Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!

About Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!

Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! dropped on November 2, 1999, from Insomniac Games and Sony Computer Entertainment. This adventure platformer follows the purple dragon Spyro as he accidentally lands in Avalar instead of his usual Dragon Worlds. The story picks up after a vacation gone wrong when a portal mishap strands him with friends Elora and Hunter against the sorcerer Ripto. Players control Spyro across PlayStation, PlayStation 3, and PSP versions to fix magical disasters like frozen Eskimos and angry statues. It keeps the core feel of the first game while dropping the side-rolling mechanic that defined earlier levels.

Gameplay

You run forward, hop over gaps, and breathe fire on enemies in a third-person perspective. The controls remain tight with Spyro charging through obstacles at full speed. A typical session involves exploring open hub worlds to find hidden eggs and collectible gems required to unlock new areas. You fight bosses using standard combos or breath attacks while dodging magical projectiles from Ripto's minions. The game relies on exploration rather than complex puzzles, so you spend most minutes sprinting back and forth to clear zones of enemies. Missing a jump usually means falling into a pit and respawning at the start of the area.

What Players Think

The PlayPile community rates this title 79.7 out of 100 based on 212 user reviews on IGDB. Players note an average completion time of around 14 hours for those chasing all achievements, though casual runners finish faster. Review snippets frequently mention the nostalgic charm despite some dated graphics. Community moods lean heavily toward "nostalgic" and "fun," with users praising the level design over story depth. While some critics point out the lack of new mechanics compared to the predecessor, the general consensus remains positive. The score distribution shows a strong cluster between 75 and 85, indicating solid but not perfect reception across platforms.

PlayPile's Take

This game is worth playing if you want a classic platformer without modern complexity. The price varies by platform, often appearing in budget collections on PS3 or PSP. There are standard achievements for collecting all eggs and gems, which adds about five hours of extra grind. Insomniac nailed the movement here even with fewer tricks than before. Do not expect deep narrative or challenging combat. Play this if you have a spare copy and want to revisit a solid 1990s platformer that still holds up mechanically today.

Storyline

The protagonist of the series, Spyro the Dragon, decides to take a vacation to Dragon Shores with his friend Sparx a few years after defeating Gnasty Gnorc. The portal he enters accidentally takes him to the land of Avalar because the Professor, Elora and Hunter are trying to bring a dragon to Avalar. A sorcerer, known as Ripto, has invaded the world of Avalar and is wreaking havoc on its citizens with his magic. Idols come to life and attack their creators, Eskimos are encased in ice cubes, and a civilization of seahorses has had its water confiscated. Spyro must travel through the land of Avalar, undoing the damage done by Ripto and ultimately defeating him.