Spyro Reignited Trilogy PS4 Game Review

A PS1 classic gets some modern love.

Reviewed by Max C. on Nov 19, 2018

Rating:

The Spyro Reignited Trilogy puts you back in control of the PS1s classic mascot. Check out Kidzworlds review of the latest remake.

By: Max Cannon

Though Spyro the Dragon appears in the Skylanders series and had starred in a handful of PS2-era games, the real standout of the Spyro series extends back to the original PlayStation. These games were fantastic for their time, both visually and in terms of gameplay, but how would they hold up today? Well, thanks to some great work from the team over at Toys For Bob, we can replay that trilogy of games with some modern graphics and tweaks and decide for ourselves if these games are true classics.

The game's characters are as vibrant and colorful as the worlds you'll run through.Courtesy of Activision

Spyro's Stands The Test of Time

The Spyro Reignited Trilogy updates Spyro the Dragon, Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage, and Spyro: Year of the Dragon. These were originally made for the PS1 by the team over at Insomniac Games, which most recently put out Marvel's Spider-Man, but the Reignited Trilogy modernizes the game's visuals and controls. When playing older games, especially older 3D games, it's normally important to remember that things may feel worse or play differently than we'd expect but surprisingly enough, the Spyro games really hold up. While other genres have tried to recreate the glory days of 3D collect-a-thon games, like last year's Yooka-Laylee, Spyro perfectly nails what exactly made those games so comfy to play all those years ago.

The first game's opening world immediately impresses.Courtesy of Activision

Exploration is the main hook of the games, as you hunt for gems, eggs, and other knick-knacks through tons of different worlds. Everything obviously looks pretty, but what really surprised me was how well the game controlled. Spyro is always responsive whether you're charging through a level, blowing fire at enemies, or flying through collectibles. It'll be easy to praise the game's visuals, which we'll get into next, but I would've never expected a game from the late 90's to control so well.

The variety of locations keep things easy on the eyes.Courtesy of Activision

Nailing the Look

Like I'd mentioned earlier, the game just felt comfy to play and it helps that the Spyro Reignited Trilogy looks and feels like an animated cartoon. And to really nail that cartoon feel it helps that Tom Kenny returned to voice Spyro, who most may know as the voice of Spongebob Squarepants. Everything feels vibrant, whether it's the music (which can be toggled back to the original versions,) the well-animated enemies and characters, or just the colorfully lit worlds. Spyro the Dragon is just pure fun to play, especially for family's looking for something single player that everyone can enjoy. And if you still aren't impressed then check out the trailer below to look at some comparisons between this game and the originals.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy - Spyro the Dragon Launch Trailer

If you're looking for a challenge, you may be disappointed, all three of the games are pretty easy. But if you're someone who loves to hunt for PlayStation trophies or Xbox achievements you'll find a lot to love about getting lost in scouring every inch of the world.

Final Thoughts

The Spyro Reignited Trilogy is as perfect of a remake as you could hope for. While it may be light on challenge, the three games are full of charm and appropriate for a gamer of any age. Though Crash Bandicoot was our 2nd favorite family game of 2017, I'd be surprised if Spyro wasn't the best family game of 2018.