, it seems their idea of support is more of a strategic retreat $$. It’s disappointing to see such seasoned developers behaving so lackadaisically. LAY-ZEEEE
I'll be double dipping if we can finally get a proper physical release (no limited run nonsense) for... i guess this'll be for Switch 2, not Switch 1. Not buying again for a visual overhaul if I can't have it proudly displayed on my shelf along with it.
I sincerely hope that game is going to be good and iron out the original's issues. The impossible lair was pretty great and that licence definitely deserves to tackle the Banjo style of 3d platformers.
And I mean the more good 3d platformers the better and this one definitely has a legacy to live up to.
Will this be a collection of the first two games or is this just a remake of the first game?
@FarTulip What was disastrous?
I honestly don't understand anyone that doesn't like the first Yooka-Laylee. It was such a fun game. Sure, it needs some polishing for movement and such but it was a very fun game. I preferred it over the second, which I also loved.
Hoping this goes out for the Xbox. I own both on Steam but wanted them on the Xbox as well, so now I'll wait for this release.
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