The original might have brought back the glory days of 3D platforming, but this is no ’90s sequel like what we got with Spyro or the countless other animal-themed 3D platformers of the day. The Impossible Lair completely changes the Yooka-Laylee formula in what publisher Team 17 is calling a “platform adventure hybrid.”
The action this time around will be split between 2D, side-scrolling levels a la Donkey Kong Country (which isn’t altogether surprising given Playtonic’s origins) and Zelda-like overworld exploration that takes place in 2.5D. Furthering the Zelda comparison, the overworld is full of traps and puzzles for the unlikely duo to solve, making use of their special abilities and moves to do so.
The 2D levels emphasize platforming of a more traditional kind than what the original game did, but will still also feature plenty of puzzles and obstacles to get in the team’s way that require use of special team moves, also like the original game.
It doesn’t seem like those obstacles will include racing a giant cloud or staving off hungry cannibals, but more information about the game will be revealed during E3, so we’ll know more then.
Whatever those challenges will or won’t be, the goal remains the same: Yooka and Laylee must recover Queen Phoebee’s Royal Beettalion Guard from each level and eventually take on Capital B in his biggest challenge so far, the Impossible Lair.
Grant Kirkhope and David Wise are reprising their roles for the soundtrack as well.
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair doesn’t have a release date yet, but when it does launch, it’ll launch on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam (no Epic shenanigans here). There are also plans for a boxed console version alongside the digital release, which means no long wait for those who prefer a physical version.
