With a release date scheduled for later this year, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair marks developer Playtonic Games' second attempt at bringing mascot platformers, alongside some welcome 90s nostalgia, to the modern day.
As we draw closer to its release date, more and more information about this newest entry is beginning to trickle in, and we've gathered it all in once place. Here's everything we know about the Release Date, what the story is going to be all about, and what gameplay it will feature, along with the latest information on the system requirements.
Release Date
Initially stamped with a vague 2019 release date, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair's arrival has been narrowed to the later portion of 2019.
More exactly, developer Playtonic Games' has confirmed that the duo's latest adventure will arrive in players' hands no later than October 8, 2019, which isn't that far away.
The title is headed to PC, Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch and will launch simultaneously on all platforms.
Story
While it's hard to fault anyone for thinking it was a sequel, Yooka-Laylee, and the Impossible Lair is actually a brand new adventure that's not a direct sequel to the original title. Developer Playtonic Games has justified this by saying that treating Yooka-Laylee titles in this way allows it to add mechanics and gameplay elements that aren't limited by past titles and their events.
The story itself sees arch-nemesis Capital B returning to his typically evil antics. This time around, he's trying to enslave an entire kingdom of bees using a Hivemind device. As they brave the eponymous Impossible Lair, they can count on Queen Phoebee and her Royal Beetallion to help them foil Capital B's plans.
Gameplay
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair features a mixture of 2.5D side-scrolling levels and 3D overworld sections. The former contains the meat of the game, with platforming challenges, puzzles and enemies to defeat, but the overworld isn't just a transitional space either, having its own puzzles, secrets, and characters you can talk to.
A significant addition found in the second title is that of alternative level states. Unlocked by finding secrets and solving puzzles in the overworld, they change up the game's existing levels by flooding them, turning them upside down or adding hazardous electricity to them.
This essentially doubles the initial number of 20 levels, resulting in a total of 40. While players can jump straight into the Impossible Lair from the get-go, its difficulty will likely make it the last area most players visit. Completing other levels rewards you helper bees that make the journey easier, as they stop Yooka from instantly losing Laylee when hit.
On top of that, Tonics are making a return. Initially introduced in the first Yooka-Laylee game, those in the Impossible Lair go further than just altering gameplay. Naturally, you'll still be able to get abilities like super speed or infinite rolling but this time around Tonics can also unlock new environmental and visual effects.
System Requirements
Minimum System Specs:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows® 10
- Processor: Intel i5 3.3GHz Processor
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650
- Storage: 6 GB available space
The recommended system requirements for Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair have yet to be revealed, likely due to how there's still some time left before the game releases. We'll update this article as soon as they, and any other new info, becomes available.
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair Trailer
The latest trailer for Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair announces the game's release date. On top of that, it also gives a look at the game's Tonics in new gameplay footage that showcases both actual levels and the game's overworld.
