Spyro 2 is better than its predecessor mechanically, but it's just too short.
Spyro 2 offers players lots of stuff to do. There are puzzles to solve, hidden places to find, and challenges to beat. The most notable thing about the gameplay is that Spyro has a new arsenal of moves: he can now swim (a huge improvement from the first game), climb ladders, and headbutt (think Mario's ground pound except with Spyro's head). Also, the game is set in a completely new world, which is totally awesome. A myriad of new characters are also introduced: Elora the fawn, Hunter the cheetah, Professor the...thing, Crush the blue lumbering henchman, Gulp the giant green riding animal, and Ripto the midget dinosaur. It gets rather interesting in the world of Avalar.
GRAPHICS: 8/10
The graphics are notably improved from the first installment. The worlds are great, and the new underwater sequences are good. However, there is nothing jaw-dropping about them.
SOUND: 9/10
In this game, everything the people say has a voiceover, which is awesome. Also, the music is great, just like in the first game.
VALUE: 6/10
This is where the game really suffers. There are only three worlds, as opposed to six - or five and a half, since Gnasty's World only has two actual levels. The game will keep you entertained until you beat it. If you were a fan of the last game, you might play it again, but others new to it most likely won't.
TILT: 8/10
This game is so awesome, but it's so incredibly short that I can't give it a very good score. The only reason I got as miuch time out of it as I did was because I played it twice, looking for every secret both times. Still, I'd recommend this game to anybody.