Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage! Reignited

Ripto’s Rage is a bit of a paradox. Of the three Insomniac Spyro games, it needed a remake the least but benefits from it the most. This is because, in its original PlayStation incarnation, it served as something of a more complete version of the first game. It added memorable characters, legitimate boss fights, level maps, and frequent minigames, but it didn’t add anything to justify a full-fledged sequel. But as a remake, Spyro 2 Reignited is effectively immune from criticism regarding its originality. On its own merits, it’s a solid collect-a-thon platformer, and not much else. The controls and difficulty are adequate with room for improvement, and while the expanded movement abilities and minigames are appreciated, the latter often feel sloppy. The graphics and voice acting have been elevated to wondrous heights, while the superb level design and disappointingly simplistic and annoying soundtrack have been preserved.