Legend of Kay Anniversary (PlayStation 4) Review

The latest trend in the video game industry is to remaster old games, and it is a highly justified process in many cases. Many issues found in the original titles can be fixed and edited to make the product reach perfection. One of the most common fixes in these old games is the addition of HD graphics, whilst another is to correct problematic design choices. Legend of Kay Anniversary does the former part of the remastering wonderfully, adding both beautiful HD graphics and improved sound. However, the latter is sadly not that apparent.

The main problem with the original was that the camera was both slow and unable to zoom out enough to be useful in combat. This horrible camera is back once more in the remaster. Potential buyers would not be blamed for thinking Anniversary would have fixed it, as several critics pointed out the flaw in the original, and would buy this updated edition with the belief that it would have been sorted after trying out the original on its PS2 rerelease. Such an obvious flaw should have corrected, but it is not the case.

It can't be stressed enough that the standards when it comes to technical aspects of games, such as cameras, have improved remarkably since 2005, and, therefore, what was back then a barely bearable flaw, has grown into something unacceptable over time. When releasing a remaster, it should be seen as common sense to put these kinds of issues up a couple of bars to be a better competitor in today's market.

An aspect that has aged better, however, is the combat. Despite the problematic camera, the fighting gameplay of Legend of Kay Anniversary is highly enjoyable, with many great mechanics and twists to the combat that rewards creativity. While the lack of change when it comes to the enemies' movements might make the game feel boring later on, it is still a fun aspect that helps it shine.

The story has also aged well. The concept of imperialistic colonialists versus peaceful inhabitants is timeless, and the way the story is told is the same. The only problem in this area is that Legend of Kay Anniversary is too heavily marketed towards kids, almost to the degree that it turns into a sometimes unbearable experience for adults. The clearest offender is the main character, Kay, who is a cocky and juvenile kitten that takes all chances he gets to throw immature insults on everyone around him, enemies and support characters alike. It is humour a ten-year-old might find fun once in a while, but the forced frequency of it makes it both feel unrealistic and will even make the kids the jokes were intentionally targeted towards turned off by the sheer cheesiness of the hundredth cheese joke aimed towards the rat enemies.

The change in graphics is very welcome in the 2010s. It is nothing that will dazzle people, but it is still a visible improvement. What is more notable, though, is the sound that has been upgraded a lot. More instruments are heard and it all sounds that much clearer; it is a pleasure to hear this jump in quality in the music over the original.

Legend of Kay needed a remaster to fix its initial issues, but Legend of Kay Anniversary is not the remaster it needed. It has beefed up the graphics and sound to hit today's standards, sure, but the gameplay itself has not been changed, which is the clearest flaw, even comparing it on today's market. The camera is still as horrible as it was ten years ago, and that is a shame, as it holds the title back from becoming what it could be: a fun action adventure.