To call the last Spyro game, Year of the Dragon, a letdown would be too kind. It was atrocious. An abomination, put on a shiny silver disc. Though not superb by any means, the newest game in the series, A Hero's Tail, is much better in just about every respect.
Let's start with the presentation: Year of the Dragon's graphics were akin to something one might expect out of the Nintendo 64 era: blocky, choppy, and not very detailed in the least.
This follow-up isn't exactly a sucker for detail either, but the graphics come off as looking very smooth and pleasantly cartoonish, instead of bland and unfinished. The music is unoffensive to the ears, and what dialogue there is in the game keeps itself short and to the point.
Gameplay has also improved greatly. There's nothing extraordinarily special in A Hero's Tail, but the game feels much more responsive than its predecessor. A lot of this has to do with the better framerate, and the newfound focus on simple-but-fun platforming instead of monotonous combat.
It's not an A-list title, but A Hero's Tail manages to provide a decent platforming experience. Fans of the series put off by the last installment should be pleasantly surprised, as should parents looking for a no-frills, easy-to-learn platform game for their children.
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