Spyro: A Hero's Tail

 PlayStation 2
Metascore
60

Mixed or average reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 16
  3. Negative: 4 out of 16
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  1. Game Chronicles
    80
    The game is bigger, prettier and generally more fine-tuned than any of its predecessors. It just isn't really all that different from any of them.
  2. IGN
    70
    A definite improvement over "Enter the Dragonfly." It’s a solid, albeit simple and slightly unimaginative platformer.
  3. PSX Nation
    70
    Older gamers won’t be challenged in the least by Spyro’s new abilities or quests, but the whole game has a pleasant, Disney-like harmless vibe about it.
  5. GameZone
    70
    Don’t bring high expectations into this game and you will be pleasantly surprised.
  6. Worth Playing
    69
    It's not very difficult, it controls great, and the graphics and sound – while not majestic in any way – are fine.
  7. Game Informer
    65
    Essentially the video game equivalent of sleeping with your eyes open. [Nov 2004, p.149]
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  8. PSM Magazine
    65
    Any gamer over twelve will want something a tad more difficult, and more mature. Still, younger players will love it. [Holiday 2004, p.94]
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  9. Armchair Empire
    64
    Has its ups and downs, but overall it plays like a mediocre platformer.
  10. Warcry
    60
    What’s sad is that as nice as the game looks it just fails on gameplay.
  11. GameSpot
    58
    Spyro's newly expanded roster doesn't manage to save A Hero's Tail from monotony, and even the title's targeted younger demographic will probably soon tire of the game's reliance on boring collectible gathering.
  12. Gaming Age
    58
    A Hero’s Tail isn’t a revolutionary game. It’s not bad, either. It’s just very simple. It seems just simple enough, in fact, for children who are at least learning to read and have the motor skills to follow relatively easy control instructions.
  13. GMR Magazine
    50
    The bottom line is that if you're going to have an easy-to-play game that doesn't even attempt to push the genre in any meaningful manner, at least feature characters that 8-year-olds won't be too embarrassed to be caught playing as. [Dec 2004, p.126]
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  14. Gaming Target
    49
    A poor excuse for a game. Whatever made the Insomniac-developed Spyro titles so great obviously has vanished from the game's inner fray forever.
  15. Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
    40
    It's an uninspired, uninnovative platform game with incredibly annoying flaws. Combat is brainless - I died more times from wandering into mud puddles (which are apparently deadly and kill you instantly) than I did from enemy attacks. [Dec 2004, p.125]
    All this publication's reviews
  16. Stuff
    40
    We grew bored of the sheer repetitiveness of the game play, and not even Spyro's smart-ass remarks could keep us amused. Just talk to the hand, Spyro. Snap!
  17. G4 TV
    40
    Even the bosses are cliché. They’re all pattern-based, take three hits to defeat, and are unlikely to pose a challenge for anyone but the younger set who will find some of the platform action too hard.

Awards & Rankings

58
#58 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2004
91
#91 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2004

User Reviews

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User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 83 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 54 out of 83
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 83
  3. Negative: 4 out of 83
  1. crashedragon
    Aug 30, 2013
    9
    Amazing game. It's shocking that this got mixed reviews, as it is smooth, pretty and tons of fun. The worlds are magical and the game is fun.Amazing game. It's shocking that this got mixed reviews, as it is smooth, pretty and tons of fun. The worlds are magical and the game is fun. This game stole a lot of ideas from other games, and spyro acts like he did in spyro 1, too and arrogant.… Full Review »
  2. Ch33syCh1ck3n
    Jul 24, 2015
    10
    A childhood favourite of mine, Spyro a Hero's Tail is vibrant, colourful and simply amazing. It has beautiful level design, great music, niceA childhood favourite of mine, Spyro a Hero's Tail is vibrant, colourful and simply amazing. It has beautiful level design, great music, nice models and characters. I found the story to be quite good; the game-play was also amazing along with the fun but tough mini-games. There are many collectables in this game, some being harder to find than others, making it fun to achieve 100%. This game is definitely worth playing if you love plat-formers and collect-a-thons, as it is very memorable!!… Full Review »
  3. RCmaster27
    Dec 19, 2013
    8
    One of my favourite spyro games of all time.
    Spyro: a hero's tail is a fantastic adventure game for all sizes and ages that brings spyro back    One of my favourite spyro games of all time.
    Spyro: a hero's tail is a fantastic adventure game for all sizes and ages that brings spyro back to its roots and most importantly it mixes the style of adventure and platform wich makes an incredible combination.
    You play as Spyro, a small purple dragon that has this puny look, but when he breathes fire and other elements he looks more badass than ever.
    The story is a bit weak, however it becomes progressively more relevant during the gameplay.
    In my opinion you don't need to play the other spyro games and that is a positive point about the weak story.
    It can not be a solid platformer, but it is a fantastic adventure game that will be truly significant to players that are beginners in the series.    … Full Review »
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