Yooka-Laylee Impossible Lair demo set to release this month

Playtonic Games will release a free demo for hybrid platformer Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair.

The demo will be released for PC via Steam on January 23, and for PS4, Switch and Xbox One on January 30.

The trial version will include a number of 2D levels, a “terrain-transforming” Page challenge, a level state change, Tonics to sample and the titular Impossible Lair itself.

All progress from the demo will carry over to the full game if purchased, Platonic said.

UK-based Playtonic was established by Rare veterans in 2014. It raised over £2 million through Kickstarter for its first project, 2017’s Yooka-Laylee, a spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie.

Sequel Impossible Lair was released in October 2019. It’s billed as a “platforming adventure hybrid” featuring 40 levels including alternate versions, plus an overworld with secrets and puzzles found throughout.

As part of a feature on Impossible Lair’s soundtrack, Playtonic said it created unique pieces of music for each new landscape.