Spyro Reignited Trilogy

 Watching my brother play 'Spyro 2: Gateway to Glimmer' was a staple of my childhood. 
     Enamoured, I later bought the third then first games for myself. Naturally, the release of the 'Reignited Trilogy' excited me.
     This isn't a critique of the games themselves. Rather, it's of their adaptation from the original versions into the new ones. I shall look at visuals, music and gameplay. (The story was unaltered so that won't be critiqued.)

Good Visuals

Visuals were updated, making use of modern technologies.
     The images are far more crisp. There are less pointy pixles, meaning shapes are smoother* and hence more natural. (*Except for, obviously, horns and selected architecture etc.)
     Also, colours are much brighter. Considering Spyro takes place in fantastical worlds, this updated vibrancy adds and accentuates the magic. 
     These games were beautiful in their original state, but now? Stunning.

Elora Visuals

One thing I disliked was the design of Elora (the faun leader from 'Spyro: Gateway to Glimmer'.)
     All characters/enemies have updated looks. As this remasterimg was done by the Crash Bandicoot team, it is unsurprising that they now look Crash-esque.
     But Elora's design went too far. She looks like she's in the Crash roster, not the Spyro one. Not only that but her new design simply didn't fit in with the Spyro worlds. Her design was utterly out of place.
     There have been plenty of Spyro-Crash crossover games. Spyro portals to other worlds; Crash travels to other dimension. So maybe the Reignited Trilogy takes place in a more Crash-like universe? Different multiverse versions of Spyro are established canon (think the Legend of Spyro or Skylanders). What's another?
     Thus Elora looking so Crash-like isn't unfeasible in explanation. Yet if this is the explanation, one would expect all the characters to have Crash over Spyro visuals. Which they don't.
     Plus this altered look really interfered with nostalgia, and that decision was unfeasible. Also, her new design didn't fit with the surroundings and environment of the Spyro worlds: that, too, was unfeasible.

Music

Each world has its own music for its unique identity, yet the sound effects are the same in all for consistency. How the Reignited team handled updating this was essential to their success.
     Sound effects, such as Spyro collecting gems and Sparx eating butterflies, were an definitive part of the games' magic. The Reignited Trilogy kept this magic. Perfect choice.
     These new games had the option to play the original music in the levels and home worlds. This meant the players could have as authentic an experience as they wanted.
     However, the automatic option was for new music. All these new pieces suited their levels so well, capturing their personal atmospheres with ease. 
     Some people didn't even realise they were new pieces of music because they were so complementary! For the Reignited team to have managed this is truly impressive.
     Without a doubt, the Reignited team did an amazing job.

Gameplay

How a game plays, how if feels in your hands, is an essential part of the experience. Gaming is an interactive medium, ultimately.
     The gameplay seemed to be a like-for-like copy of the original games. This was appreciated: the game already looked different (the sharper visuals), so for it to also feel different would've ruined the continuity. 
     However, I will note that the chases/supercharging felt easier than before, whereas flying/bosses felt harder. But why would thet change these controls though not others? These features weren't bad so an update was unnecessary.
     Perhaps I'm the one that's changed. My brain have matured since my childhood days of playing the original Spyro. This is relevant because different age groups are better at certain tasks/thought processing etc. Combine this with being out of practice gaming and various health concerns, it's a certainty that my abilities and capabilities have changed since back then.
     Whatever the case on why this limited selection of controls felt different, the fact remains that the rest were identical to the original game. Thus the Reignited Trilogy still felt like Spyro and the nostalgia factor was in full force.

Conclusion

It's clear my view is largely positive.
     With visuals, music and gameplay, a game employs all the senses it possibly can (sight, hearing, touch). It is what determines the game's experience. 
     In altering these things, the Reignited team could have removed what made the Spyro experience unique. They could have removed what made Spyro Spyro. Despite these difficultiea, the team preserved the identity and the sense of nostalgia. 
     For the team to have managed this is remarkable. (Definitely worth coming out of gaming retirement; definitely worth the only game critique I shall ever do.)