The Epic Games Store has had a pretty solid start to the year, with the sci-fi grand strategy game Galactic Civilization 3 and the Armored Core spiritual successor Daemon x Machina both being decent free offerings from the platform. With January coming to a close, Epic Games Store users were starting to speculate over next month's free games.
Epic Games has just announced that the store's next free game will be Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair, a 2D platformer that oozes charm, and might just scratch that itch for fans of Banjo-Kazooie or Donkey Kong Country. The game will be free to pick up from the Epic Games Store on February 4, and will be available until February 10.
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair's Influences
From just looking at one screenshot of the game, it's pretty obvious that Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair takes a great deal of inspiration from mascot platformers of old. In fact, much of the game's developer, Playtonic Games, are former employees of Rare, a legendary studio known for its work on GoldenEye 007, Perfect Dark, and of course renowned mascot platformers like Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong Country.
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair's predecessor, the 2017 platformer simply titled Yooka-Laylee, attempted to reinvigorate the 3D mascot platformer genre, but was met with middling reviews upon release. The Impossible Lair moves the characters in a different direction, this time using 2D gameplay, imitating Donkey Kong Country's perspective more so than Banjo-Kazooie's.
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair's Plot
Wearing its influences on its sleeve, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair has an extremely simple plot. The game takes place in a largely fantastical setting, where players take control of a lizard and bat duo named Yooka and Laylee, respectively.
The plot sees an anthropomorphic bee, named Capital B, use a "Hivemind" device to wreak cartoon-y havoc on the Royal Stingdom. It's down to Yooka and Laylee to rescue Queen Phoebee's Royal Beettalion Guards, and stop Capital B, who is hiding out in the Impossible Lair.
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair's Gameplay
For the vast majority of the game, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair uses traditional 2D platforming gameplay. Players take control of Yooka and Laylee simultaneously and can use a variety of classic 2D platforming moves like jumping, swimming, climbing vines, and performing rolling attacks. If the player is hit, then Laylee will fly around the stage and will need to be caught by the player. While Laylee is with Yooka, the two can perform a unique air attack.
The main gameplay hook of The Impossible Lair is that technically the final level can be played right away, with the titular Impossible Lair being available from the get-go. The only problem is that the Lair is pretty difficult, so players will likely want to travel through the game's other stages, whereby they can rescue Beettalion Guards to earn one extra hit point per rescued guard.
Players can also make use of Tonics, which can be found throughout the game's stages and 3D overworld. Up to three Tonics can be used per level, with each one changing up the gameplay of that level significantly. Some Tonics help the player, such as "Thick Skin," which gives Yooka more invincibility frames, and "Slow Mo," which gives the player the ability to slow time at three moments in the level. On the other hand, some Tonics can hamper the player, but add a Quill Multiplier bonus to the stage. Some Tonics give the player new visual options, like the "Yooka64" Tonic that gives Yooka and Laylee a 64-bit makeover.
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair will be available on the Epic Games Store from February 4-10.