The plan after finishing Crash was to run the new Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 content with Chris, but I foolishly forgot that I had uninstalled the game some time ago.
So instead I decided to start playing Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage. Welcome to the magical world of Avalar, where we’ve been summoned to toast a new threat. And naturally, with new challenges comes and expanded arsenal.
First off, apologies once more for the audio balancing. It will be fixed in the next recording.
In the original version of Spyro 2, when a player achieves 100%, they unlock a version of the superflame power up that already exists in the game, except that it is a permanent upgrade. This benefit extends to all future runs as long as the 100% save game data exists. Naturally, this was carried over into the remake. I was hesitant to keep going with it for the sake of showing off the game better, but I ultimately think it’s okay play with superflame, since I can talk about what is made easier with that ability.
The glitch I was talking about in this episode was the Double Jump Glitch, which I was able to find references to on the Spyro wiki. I never knew its name growing up, just that it helped me complete challenges and find secrets that I clearly wasn’t supposed to be able to find without abilities I didn’t have. I’ll miss it, but I understand why they didn’t bother trying to bring it over in the Reignited Trilogy.
Aside from that, I want to call attention to the scene with Elora after beating Glimmer. Comparing the scene in the original version below to the reignited version(timestamp), there’s no change in lines. The key difference is in the delivery. There’s a slight bite to the original that conveys that both Spyro and Elora are still not quite friends since they only just met. This edge is softened in the new performances, which give off an impression that they immediately hit it off. Neither interpretation is bad, but one of those extremely slight details that I can’t help but pick up on since I’ve played this game so many times.
Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t also point out how much better the intro cutscene looks in the new remake when compared to the original below, since the animators, modelers, and actors have much more to work with. But it’s not just in higher quality models, either. The use of cinematography and camera work adds so much more to the reignited version of the scene than there was in the original.
All criticisms aside, Toys for Bob did excellent work in re-imagining both the Spyro and Crash trilogies, and they should be commended for that.
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