Spyro the Dragon Reignited

Collect-a-thon platformers are one of my gaming comfort foods, because any decent example of the genre is basically a steady supply of dopamine delivered via colour and sound. The better examples will even compensate for their simple gameplay loop with technical or creative advances. The original Spyro the Dragon was one of these, captivating players with expressive animation, impeccable level design, and unprecedented gameplay that took advantage of its unusual protagonist. This remake–er…reignition updates the experience with modern quality-of-life improvements and magnificent new visuals that recapture that spirit once more. By the nature of its genre, it will never be the most gripping or challenging experience, and the somewhat unwieldy controls haven’t been altered at all, but as a pleasant diversion, it’s undeniably effective.