Legend of Spyro

[AndrewTS 0]

I rented the game, and beat it already.

 

The game isn't just another Spyro title, but a claimed "New Beginning"--a reinvention of the story/series, much like the recent Tomb Raider Legend. The unappealing, rather hideous box art seems to scream a huge angst-fest to boot. While there's a bit of that, it's more well done than I expected. The game is from Krome Studios, best known for the Ty the Tasmasian Tiger games, which are known for not being well known or played by anyone.

 

It's a game with Spyro in it, and most of the basic play mechanics are carried over, but it's a totally different game than the PS1 classics, or the PS2 titles. It's also relatively limited. Except for the High Plains, you're looking at narrow, constrained levels. It's like if Mario 64 was followed up with Wario World. It's combat, combat, combat, and the occasional bit of platforming thrown in between more combat.

 

However, there isn't that much actual thriling gameplay to be found. The fights are just packing peanuts for the game's already brief running time. The game is totally linear, too, unfortunately. No central hub world is to be found. You beat a level, usually getting a chance to master the element you just discovered, head to the next level, repeat.

 

Combat does get better/more fun later on, but the game is flawed and problematic on many basic levels. For example: the zillions of cannon fodder baddies....can block. You'd think, with Spyro routinely getting surrounded, he'd have some sort of block move, because so much of the enemies' retialation have invincibility windows. Nope, no such thing. No energy barrier, no ability to cover yourself with your wings. So you have to rely on evading. Sadly, the evading is a bit too slow.

 

With all of the enemies you'd think there would a simple and efficent lock on/target switching ability. No such thing. It doesn't work that way. It "locks on" to one enemy, apparently the closest one, but you float off the ground and move way too slowly. It doesn't allow a quick and simple sidestep/strafe/backstep.

 

Also, the camera has major problems--early on you'll end up getting attacked from behind easily. With the extra firepower you get later on, it isn't such a problem, but so much of the game seems to have annoying quirks designed to overcome the games shortcomings--such as the infinite lives to make up for all the cheap deaths you'll suffer from.

 

The game is average at best, with great production values, but falls way too short in the very basics where it counts.

 

However, where the game is at its very best are the cutscenes. Seriously, this is a game where I, typically one ot complain at having an overload of cutscenes in my games, like to see more. Elijah Wood is Spyro himself, doing a top notch excellent job (the game has an interview available when you beat it). His major co-stars are Resident Annoying Sidekick Sparx, voiced by David Spade (and surprisingly, I still find an E-10 David Spade amusing, and sometimes really funny. The major standout is Gary Oldman as Ignitus (a guardian dragon who serves as Spyro's mentor throughout the game). The voice cast also features a number of experienced voice actors/actresses, including Cree Summer, Corey Burton, Jeff Bennett, Kevin Michael Richardson, Phil LaMarr, and Vanessa Marshall. The cutscenes are so good most of the time, you get to the point where you think, "oh crap, I have to play the game now."

 

Well, you don't necessarily feel that way all the time. However, when I got to Dante's Freezer, the game got *really, really* bad. That level is a neverending stretch of the same looking sections, same looking enemies (that never improves very much, either), that just keep coming and coming with no end in sight. The level was such a ridiculous slog fest, it reminded me of how much I absolutely hated God of War. (The way the upgrade system works, the Fury Attacks, the way the melee attacks feel, the combos--a lot of it gave me a major GoW vibe). That game at least had a workable block feature, though.

 

Most of the rest of the game is still a major slog, but the level design gets better, and there's more to keep you amused. The lighting skill is extremely useful--using the telekinetic properties to repeatedly toss enemies off ledges sure as heck beats fighting each one. New Game + is available once you complete the game, allowing you to use all your acquired powers from the start.

 

The game has a lot of charm, wit, humor, and relative freshness going for it. However, if/when there's a sequel, they really need to tighten up the basics big time. Yet, the large blocky shadow of Insomniac's Spyro games loom large over this, just like with the past two Vivendi Universal titles.

[Lightning Flik 0]

Glad to know that I won't waste any time on this Andrew. Thanks.

 

And that's a hell of a decent review there. I'm shocked. If only you included music score and I'd say you should try going professional.

[AndrewTS 0]

Thank you, although it was peppered with my unpopular opinions about GoW. What part "shocked" you, though? That I didn't just rip into it?

 

I purposely attempted to avoid breaking down the game by graphics, sound, etc. in favor of the most important aspect, gameplay. However, since production values/cinemas were such a strength for the game, I couldn't let it go unmentioned.

 

The sound is, incidentally, rather decent. However, there aren't any incredibly intense scores or overly memorable tracks I can think of off hand. So I'd say solid, gets the job done. Some overblown, "epic" sounding music in places. The cinemas have a lot of ambient stuff, and the in-game music (which mostly crops up during battles and) is okay but drowned out by the fighting. Most of the non-battle, point-a-to-b areas of the game are almost completely silent except for sound effects.

 

I decided to write one up after I read a pathetic Game Informer review (virtually the only one out) that told me virtually nothing about the game. I'd say that even though I'd only rank it average or slightly above, I really did enjoy the game despite its faults. However, I'd be disappointed if I purchased it.