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Gameplay
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Graphics
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Storyline
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Audio
‘Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time’ is a direct sequel to Naughty Dog’s original trilogy that concluded in 1998, however this game is the product of an entirely different development company.
Toys for Bob picks up the mantle with an ambitious entry that ups the ante but manages to keep the essence of what made Crash Bandicoot such a beloved franchise.
It is everything you know and love about the original games with a bunch of great new ideas mixed in so well that they feel like they should have been included long ago.
Story
Following the events of Crash Bandicoot: Warped, It’s About Time sees series antagonist Dr. Neo Cortex escape from captivity and open up a rift in time and space itself, prompting him to embark on a multidimensional quest for world domination.
Crash and his sister Coco are called up to put a stop to his dastardly plan, by searching the multiverse for gameplay altering ‘Quantum Masks’. Throughout this adventure, players will uncover these masks that will give them the ability to bend the rules of reality, repair the rift, and put an end to Cortex’s plan.
Gameplay
Quantum masks are a notable addition, at various points you can pick up these masks and toggle them to mix up the gameplay, allowing you to phase shift, disappear, slow time, play with gravity and add extra attacks.
You will also get to choose between retro and regular mode. The retro mode gives you the traditional lives system, where if you die too many times a game over screen appears and must start the level again, for that added stress factor.
Regular mode lets you play through but has a death counter at the top of the screen – a tad distracting especially when certain levels dial up the difficulty.
The inclusion of a little yellow landing indicator – as opposed to Crash’s original shadow – is useful but does go to show just how imprecise movement can be.
Level Design
Often tough but fair, Crash 4 is nostalgic twitchy platforming perfection, but also makes concessions depending on your progress. For example, if you die enough times at a certain spot, it may add in a new checkpoint crate to help you along.
The game can be finished in about 10 hours, but replay incentives are there. Every level has various collectibles that can offer new skins and classic stages, complete with retro filters.
It’s also enormously generous. There are countless secondary modes to try out that enhance the levels as they are, like a pass-the-pad mode that prompts you to hand the controller off to another player at every checkpoint or death, or a kind of ‘battle’ mode that lets two of you play a level at once – one as Crash the other as Coco – racing to the finish. This is on top of traditional time trials.
New Characters
Players can play as either Crash or Coco on their journey to save the multiverse, and three new playable characters, each with a unique playstyle.
One of Crash 4’s biggest revelations is in opening its focus to an ensemble of playable characters, including Dingodile, Tawna, and Cortex. Each plays distinctly from one another, and that leads to some of Crash 4’s most intriguing level designs and moments.
Cortex foregoes a double jump for a long dash and a ray gun that turns enemies into platforms. Tawna has a grappling hook that plays into combat but is also useful for smashing crates at a distance that Crash and Coco could never reach.
Finally, Dingodile can hover but can’t jump very well but has Luigi’s Mansion style vacuum mechanics that can, for example, suck up and launch a TNT crate to destroy barriers.
Graphics and Audio
Crash games have always been fun and colourful, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time continues that trend. Every level in this game pops with detail, explorable areas, vibrancy and a toe-tapping soundtrack keeps an upbeat tempo throughout.
Verdict
Crafted with the original trilogy in mind, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time embodies the precision gameplay so popular during the ’90s while introducing quality of life improvements, visual upgrades, new gameplay mechanics, extra collectibles and multiplayer modes that both long-time fans and new players alike will enjoy mastering.
Release date: 2nd October 2020
Available on: PS4, PS4 Pro, Xbox One, Xbox One X
Published by Activision and developed by Toys for Bob.
Copy provided by Activision for review.
