By: Nate
Over ten years have passed since The Legend of Kay was first released on the Playstation 2 and this HD remaster does a respectable job of bringing it to the Playstation 4 (Also available on PC, Mac, Wii U, PSN, and Xbox Live). With upgraded graphics like high-resolution textures and new, more detailed character models, Nordic Games made this game look gorgeous in comparison to its PS2 version.
The storyline for The Legend of Kay reminds me of a kids movie. For generations, the cats have lived on the isle of Peng-Lai alongside the other three animal clans (pandas, rabbits, and frogs) in perfect harmony. Now, the dimwitted gorillas and rat scoundrels have taken over the land and one hopeful boy-cat must rise to the occasion and rid the land of these horrible pests.
Kay is the boy-apprentice of the drunken but useful Master. The Master provides useful tips and fighting techniques throughout the game and can sometimes provide comedic value to the game. The Legend of Kay’s story has a decent length and is perfect for kids in the family under the age of 13. Adults may find some parts of the game humorous too, but it is clearly aimed towards children. The story is a little underwhelming for most, but children should stay entertained.
The graphics in The Legend of Kay Anniversary really pop compared to the original and a lot of upgrading occurred here. If the studio had a higher budget, I’m sure they could have made an entire remake, but the game was not the highest selling game on the PS2 back in the day either. There is a small cult-following that probably helped make this platformer come back from the dead.
Textures, environments, and characters look great and improved. I also like how there were no technical glitches, lag or anything graphically wrong in my first run through the game. The game ran very smooth. The only problem that I had was the camera. When in a boss fight, I was often not able to see the enemy and would get killed easily. Nordic Games should have come up with a great way to fix this issue.
Gameplay in The Legend of Kay is the shining star of the game. It may not be as diverse in weaponry or gameplay mechanics like other platforming games such as Ratchet and Clank, Jak and Daxter, or Sly Cooper, but what it does offer is a few different combat styles, fun mini-games, and online rankings.
One of my favorite moves in the game was the crouch, then jump, and attack combination. Fun missions that I particularly liked the best were the boar and dragon riding mini-games. There are some mini-games and main missions that aren’t as fun as others and I feel like the developers could have been removed them. Many of the main missions feel dull and unimportant.
Final Verdict: The Legend of Kay Anniversary is a good example of bringing a PS2 classic back into the sunlight; however, this does not dismiss the problems that the game has with its camera and uninspiring story. Even though the game features better graphics, there are no moments of greatness in this game or any shining, memorable moments. I would recommend this game to a parent who is looking to buy a game for his/her children or a fan of the original game. If you have a PS3, I’d definitely recommend one of the HD Collections of Ratchet and Clank, Sly Cooper, or Jak and Daxter.
7/10 – A great game for children!
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