Crash Bandicoot is back and better than ever in Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time.
This time around, the lovable Crash must face his most challenge obstacles yet as he navigates various locales each with an abundance of timed precision jumps, enemies, traps, and more.
Aside from his speed, Crash can slide, jump, and spin to fight or avoid enemies and obstacles, but this time around gets an extra ability: he can phase objects at certain locales which allows him to pass through them. This is often tricky as he has to phase out an object to jump but must phase it back in order land on it, but cannot do so before allowing ample space to land.
Patience is required as there are frequent dangers that require precise movements to complete, and nothing is more frustrating than biting it with a checkpoint in sight.
The game also offers up some interesting variety not only in a plethora of level designs but by also allowing players to play as other characters in the game. Being able to zap objects to complete levels vs the traditional running and jumping does bring an interesting new dimension to the play and keeps things fresh.
The graphics are pleasing and Crash is such a fun and charming character that it is easy to stick with him even when the level becomes so rage inducing you want to quit in a hailstorm of profanity.
What really makes the game great are not only the clever and creative levels, but the sheer variety of them. From a junkyard with gears, fire, and shark-like creatures to a frozen landscape where slipping off the ice is commonplace, the level designers combine sadism and genius to create a truly fun and challenging gaming experience.
The game is not only lots of fun but is ideal for players of all ages and offers plenty of great gaming moments. This is a great return for Crash. Hopefully we will see him again soon as I would love to see a new game designed from the ground up for the Next-Generation systems.
4 stars out of 5
-30-