Spyro 2 is always held as the best one in the trilogy, and this recent replay was me trying to see if I will finally get it. Unfortunately, it did the complete opposite and further amplifies why this game is the weakest one in the trilogy in my eyes.

Spyro himself is still such a joy to move around with, and the world visually is very creative. However, while the level design is still good, it’s still a step backwards from Spyro 1 due to focusing less on exploration or pure platforming. It is now scattered with mini-games that are either mindlessly easy or end too quickly to leave any impression on me. These meaningless variety that this sequel offers somehow makes me feel more fatigued towards it than Spyro 1. As repetitive as that game gets, it doesn't have any fat to it for me to get tired of replaying it each time.

The fatigue is also not helped by the unrewarding backtracking that feels so utterly pointless that I have asked why it’s even a thing. I don’t mind backtracking as long as it feels substantial, like unlocking new playable characters, which also gets you access to brand new sections with tons of gems to collect or decent mini-games that Spyro 3 offers. However, in Spyro 2, you only gain new abilities to collect a few gems and play a dull mini-game. That's all there is to it…

I will definitely say that the world and characters are a big step from Spyro 1, but it's like going from nothing to stale white bread. Outside of Moneybags and Hunter, I didn't care much about the other characters that just exist, like Elora, or they're supposed to be an effective villain but aren't, like Ripto, who acts more like a grumpy guy than a legitimate villain. The story just feels like autopilot to me, despite its clear improvements.

I know that I sound very harsh in this review, and that is partly true. I need to make it clear that Spyro 2 is still overall a solid game that I mostly have a fun time with. I would still revisit it over most other collectathon platformers, but for a game that is universally considered the best one by many fans, I just don't see it personally. In my eyes, the supposed perfect middle ground feels more like a watered-down version of its younger & older siblings (Spyro 1 & 3).