REVIEW: Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time!

My favorite Crash Bandicoot game is the one I play most often in my spare time. I have been a fan of the franchise since its inception and have witnessed its rises as well as its (unfortunately frequent) falls. Fans were eager for a new game after The N.Sane Trilogy's huge success and Crash: Nitro Fuelled's failure. In June 2020, Toys For Bob (Spyro: The Reignited Trilogy developer) announced that they would be creating a brand new game. It would be a direct sequel of Crash Bandicoot: Warped. The hype and anticipation for the game was high. But, is it worth it?

Crash Bandicoot #4: It's Time! continues from 1998's Crash Bandicoot. After Coco Bandicoot and Crash foiled their plans to dominate the world, Dr. Neo Cortex and Uka Uka were banished to the past. Multiple dimensions open up and the Elemental Masks are awakened after Uka Uka breaks through the fabric reality to free them. They realize their adventures are not over when one of them discovers Crash or Coco.

Toys For Bob can create a decent Crash Bandicoot title that serves as a sequel. If you still have doubts, don't worry. This is an excellent addition to the original games. The story continues after Warped. This means that the villain's motivations and personalities must remain consistent. Cortex is discouraged by his attempts to defeat Crash, Coco and has given up hope. This realization is brought up several times in the third round. N. Tropy is determined to win, however, because it is his first encounter with them. Toys For Bob is a fan of the franchise. They have taken great care to ensure these key elements are consistent.

Not only do the story and motivations continue to flow seamlessly, but so does the controls and level style. The controls have been maintained exactly the same as in the original trilogy. The controls are responsive and fluid, so there is no delay in controlling the game. This makes platforming enjoyable. Easy controls make it easy to pick up and start playing the game right away. The tutorial serves as an introduction to the game's controls and mechanics. It also reminds its players of the attacks Crash has earned in Warped.

The game continues to expand on the lessons the trilogy taught us almost 23 years ago. Crash is able to rail grind and wallride in addition to the standard spin attack, bodyslam and sliding. Rail grinding, which is a play on Ratchet and Clank's classics, adds an interesting element to the franchise. It's also worth noting that both Ratchet and Crash have recently been involved in dimension hopping. Wall riding is another fun ability that enhances the platforming experience. However, it can be inconsistent. When there are no obstacles in the path, Crash can wallride flawlessly. Crash will struggle to grab the wall if there are any obstacles in his way. Crash will not remember how to continue the wallride, so this can make some levels frustrating.

Crash and Coco both gain new abilities later in the game from the four masks they encounter. Near the beginning, Lani-Loli is introduced. The masks are part and parcel of the story. They don't feel forced in. These powers are used to build the levels. Comparable to Crash Bandicoot's ability to sneak over Nitro boxes, Wrath of Cortex's new powers (Lani–Loli, for instance, can make invisible obstacles and crates visible) can be used frequently to create unique platforming segments. The sneaking ability in Wrath of Cortex is situational and could only have been used twice because levels aren’t built around it.

It's obvious that the game was designed for those who are already familiar with the franchise and its platforming challenges. Levels challenge players with their design and 6-gem collectible tasks. This gameplay loop is very similar to the original trilogy, particularly the first. This could lead to some people arguing that it is not a good introduction, either for new fans or those who are not familiar with the game. Crash will gladly give you the challenge if that's what you want!

Each level requires you to collect 6 gems in order to unlock different character skins. This is a great way for the franchise to bring back the "play to advance" mechanic (no microtransactions). It also allows levels to be replayable. You can earn gems by either collecting all the crates within a level, or finding a platform that leads to a secret path. There is also a gem to collect 80% of the Wumpa fruits in a level or finding a hidden gem. Toys For Bob has added some new mechanics to their Crash formula to refresh the game's platforming.

The game's two modes of gameplay are displayed at the main menu whenever a new game is selected. Toys for Bob has added "Retro Mode," which gives you 4 lives to start the game. When Crash runs out of life, it's over. "Modern Mode" is where one of the gems is used: Crash is allowed unlimited lives but must complete each level in 3 lives. This adds an entirely new challenge to the game. It's something that has never been done in a Crash Bandicootgame.

The Flashback Tapes and characters' timelines are two other unlockables. These are two separate levels Crash and Coco can play. They were created during the time Cortex created Crash. Although his origin story has been told, the training he received is unique and fits in perfectly with the game's overall story. The tapes offer various platforming challenges but the idea is very similar to Portal2's Community Testing Chambers. These unlockable levels can be played at your own discretion, but they provide a bridge to any unanswered questions the player might have about the main storyline.

The only thing that could be criticized is the music. This includes the song playing during N Gin's Guitar Hero boss battle. This is minor compared to the rest.

Crash Bandicoot 4, It's Time! was how the franchise should have continued after Naughty dog sold it in 1999. It has a unique art style that is vibrant and colourful. There are new unlockables and side missions. There are also two game modes. The game is difficult, but it's a joy to play because of its charming characters.

Crash is back in an original way!