The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning review

If ever there was a reason to reach inside the television and begin throttling, it's David Spade as Sparx the dragonfly in The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning. As the cutesy sidekick in this action game, the cloying comic proves to be equal parts grating and repulsive. "Over here, mauve boy," he'll bleat at regular intervals, and his sneering, nasal tone never loses its charm because, simply, it never had any.

You'll have to suffer through Spade even as a reborn Spyro soars in this oftentimes enchanting adventure. Developer Krome takes over the venerable license here, crafting a prequel of sorts that's goofy and fun, even it tends to be a little too concerned about flash and sizzle for its own good.

The Spyro series takes a Biblical bent here. The purple dragon is foretold as a savior of sorts and is sent Moses-style down the river to live with adoptive parents. It's heavyhanded, to be sure, but is quickly dropped as Spyro (voiced with some skill by Elijah Wood) and his "brother" Sparx set out on a quest to uncover his roots and defeat an evil dragon.