Kya Dark Lineage PS2 Retro Review - Backtrack

The great thing about retro gaming is going back to titles you missed, or never heard of, only to find a little hidden gem! Kya Dark Lineage is very similar to Ratchet and Clank or Jak and Daxter, but it has a personality of its own that should have made it stand apart from them.
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0:00 Intro
0:25 Overview
1:16 Story
3:25 Gameplay
7:46 Conclusion
Video Assets:
Game footage personally captured. Gameplay included:
Kya Dark Lineage (PS2)
Main game cover images personally scanned.
Additional information:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratchet...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kya:_Da...
www.metacritic.com/game/kya-d...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jak_and...
Jak 3 cover
www.gametab.com/images/ss/ps2/..., Fair use, en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?...
Jak 2 cover
May be found at the following website: thecoverproject.net/view.php?g..., Fair use, en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?...
Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando cover
image.com.com/gamespot/images/..., Fair use, en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?...
Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal cover
May be found at the following website: www.gametab.com/images/ss/ps2/..., Fair use, en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?...
Stock photos/videos from Pixabay
GIFs from GIPHY
Music:
Get the Funk In
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/get-th...
License code: UUWKZUV4APUFMOFS
Wondershare Filmora 13
Avatar:
CHARAT
#playstation2 #ps2 #retroreviews #retrogames #ratchetandclank #actionadventure #gamecollection #gamingcommunity #retrogaming #jakanddaxter #gaming #platformer #gaming #gamers #ps2games

[@jurtheorc8117]

I've seen your videos a few times before here and there, but didn't keep track of the specific channel title. I think I commented once before too, recommending to play Folklore. And I am *really* glad to see Kya being covered and that your reaction is very positive, as well as making other people interested too. It's one of my favourite PS2 games around and I dearly hope for a good second chance sometime to live up to the potential it still yields. Also, Kya's just got a neat design. I noticed that your footage mainly consists of the Flying Forest, and that you didn't mention the Jamguts (somewhat raptor kangaroo-like creatures) at all, which appear for the first time in the Hunter's Domain right after the Flying Forest. Those are a pretty unique part of gameplay to this game, for the parts that involve them. Only other platformer-like games i can think of with a bipedal rideable animal are Jak 1 and 3 (Flut-Flut and Leaper Lizard) and Rayman 2 (the shell on legs). In any case, i am going to sound rude on this: i assume you either haven't played much beyond the Flying Forest, or simply kept the Flying Forest footage for it being the most lively and/or vibrant of all the environments. Amidst all rougher parts of this game, I hope that Kya will be a mainly good time all the way through for you and anyone else that comes across it and plays it. If you like the Wolfun, i think you'd have a blast with the Hoodlums from Rayman 3. They're much stronger in the humor department with a lot of variety in designs and a stronger aestethic to them, but the Wolfun are the more competent fighters. You can especially see this in the combat department in Kya. Seriously, it's a surprisingly in-depth combat system, or at least one with a lot of options. Starting out with some combos is fine, but there's stuff like different grabs depending on Kya's position relative to the enemy, advanced kick combos, quicker evades and jump-overs, and it's needed because the Wolfun make for quite solid opponents that learn from your moves. If you use certain moves a lot, they'll defend against it more, so you really need to learn your kit to make the most of it. Don't really know what else to say, other than thank you for the video, have a good one, and wish you fun on further games to explore.

[@okgamergirl]

Truth be told, I had audio issues so had to play the first part of the game twice 🤦🏽‍♀️ I should really call these retro tasters coz I like to show off the start of games to give people a feel for them and want to play it for themselves! It's definitely a game I'll complete though, I really enjoyed the mechanics and by the sound of it, it only gets more interesting and complex! Someone else mentioned Rayman, and as I missed out on playing them back in the day, I have a lot of catching up to do! Folklore is also on my list, don't worry 😁 that's a title am looking forward to playing! Have a good one too, and hope you like my ongoing dig thru my game collection 😆

[@jurtheorc8117]

@@okgamergirl Understandable, the audio issues may be the game itself-- there's instances of cutscenes playing without sound, so if that's what you refer to, it's not necessarily a thing on your audio software. Kya can be a bit rough in terms of technical solidity. Retro Tasters sounds like a name that's not often used, and people could come to associated with your channel quickly. Seems good! Heck yes, reading the enthousiasm here for the rest of the game is heartening :) Wish you a lot of fun on it! Same with Folklore for later on. A fair warning there may be some tough and/or frustrating bits, i've seen a platforming challenge against a wall in the Hunter's Domain being a part where people would drop the game. The main thing there is that at the top of a platforming challenge, there is a rope holding a rock that needs to be cut with the Boomy. But if Kya is in a certain radius, she'll default to a melee attack with the Boomy instead, which makes her step forward. So aforementioned people got a bit too close, attacked to cut the rope, and due to the default to the melee attack and step forward... Kya fell off the platform, and they had to do the platforming bit again. (Another thing to keep in mind: from what i remember, before Kya picks up proper running speed she has a weird in-between of running and standing still that goes at like... a different speed or something before picking up the stable running speed. You might have experienced that at the disguised swamp monster bit in the Flying Forest when trying to jump from one platform to the other). That aside, there's indeed a fair bit of Rayman-like art direction and style with Kya, mainly Rayman 2 and 3. It's mainly in the painted look of the skyboxes and textures, and perhaps a bit of a European cartoony look as well. May not be a coincedence, because both Kya and Rayman were developed by a French company. (Sidenote: in the bonus menu, you can see art pieces specifically created to give some peeks into Kya's life before the events of the game.) Thank you very much for the big reply and well wishes back, but that won't stop me from wishing thee a good day *again* :P

[@okgamergirl]

Could have been my fault, my old capture card packed up so am still getting used to my new card and might have recorded mic audio on top of game audio 😆🤦🏽‍♀️ haha well looks like my retro reviews are now gonna be called Retro Tasters 😆 this is why I love brainstorming with fellow gamers! Ooh I'll be sure to keep your hint in mind when I get further into the game...I can see how the step forward when Kya attacks become a problem later on when you have to make subtle movements! I'll dig up my Rayman games, I like the art style of Kya so it sounds like I have a whole series of games to enjoy, both visuals and gameplay! You're full of Easter eggs for Kya...am looking forward to finding them 😆 Haha you're welcome, I appreciate your comments and discussions! And I hope you have a good one too 😁

[@MakopoweredGaming]

I remember passing over this game SO OFTEN in bargain bins because it looked like shovelware. I am shocked, SHOCKED, I say! I may have to hunt down a copy now, so thanks for that!

[@okgamergirl]

I love it when people want to play a game I make a video on! 😁 Grab that bargain bin copy! I hope you have as much fun with it as I did!

[@Pjvenom1985]

Looks like a lot of fun great video lass. Have a wonderful weekend.🎮🌅🍀

[@okgamergirl]

Another hidden gem! Fun and silly, my 2 favourite things 😆 have a good one too!

[@Papadoc0]

Reminded me of old dayz past

[@uppernimbus]

Hi there! Just recently subbed thanks to FR&MES sharing your channel recently! Looking forward to future videos of yours 😊

[@okgamergirl]

Hey! Welcome to my little channel 😊 hope you like what you see! 😁

[@uppernimbus]

@@okgamergirl Yes, I'm looking forward to it ✨

[@FriendsAndGamingYT]

This game looks sick! Will really have to keep an eye out for this one when looking through the retro shops!

[@okgamergirl]

Oh ya it's awesome! If you do see it in the wild, grab it and let me know what you think of it, first hand!

[@FriendsAndGamingYT]

@@okgamergirl will do, currently looking for it!

[@TheMasterJay]

I'd heard of this game a good couple years ago and got it in 2021, and my first point of comparison wouldn't exactly be Jak and Daxter or Ratchet & Clank, in terms of gameplay, atmosphere and some of the presentation it kinda reminds me more of Rayman 2: The Great Escape even the fact you only have one jump like in that game, you can't glide like in Rayman 2 but those air current parts in Kya remind me of the gimmick of Beneath The Sanctuary of Rock and Lava. If I had to say an aspect of gameplay that Kya: Dark Lineage does better than Rayman 2, it'd be the sliding sections, my favorite being in the last level where you're platforming and sliding up towards the final boss arena. As a whole I thought it was somewhat surprisingly decent, there's a bit of a lack in polish in parts (as an example: when I went back to the tutorial area to clean-up left over Wolfens I went down to go down the tutorial slide when the rest of the slide vanished and I fell into a bottomless pit to my death, it wasn't game-breaking since this only happened to me once but it's a part where I noticed a bit of a lack of polish) but I enjoyed my time for the most part.

[@okgamergirl]

I didn't play much Rayman, which is probably why I couldn't compare it to Kya 😆 but it's interesting to learn that they have a lot in common, I'll have to work my way through Rayman games coz they sound like my thing! I can see the potential lack of polish you mentioned, some things feel just a touch short of being great which is probably where the reviews were coming from too 🤔 I must have been super lucky, or just didn't explore enough to get glitches 😆

[@TheMasterJay]

Yeah, sometimes it'd be like that when it comes to not running into glitches, I find Kya: Dark Lineage is polished enough to some extent that you won't run into some things, like you'll never run into any game-breaking problems, plus I only ran into the glitch I ran into once and it didn't result in a Game Over or soft-locking the game so it didn't bother me too much. You will probably enjoy the Rayman games, though if you play the first one I'll warn you that it's not to be taken lightly in terms of difficulty, the other games are easier to get into however. If I had to recommend a version of Rayman 2 from my personal experience, the PC version of Rayman 2 is a good way to play it, though you may have to find some stuff like Ray2Fix and Rayman Control Panel to get the game running on a modern PC, the next best thing I'd say is the Ps2 remake Rayman 2 Revolution, especially if you can get it running on PCSX2.

[@okgamergirl]

Ya am guessing it's a roulette which bugs come along during a play through! Like I said, I was confused why people were hating on the camera so much when it was fine when I played...but maybe it will 'go haywire' once I play more of the game 😆 Oh I've got some PS2 Rayman games...so I'll take your advice and start there 😆 don't wanna play the most hardcore title and get scared away from the series! Bought the 10th anniversary collection a while ago which has Rayman M, Revolution and 3, so I've got a few to get started! I'll probably give the PS1 emulation a go after am a bit more seasoned with the series 😆

[@WhatHoSnorkers]

That looks adorably non-jank!

[@okgamergirl]

Right? I was surprised when reviews said it was janky, but it was pretty smooth sailing for me, even on original hardware!