Does ETD Deserve A Remake? (Full Script) (Patreon)

Intro

Hey guys, it’s Miharu. Does Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly deserve to be remade?

(intro)

Enter the Dragonfly, the game that started the decline of the Spyro franchise, and widely regarded by fans as the worst in the series. But how did it earn such a reputation?

Reception & Criticism

As you may already know, the game was plagued by a variety of issues. Discarded ideas, questionable decisions, and an overall toxic workplace environment, not to mention an insane amount of bugs and glitches, resulted in a disappointing and unfinished product. People have also criticized its short length and general lack of content.

However, despite its flaws, it does have a dedicated fanbase and holds nostalgic value for some players. Even I, while agreeing it’s not a good game, have come to appreciate what it brought to the Spyro series.

Case For A Remake

So the question is… should it be remade? Well that’s honestly quite tough to answer. Many would say yes, as it would be a great opportunity to address the technical issues and realize the full potential of the game’s ideas.

But on the other hand, the case against it also makes sense. Because here’s the thing, if we’re asking it to be remade without any major changes, then it is pointless. Obviously it was a rushed and broken mess with a forgettable plot, poor level design, and repetitive missions. A simple graphical and technical cleanup aren’t going to do much good.

The only way this could possibly be done is by giving every aspect a complete overhaul, as well as adding all the cut content, and at that point it might as well be a different game entirely. For those wanting a remake of Crash Twinsanity, the same logic applies.

Challenges of Remaking

If the game were to be remade as is, here are the main problems that need to be addressed:

• The glitches. Need I say more? The game being playable is top priority one would think.
• Spyro’s moveset. Give more uses for bubble breath and the wing shield to enhance combat and platforming challenges.
• The scope and scale. Expand the world and add more levels while at the same time condensing the objectives for each and making sure there is a clear direction for what the player should be doing.
• The storytelling and boss battles. Why and how is Ripto back? Why did he bring Crush and Gulp if we never fight them? We need more explanation and cutscenes to break up the gameplay.

Overall, it just needs more polish. Now, taking from that, let’s focus on what could be salvaged and recycled into a brand new game.

First, the story. While I personally do not want Ripto to return, taking the Spyro 3 epilogue scenario of him and Gnasty Gnorc working together, which at one point was going to be the case for ETD, would be the safest choice for the plot. As for what their plan would be is anyone’s guess, but it would probably be best to leave dragonflies out of it.

Multiple breaths. If there’s one thing that ETD did right, and one thing that absolutely needs to be included in a Spyro 4, it’s this. But it can be improved. Maybe instead of bubble breath, it can be replaced with earth from the Legend series, or even better, the Plasma Bomb from Ripto’s boss fight. Even if it’s just a temporary powerup, I would love to see that one make a comeback. Spyro’s moveset can also be expanded in general with powerups specific to his wings or horns, and levels could incorporate puzzles to make better use of these abilities.

A day/night cycle. This is something that was planned for ETD but never made it in, and I really want to see it utilized. Up until this point each level and homeworld have had a set time of day, which is fine, as it gives each their own unique feeling. But having a cycle would make the worlds feel more alive and connected to one another.

I’ll always stand by Enter the Dragonfly having strong ideas but a weak execution. If you want a full rundown on the problems it faced during development, I highly suggest Mr. FO1’s documentary or my 20th anniversary retrospective.

Outro

I have no doubt that we will be getting Spyro 4 soon, and that it will be its own thing. As this comment from PacLander states:

“Enter the Dragonfly’s very name is poison. A new version would fall flat and scare developers away from making a new entry.” And that is very true, for many fans and even those who worked on the game, seeing that title can do nothing but resurface bad memories and negative associations. And a remake can’t do much to fix a permanent scar like that.