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Great game if you are one of those people who aren't spoiled from today's graphics or performance. If you are in it to get away from the modern generation of video game, and visit some of the old school compelling experience, this is one of those games. Although I'd recommend playing the Ripto's Rage or Spyro the Dragon (the first title) for anyone looking for an introduction to Spyro, Year of the Dragon still holds up pretty well today. However, do keep in mind this is rated E, so the story is rather generic and flawed, and the style is for kids. That being said, it doesn't mean Insomniac didn't know how to appeal to everyone's taste for 3D adventure. And I 100% assure skeptical viewers, Insomniac WAS NOT lazy about making a kids game, they treated their target audience with complete respect and not as an elementary intelligence pass. This especially shows from the first and second Spyro titles. Personally, I'd say it's one of the top 5 best Playstation series of all time. As I'll admit myself, it is one of those games where watching videos of this game seems boring, and I did in fact feel daunted to buy this game. With that said, from personal experience, I'd say to ignore the price and buy it for what you hope this game is, a laid back adventure with a fantastic value for its time.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Before Insomniac had a splash hit with Ratchet and Clank, they had another rivetting brainchild in a little purple dragon named Spyro. Unfortunately, after three games, Insomniac somehow lost the series to Vivendi, and from there Spyro's been passed on from developer to developer like a foster child no one wanted. But Spyro's last hurrah with his parent company is still among the best in the classic 3D platforming genre. The bad news is, that by this time, its formula is really showing its age. The story behind Spyro: Year of the Dragon is just as quirky as the rest of the games: A millennium ago, an evil Sorceress exiled the dragons from what is now known as the Forgotten Realms, but in doing so, ensured the death of those realms' magic. Now, a thousand years after, the Sorceress has returned to wreck the titular celebration for the welcoming of the Dragons' new eggs (apparently, they're going with the Stork theory of reproduction), and steal all the Dragon eggs to restore the magic of their former homeland. Naturally, you primarily play as the purple dragon with an attitude himself, but he's not alone in his endeavors: in select levels and areas, you also play as up to six characters, including newcomers Sheila the Kangaroo, Sgt. James Byrd the commando flying penguin, Bentley the erudite Yeti, and Agent 9 the space monkey. You can also play as your old pal Hunter the Cheetah, and even commandeer your living health bar Sparx in his own shooter missions. The controls are just as solid as before, with every character having their own set of moves, but the gameplay doesn't really change all that much; all you do is dash, glide, and swim your way to collecting eggs and gems. Many of the tasks your handed, however, leave absolutely no room for error, forcing you to play near-flawlessly to progress. This is especially poignant in the so-called Speedway levels, which requires a rediculous amount of concentration to get all the targets within the time limit. There's also a nasty bug in the first speedway of the first releases of the game that prevents you from acquiring the second egg altogether if you miss out on it the first time you enter the level. This kills any sort of full-completion run, so be warned. The graphics are colorful, but are really lacking in texture, and the characters, while pretty and humorous, tend to be blocky and have borderline-hilariously awful voice acting. The biggest hit to the fun factor here, though, is that despite the myriad of minigames, enemies, and hidden locations to find and dink around with in the huge levels, you don't really find a sense of permeance in your tasks; you can chat with the local innocents, but it all feels deadeningly impersonal. You don't even get to talk with the bosses before you fight them, only with your allies ABOUT the bosses and how to beat them, which further detaches your personal feeling of worth and accomplishment from the game. Overall, it's an awesome and well-done throwback to a simpler time in gaming history, but the lack of personal interest in the action and replay value after you complete the game in its entirety really won't make you want to pick it up again after you've played it. Although it's infinitely preferrable to the newer games, if anything, Spyro: Year of the Dragon should've been a transitional game for Spyro to shift into a more mature and less repetitive gameplay style.Read full review
I decided to get a Playstation remembering how fun it was as a kid and wanted the one game I enjoyed most: Spyro: Year of the Dragon. This game keeps you compelled to play! Now as an older system game and me having a large screen as probably not commonly used back when PS1 was first sold the graphics could be better, understandably, but this game is so fun I'd recommend it anyone who likes an adventure game to buy - finding eggs as the goal and getting all the gems you can!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
This takes Spyro to a whole new level. It fixes camera issues of the first two games, proves the power of PLayStation 100 times over. Smooth transition from area to area, and easy flying controls help make this a winner. An array of bright, cool, and warm colors help the eye relax. Playing it on an older TV [1978 to 1998] will also help the player understand what masterpiece this shows the public. We went from terrible graphics and awkward storylines to Spyro: Year of the Dragon. The Collector's Edition is just phenomenal!
I am not a very skilled gamer. Which is what attracted me to the Spyro games for PS1. They don't involve a whole lot of intense fighting or time trial type work and reward you well for being observant and finding all the little pieces you need to. I have played the two earlier games as well as Hero's Tale on PS2 and Eternal Night on DS, and neither of those games satisfied me as much because my skill level is just not up to par with what they demand. This game combines different elements than the first two and you get to play as characters other than Spyro which is nice, without being quite as quick to die as you are in later games. I highly recommend this game to anyone who is ok with games that require some fighting, but is mostly looking for puzzle solving and memory to fit the whole game together. They are games that you can just kinda take your time with, enjoy the scenery, laugh at some of the ridiculous characters and premises and wander around finding loot and setting baskets on fire. I'm sure that more experienced gamers can still appreciate it for its charm and occasionally fanciful storyline, but would recommend it 100% for someone like myself who wants the satisfaction of being able to finish a game by myself without missing anything, and not get bored out of my skull in the process.Read full review
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