Spyro (2): Ripto's Rage!

• Release Date: November 07, 1999
• Genre: Action
• Style: 3D Platform
• Similar Games: Crash Bandicoot (PlayStation), Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (PlayStation), Spyro the Dragon (PlayStation)

Game Description

After a long battle with Gnasty Gnorc, Spyro the Dragon and his pal, Sparx the Dragonfly, need a vacation. There's been constant rain in Spyro's land, so a trip to the sunny Dragon Shores is just what the two need. Unfortunately, Spyro and Sparx just can't seem to catch a break. Just as they leave for Dragon Shores, they find themselves twirling through a portal into the land of Avalar.

Of course, the three home worlds of Avalar are in trouble: Summer Forest, Autumn Plains, and Winter Tundra. The Professor from Avalar was responsible for bringing Spyro into his land. It appears there is a troublemaker by the name of Ripto who's causing all sorts of mayhem, chaos, strife, etc. in Avalar. In the beginning, the folks from the Glimmer realm wanted a dragon to help them so they got Spyro. Of course, Spyro won't back down from any sort of challenge, and if defeating this Ripto character means he and Sparx can go on their beach vacation, then that just adds to the incentive.

Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! is the sequel to the platform game released on the PlayStation in 1998, Spyro the Dragon. As Spyro, you spit fire, charge, climb, crash, and even swim your way through 30 multiple 3D levels as you collect Gems, Orbs and Talismans on your quest to defeat the dinosaur-riding Ripto.

Things begin to heat up when Spyro is faced with newer challenges such as firing cannons, strange beasts and ravenous dinosaurs. If you master these special challenges, you can gain Skill Points. With enough points you'll earn a surprise bonus! Spyro leads the attack head-on over Avalar's beautiful mountains, bubbling lava flows and gem-filled lakes. And he gets to meet some of the nicest but weirdest local folks who will clue him in on the goings on. There is plenty more interaction with characters in this game, and they are all presented through partial in-game cut scenes.

Elora will help him find important things and help him when he's lost. In addition to giving out gameplay hints on controller operations and tidbits on defeating enemies, Zoe the fairy zaps Spyro with her wand every time he comes near her, which will save Spyro's progress. And last but not least, Moneybags will open passages, rent equipment, or teach Spyro new moves -- all for a price (literally)! Spyro must pay to learn these new moves by paying Moneybags a certain amount of gems. The other characters that Spyro and Sparx run into are basically those folks who are in need of assistance, and the main reason for them being in the worlds of Avalar in the first place.

Get ready to take charge with this flaming sequel starring none other than Spyro the Dragon. The scariest creatures yet are about to become toast when you help our purple pal save the day in Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!, by Insomniac Games.

Roots & Influences

The roots behind this game stems from the original Spyro the Dragon platform game obviously, but takes many of its elements from the Crash Bandicoot series. However, Super Mario 64 set the stage for games of this type for all platforms.

Review: Overall

That feisty, lovable purple dragon, Spyro, should be a household name by now, at least among PlayStation owners. It's going to take more than sheer fire breath to shake off the 100-plus new characters and boss rounds in more than thirty 3D worlds that Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! offers. The advent of Spyro's popularity soared when the voice of the Taco Bell Chihuahua, Carlos Alazraqui, was set to do the voice of Spyro and hundreds of other characters in the game. The game is almost exactly the same in terms of its 3D engine and premise, while introducing newer elements just as the Tomb Raider series did with its sequels. Although the game is very easy to beat (like the first one), it's still quite a fun task for anyone to experience.

The old moves in Spyro 2 are retained here, however there are new ones that Spyro has to learn in order to use, such as climbing and high-speed underwater swimming. In the original, Spyro died whenever he fell into a body of water; not this time! He can now swim with the fishes and hunt for treasures. Some of the other moves that are considered new but aren't exactly different -- they're more like new definitions for old moves: Powerflame, Supershot, Superfly, Superfreeze, Headbash, and Hover Gliding. And there are some nice additions that allow you to play hockey, ride a shark sub, and even go target shooting! Although there appears to be many of the same elements, there are differences; the story being one of them.

The worlds of Avalar have been shaken up by a dinosaur-riding troublemaker named Ripto who has been using magical spells to wreck havoc against Avalar's people. Statues come to life and turn against their makers; monsters mess up all electrical systems; Eskimos are turned into ice cubes, and fish lose their water! It's up to Spyro and Sparx the Dragonfly to defeat Ripto and his gang. With the help of the Professor's magical Orbs, Spyro and Sparx must navigate through the portal to Avalar, do their job, and get back safely to their own world at Dragon Shores. Otherwise there won't be any beach vacation for our heroes!

Strangely enough, not all of the voiceovers match the text that displays across the screen when these characters speak. For instance, one of them says the word "kill" when the text shows the word "torch" (as in the verb) -- not too family-friendly, you might say! On that note, the voice acting is superbly done, even better than before. And you'll be listening to at least three times the amount of voiceovers this time. All of the characters seem real and Spyro is voiced by comedian Tom Kenny. He sounds more like what a little purple dragon would sound like. The only problem lies in the beginning cut scene intro where there seems to be an audio glitch of some sort. Whenever the characters speak, there is a popping sound as well as low volume from some of the characters.

Other than that, the sound is about the same quality as before, which is good but not exactly improved. Effects are actually less used in this version. For example, the running stream of water does not play for some reason. The music on the other hand is more dramatic and composed very well. Being that there are more cut scenes in this game, there is more room for various music instead of the usual lighthearted theme that plays throughout gameplay.

Visually, the graphics are exactly the same as the first game except that the resolution or texture quality has been bumped down in what appears to be an effort to increase the frame rate and speed of the game. Although Spyro himself is the best-looking character in the game, everyone else looks a bit blocky for some reason. However, the animation is smooth and fluid, possibly more so this time. There are even special effects such as transparencies and more particle effects. Also, there is a new map display that tracks Spyro's position, and can help you locate Talismans (for gaining magical powers) and Orbs. An icon on the screen will flash as a reminder to pick these items up. The map is a good feature but looks horrible because you can't really tell where you are, and thus should probably be disabled!

The controls have also not changed but with the new moves, like underwater swimming, the interactive elements tie in with Spyro's goals and the entire plot of Spyro 2. It is required of him to learn these moves, which aren't hard to master, when Moneybags instructs him on how to perform them. Once again the analog controls allow the user complete freedom of movement and a softer touch for a more lasting and enjoyable experience. As well, vibration function makes it all the more realistic; however, it seems to have less feedback this time around.

The Guidebook is a new feature that allows you to keep track of your status, including how many Orbs, Talismans and Gems you've collected. It even keeps a record of all the tasks you need to perform in each realm, as well as how many lives you have remaining, enemies defeated, and the maximum number of each item in that realm. There is a neat shrinking effect that scales the entire screen down to a small window whenever you access this feature!

With plenty more of the same in addition to more tasks and features, Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! appears to keep the similar interface and game engine of Spyro the Dragon but introduces more robust options, interactivity, and even more cut scenes to keep gamers happy. Fans of the original will be excited while some of the casual action-adventure players will either be semi-bored or glad to experience Spyro at his best. Whatever the case, it's still an improved game overall that maintains a working formula rather than reinventing the series like Tomb Raider did with its treading sequels.

Review: Enjoyment

I thought that the original Spyro game was kind of boring, but this one has new features and more adventure elements like the Guidebook and features like swimming and climbing that make this game much more enjoyable. As well, the addition of more cut scenes and voiceovers allow for more interactions, although somewhat passive. Unfortunately, it's a little too easy.

Review: Graphics

The graphics took a slight dive but nothing too significant; the gameplay is faster and smoother as a result. The textures are good for Spyro and the backgrounds, and there are more effects. However, the other characters suffer from being a little too blocky.

Review: Sound

The sounds are really good but not much different than the first game. In fact, there is an even less amount of sound effects. The music however, has more variety this time. There is also more voice acting here, which is superbly done for the most part. Tom Kenny makes for a better Spyro.

Review: Replay Value

There is a lack of multiple difficulty levels and other things in this single player game, but if you never traveled to some of the areas you can play the game again to do so, or to find other hidden secrets along the way. However, the default skill level is very easy. It's just a cute game, I guess!

Review: Documentation

The nearly 30 pages of vibrant color and clearly explained detail in this manual comes in a glossy front and back cover. The front cover contains a shiny metallic gold foil look.

Production Credits

View more Entertainment & Arts videos