Today, May 18th, marks my 22nd birthday and what better way to celebrate this week’s entry than talking about my favorite game of all time? So today, I am going to discuss Spyro 2, Ripto’s Rage and why not only is this an improved game over the original, but why this is the best sequel of all time.
The most improved part of Spyro 2 is the controls. In the very first entry I ever did for this blog, I talked about Spyro 1 and how its controls were a little finicky sometimes, especially when trying to platform. Spyro would feel heavy when dropping and some jumps that you thought you would make you wouldn’t. However, Insomniac completely overhauled the gameplay for Spyro 2. Now, platforming is no problem at all. If you fell or if you died, it was on you. This is the best controlling 3D platformer I think ever because of just how smooth the controls are. Even when using a D-Pad, Spyro moves great and some people actually prefer using the D-Pad, even though you are limited when using that compared to an analog stick, where you can move in full 360 degrees.
The story is also greatly improved. The new characters such as Hunter and Ripto became stables in the series and even the side characters that you only meet once in a level are interesting because of Insomniac’s greatest strength as a company; their sense of humor. This game has everything from slapstick to general humor that makes the game extremely fun to play. Fun fact, Ripto is actually named that way because when the first Spyro was ported to Japan, Spyro’s named is spelled just like Ripto in Japanese, which is a nice touch! Tom Kenny provides the voice for Spyro this time around and it’s such a good fit for the character. His Spyro voices makes the character relatable and likeable.
The game is still a collect-a-thon, but each level has its own specific problem for you to solve in order to get a talisman or orb, the things you will be collecting to beat the game. There are also still tons of gems for you to obtain as well, which is always addicting to collect!
Spyro also has new abilities that drastically change up his gameplay compared to the original game. For example, in the first game, Spyro couldn’t swim. If he even touched water, he would die. However, not only can you swim in water, but you can dive underwater and explore the depths of the oceans. You can also climb ladders, headbash, and super-flame as well! All of these are used to their full potential and do not feel underused or gimmicky. I would say the only weird part of the game is ice-skating. So in one level, you have to play ice hockey with monks. The ice physics aren’t the greatest because you can’t stop or even jump. This makes the gameplay a little jarring from all the other gameplay modes, but that’s the only minor complaint I have about the game itself.
Stewart Copeland is back and in my opinion, this is his best work ever. The music is extremely atmospheric and you can seriously get lost in some of these tunes. They’re great pieces for studying or just relaxing at nighttime. Some of my favorites are Summer Forest, Winter Tundra, and Mystic Marsh, all of which can be heard on Youtube. There are also hard rocking pieces of music as well such as the boss themes, which gets you pumped up to defeat them.
But I believe the best part about Spyro 2 is just how much you can explore the environments and uncover every nook and cranny in each level. There’s a glitch in the game where you can double-jump and reach places you aren’t normally supposed to reach and that makes the game more open because now you can get to places you weren’t initially supposed to reach yet. This makes speedruns for this game amazing to watch because they just tear through this game and it’s really interesting to see a game that I spend years to beat as a kid get beat in less than 10 minutes.
Overall, this is my favorite game because it contains everything I love about games; a sense of humor, exploration, charming and creative levels, atmospheric and enjoyable music, and finally a main character that is likeable and relatable. As a kid, he was one of my heroes alongside Ash from Pokemon, Yugi from Yugioh, and Spiderman. Spyro as a franchise might come back one day and hopefully if the rumors of an HD remaster is true, hopefully a new generation will be able to enjoy these games like I did when I was their ages. I’ve beaten this game more times than I’s like to admit across multiple platforms, but I never get bored every time i start a new file. That is what truly creates a masterpiece.
Here’s an interview from PS Underground about the making of Spyro 2 which showcases the new abilities and hockey inspiration!
