Absolute playstation: 95/100 (you can read the extremely positive review here: http://www.absolute-playstation.com/api … spyro.htm)
EGM: 8.1/10
Game Blitz: 85/100
PSM magazine: 4/5
Gamefan: 92/100
...and the list goes on. Absolute playstation even called this game one of the best on the system.

Controls - Unless you're used to superman 64 controls, I don't see how they are loose.

The game is hella linear but long. The story is decent and unravels through the gameplay, for instance, the dragons in the last world got frozen again trying to fight Gnasty. Not many NPCs but Spyro isn't the only 3rd person adventure games and certainly not the last to lack interactive NPCs(notably kingdom hearts and Mario 64/Banjo Kazooie).

Graphics - top notch even compared to some ps2 games. Replay value could've been more but the flight levels are a joy to play. Music and sound is god-like. Bosses are terrible in some areas, and Ok in others, notably Toasty, Metalhead, Dr. Shemp(who is harder than papu papu in crash) and Gnasty Gnorc(was better in the beta version).
Holds up extremely well, heck, i've never even grew up with this game!
If you ask me, this game is the one of the best 3D platfromers in the 5th gens. I'd give this between and 8.5 to 9.0.
The sequels are flawless masterpieces.
I can't figure out how games like New super Mario bros. or Zelda get 9.0s and 10s for doing even less than this game.

Update:
http://ca.ign.com/games/spyro-the-dragon/ps-3920
I agree that you can spell ignorant without ign but this reviewer is a little more competent than the one in the OP.
9/10 is an appropriate score for a game of this quality.

Overall for IGNs Review: 1.0
Yet, again IGN spells Ignorance and can't grasp ahold of nostalgia

I swear i used the right anolog but anyhow, as i said, the camera is fine without it... and yeah if we dont use it, we dont need it

Gameplay- 8/10
The Controls are fantastic and can be easily used, there are 28 levels, 34 if you include all the homeworlds and each level is quite big.
Though really all your doing is going around, toasting enemies and just collecting treasure and rescuing dragons, well actually, this is more fun then it sounds.
the enemies are all the different and so are the levels, the levels arn't on after another instead you can choose.
The gameplay is great though the bosses are quite easy and so is the game in general but once you have beaten the last boss you can do the challenge of collecting 100% and opening gnasties loot, a secret all flying 2000 gem level!

Story-7/10
The Story is quite mediocre because all you see is 3 cutscnes, they are well done and the story is quite inventive but there is not enough of it to ge given a full mark...
though this game doesn't really need story a little more wouldn't hurt

Graphics-9/10
The Game has superb 3d graphics and the playstation really pulls them off, you know whats what and everything looks like it should though they arn't as smooth as some other titles around the time like crash bandicoot 2.
As Said the levels are really inventive and everything is colourful, nothing contrasts.. this game has great graphics!

Length And Replay value-8/10
Even though you could probably beat the boss pretty quickly, the task lies to get 100% and gee, some supercharge spots are pretty tuff but you wont be biting your fingers like in Crash Bandicoot or Super Mario 64.
Even though the game is quite simple to master, it has great replay value and speed runs are a hobby. And For Some reason this game has some special magical feel you dont see in other games

Audio-9.5/10
Stewart copelands tunes are great and ver catchy... this goes along with some nice voice talent from the dragons giving spyro advice, to Gnasty to spyro himself.
The sound effects are good, the enemies make great, funny noises. Everything is great but we just couldn't give it a 10.
Avarage-8.3 round it up to 8.5
8.5/10 well done!