With the sequel to the Banjo Kazooie spiritual successor Yooka-Laylee going back in time to the era of Donkey Kong Country - with some great 2.5D level design. This seemingly narrowed focus has resulted in a wonderful slice of classic platforming that's full of discovery, challenge, and that unmistakable Rare charm.

A snippet.

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair shifts the perspective, with levels and stages presented in a more traditional 2D fashion – ala Rare’s Donkey Kong Country. An apt comparison as Impossible Lair features a few design elements reminiscent of that series, like barrels that can shoot Yooka and Laylee into harder-to-reach areas. Plus the old tumble roll off a ledge and then jump. When paired with the wonderfully detailed 3D environments and characters, what you get is a mostly 2.5D platformer with a top-down 3D overworld featuring its own suite of challenges, hidden secrets, and puzzles to solve.

Although going mostly-2D might sound like a step back in terms of ambition, the result is a more polished and balanced platformer that is often a treasure trove of clever level design and systems.

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