The PlayStation classic is still as cute (and fun) as ever.
Oh, Spyro. Hero of the dragon world. Putting out fires that other dragons started while being interviewed on Dragon TV.
That is essentially the premise of Spyro The Dragon. In the world of dragons there are five different worlds – all of which coexist peacefully. There is the Artisan Realm, the Magic Crafters, the Peace Keepers, the Beast Makers, the Dream Weavers.
Across all five homeworlds the dragons are United. Each realm named after the clan that dwells their, all with their own purpose, sometimes defined by the elements or climate in which they live.
Artisans
The very first homeworld in the game, it is a peaceful country where dragons can enjoy simple lives as artists, poets, chefs and other such professions. (Spyro Wiki)
Peace Keepers
A harsh wasteland where dragons can hone their skills in battle, becoming honored veterans. (Spyro Wiki)
Magic Crafters
A snowy tundra high in the mountains where dragons can practice the arcane in solitude. (Spyro Wiki)
Beast Makers
A vast swampland abundant with various creatures where dragons can create new forms of life. (Spyro Wiki)
Dream Weavers
A fantastic kingdom floating in the sky where dragons manipulate the fabric of dreams. (Spyro Wiki)
Gnasty’s World/Gnorc Gnexus
Gnasty Gnorc’s personal country where he reigns supreme with army of vicious Gnorcs. (Spyro Wiki)
Gnasty is not nasty at all. He is basically a big fucking coward that immediately flees from you as soon as you get a crack at him. Which sort of leaves a plot hole. If Gnasty was such a powerful bastard that he could encase every dragon in all of the realms in stone and turn all of the dragon’s treasures into bad guys – why couldn’t he just kick little Spyro’s ass? Why does he choose to run at all? Makes little to no sense.
Moving on.
The game is a fun challenge. A little on the easier side – it was Sony’s attempt to win over a younger crowd (a market at the time that was dominated by Nintendo 64) so it is a bit family friendly but it plays nicely. For being nearly 25 years old – it handles well. The camera can be a pain in the ass in tight spaces (rotating camera will get stuck on walls). But it’s easy enough to work around.
The level design is flawless. Each World contains five areas in which you can enter at your leisure. All of the areas are pretty open and flow naturally but have enough extra nooks and crannies to encourage you to explore. Controls are simple and smooth and the soundtrack, composed by the legendary Stuart Copeland (of The Police) is a perfect fit with each level.
All in all a fantastic experience and a must have on every collectors play list.
Overall: 90% (GOLD)
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