Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair

YOOKA AND LAYLEE RETURN FOR A 2.5D PLATFORMING ADVENTURE

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a brand-new 2.5D platformer from some of the key creative talent behind 'Donkey Kong Country'. With their arch-nemesis Capital B up to no good, the buddy duo needs to spring into action once again to save the day. To thwart his evil plan of using a “Hivemind” device to enslave an entire kingdom of bees, our heroes need to take the fight to Capital B’s “Impossible” Lair. Things look tough, but with the help of Queen Phoebee and her Royal Beetallion , Yooka and Laylee might just have a chance!

2.5D PLATFORMING!

Each level offers beautiful, rich visuals with detail and depth. Yooka, Laylee and a whole host of colourful characters (good and bad) are realised in stunning 2.5D

3D OVERWORLD!

The overworld isn’t just a hub to hop from level to level, it provides a whole separate gaming experience! Explore and unlock more 2D levels by completing objectives and puzzles, rescue the Royal Beetallion bees and find collectibles.

ALTERNATE LEVEL STATES!

Think you’ve got a level figured out? Try it in its alternate state! Flip switches in the overworld to create new landscapes. Hook up electricity, submerge them in water, freeze or literally flip them upside down for radically altered challenges!

TONICS ARE BACK!

Mix up your gameplay with the return of ‘Tonics’! There are more than 60 game-modifying Tonics in Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair including infinite rolling, harder enemies and super speed. They can also unlock new environmental and visual effects!

BEE-AT THE IMPOSSIBLE LAIR!

Players are free to tackle Capital B’s Impossible Lair at any time; however, they may find it too much of a challenge without the help of the Royal Beetallion. Free them by completing levels and they will add to your defences when taking on Capital B’s dastardly traps!

Minimum Requirements
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS:	Windows 7 SP1 64-bit
Processor:	Intel Core i3-2125 or AMD A8-6600K
Memory:	6 GB RAM
Graphics:	GeForce GTX 650 or Radeon HD 5770
Storage:	6 GB available space

Recommended Specifications
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS:	Windows 10 64-bit
Processor:	Intel Core i5-2550 or AMD FX-8120
Memory:	7 GB RAM
Graphics:	GeForce GTX 660 or Radeon R9 270
Storage:	8 GB available space

GameGrin

Playtonic has absolutely smashed it with Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair. It builds on the team’s experience with platformers and manages to improve on its predecessor in every way. One of the best platformers I’ve played in years.
GameWatcher

Thanks to its tough-but-fair challenge, Playtonic has made a very rewarding game. There are moments where I had the realization I was having full-on fun, smiling all the way, and that never happens. Its writing might be obnoxious at times and the overworld can be superfluous, but its foundation is so well constructed that it doesn’t distract from the game proper. It might take awhile for it to click. But when it does, you’re gonna have an enthralling time. Hell, I’m going to go play more of it now that I finished this review.
CD-Action

Each level is a rainbow firework that captivates with detail, makes laugh with the character design, and amazes with its quality and design. [13/2019, p.66]
Hooked Gamers

Ultimately Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is an excellent throwback to platforming glory years. Despite a few bugs and sound issues present during the earlier sections, the game is simple and stylish, a joy to play. If you are on PC, you owe it to yourself to pick it up — this is the closest you will get to a Nintendo platformer on the system. The level of love Playtonic have squeezed into this game makes Yooka-Laylee stand firmly on its own two feet.
Ragequit.gr

A highly addictive, inspired and difficult enough puzzle-platform adventure, Yooka-Laylee's switch to 2D was spot-on.
PC Games

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is the better Yooka-Laylee game. The developer’s decision to create a 2D- instead of 3D-game was the right one. The overworld is the secret star of the game with loads of riddles and secrets and overall the new Yooka-Laylee is very challenging. The role models are obvious: Super Mario and Donkey Kong. If you are into 2D jump and runs, you will have a lot of fun with Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair.
Wccftech

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a very good 2.5D platform featuring a familiar experience heavily inspired by the Donkey Kong Country series and some interesting mechanics for the overworld map which deepen and expand the experience. While the game is not innovative in any way, it's an extremely enjoyable experience that no fan of platform games should pass on.
Millenium

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair has reinvented the franchise where it was needed. We are not witnessing a revolution of the platform genre, but the beginning of its transformation. Even though this title has some flaws, it also tries to introduce new things. It explores many mechanics, and seems almost irreproachable in pure gameplay terms, controller in hand. We were charmed by this title, although it can be frustrating at times. Speedrunners and collectibles fans will be served, while the others will have a cute little game to get their teeth into.
PC Invasion

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a really strong platformer with good level design and excellent visuals. Certain aspects of the game don't mix well together, but it's a good time overall.
Jeuxvideo.com

Yooka-Laylee finally succeeds in bringing the platformer to the next level. With an original structure, made of puzzle and reverse narration, this new episode brings a fresh OST and some great ideas, while being sometimes too difficult or unprecise. A really good game for nostalgics and newcommers.
SpazioGames

Despite a strong game structure change and the presence of 2.5D levels, Yooka-Layle and the impossible Lair has nothing to envy to the previous chapter.
Games.cz

Yooka-Laylee is back, waxing nostalgic again. This spin-off celebrates 2D platformers of a bygone age and brings tasteful fun, even though it’s not very original at all.
PCWorld

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is one of those games that’s uniquely difficult to score. Is it bad? No. But did I enjoy it? Not really, and I don’t feel any draw to return.The Impossible Lair isn’t actually impossible, but it’s impossible for me, at this stage in my life. It could take a hundred more tries. It could take one. It doesn’t matter, because I’m just not feeling any draw to complete it. Maybe it’s just not my style of game. I definitely have more nostalgia for Banjo-Kazooie than I do Donkey Kong Country, and nostalgia’s seemingly what drives this series. Perhaps they’ll doYooka-Laylee-cross-GoldenEye next. Or Yooka-Laylee-cross-Myst. Then I’ll be right back on-board. But not this time.