The first three Crash Bandicoots that came to life in the hands of the Naughty Dog were one of the most popular game series on the Playstation console. I was controlling Crash, a bandikut mouse, and fighting against various enemies in 3D platform type games. With Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy released in the past years, I had the opportunity to play this trilogy again on the last generation consoles.
Pros
+ Successful department designs
+ Game enriched with new mechanics
+ Side stories that continue parallel to the main story
+ There are a lot of items that can be collected
+ A chance to choose between modern and retro game options
+ Moved one step further by adhering to the roots of the series
Cons
- Some episodes are unbalanced even by Crash standards
- It's hard to say it's a game for new players
- Low FPS on standard version consoles
- Not a platform game suitable for every gamer
The story of Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time picks up where the third game left off. Our story is about Dr. Crash who was thrown into a prison in the past. Neo Cortex opens with Uka Uka and N. Tropy trying to escape. A passage opened in time as a result of Uka Uka's efforts causes our wicked to escape and the order of time is disrupted. Meanwhile, our hero Crash, who sleeps peacefully on the beach, is awakened by Aku Aku. We are starting our adventure, which will continue with Crash's brother Coco and the surprise names that will participate in the future.
As the story progresses, we encounter 4 quantum masks scattered in different places and try to stop the bad guys with the help of their powers. We have the chance to choose the one we want among Crash and Coco during the journey. In addition, different characters such as Tawna and Dingodile also appear in the story from time to time. When time and dimensions are also involved, it would be beneficial not to expect each character to have personalities that we have already known.
I found the story presentation pretty good. It is possible to see the effect of not only the main characters, but also the side characters such as Tawna. We can also say that a pretty good job has been done in the cut scenes at the beginning and end of the episodes. The cutscenes are successful both visually and in terms of voiceover.
Bandicoot Behind the Masks
Let's take a look at the gameplay of Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, which got a passing grade in terms of story. If you've played the old games or the N. Sane Trilogy, you might remember that this game wasn't that easy. Apart from the already difficult platform elements, there is also a challenge caused by the depth perception of the game's three-dimensional nature. So if you are entering this game, do not think that you can finish it easily.
Throughout the game, we can choose any one of the Crash and Coco characters and progress. There is no difference between the two brothers in terms of gameplay. We choose the character we want and defeat the enemies in the episodes, while we are trying to overcome the obstacles and reach the end, we also try to collect fruits and jewels. There are explosive boxes as well as boxes that we can break along the way. While we have to go away within 3 seconds of jumping on top of old-style TNT boxes, Nitro boxes destroy itself at the moment of contact. The Crash formula we know and are used to has been used properly and effectively.
Although our main characters can use most of the abilities found in old games at the beginning of the game. Quantum Masks, awakened with the disruption of the order, add new mechanics to the game with their powers that provide control over spacetime. With Lani Loli, which enables us to switch between dimensions, it is possible to reveal platforms in other dimensions and to bounce attacks back by floating in the air by making high power turns with the dark matter mask Akano. Thanks to Kupuna-Wa, which controls time, we can slow down time, defeat fast opponents, and finally change the center of gravity with Ika Ika. The dual personality of Ika Ika and the comments made by the personalities against each other also make us smile from time to time.
We said that we can control other characters in the game. Tawna, a character we only tried to save in previous games, is back in a stronger and more noticeable way. Coming from a different dimension, Tawna is effective in breaking the iron boxes with a kick, neutralizing the opponents and opening long distances quickly with his hook. Other characters also have their own characteristics and gameplay. The sense of change that different characters bring to the game prevents the game from repeating itself.
In addition to the main story and side stories, there are Flashback sections where we can experience Neo Cortex's experiments on Crash. The cassettes required to open these sections are inside the sections. In order to get it, you have to go to the section where the tape is, without dying. If it feels difficult to get the tapes, you should also see these sections. We experience firsthand how brutal tests Crash has been subjected to in the past.
If you only focus on the main story, if you keep activities such as breaking all the boxes or collecting diamonds to a minimum, the game ends in 8 - 10 hours. But you miss out on a lot of things added to the game. With the side missions, it is possible to increase the playing time to 16 hours. If you are one of those who say I will chase all the collectible things, be prepared for over 30 hours of playtime. (I completed the side missions and quit. My reflexes were not enough from here)
Sharpen Your Reflexes
We counted a lot of different features, so how are their use and level designs in the game? Here I will say things that can be considered both good and bad. The Crash Bandicoot series has never been a game famous for its ease. Exploding boxes, paths buried in the bottom, enemies that deserve you in one shot, and perspective problems are factors that make the game seriously annoying memories. Add to this that you have a limited number of lives, and you can understand why the series is famous for its difficulty.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time has managed to preserve the old mechanics and successfully add the innovations to the game. As you progress through the levels, you reach the levels that require more struggle with the masks that open. Each skill requires a separate familiarization period, and some places require you to have seriously good reflexes. These games were always difficult, but with the new mechanics, it seemed to be extra difficult. I was able to play the old games of the series in my youth, but if this game was released in those years, it feels like I would have quit before reaching half. However, it would be wrong to say that Toys For Bob is not thinking of the next generation of gamers.
Normally, you have 3 lives in Crash Bandicoot games and after these lives are over, you return to the very beginning of the game. It's a bit of a brutal system, but it's important to remember that most older generation games are cruel to death. With the fourth game, two different options are offered to play the game. Thanks to the Modern and Retro game mode options, we can play the game as we want. While Retro is the old style of gameplay I described above, we have the right to die unlimited in Modern mode. In addition, in Modern mode, there are registration points at shorter distances and supports such as masks that allow us to take damage twice when dying a lot. While playing in the modern mode, it is necessary to pay attention to the death counter that opens. If you want to get an apple in the episode, you shouldn't die more than three times.
The gameplay is very nice, the new mechanics are very well absorbed into the game and it offers a completely different game experience with different characters. But at times it becomes unnecessarily difficult. Especially at the last levels, the transitions between the masks reach a life-boring difficulty. I'm not a great platformer and I have no admiration for the Crash series other than having played and finished on time. I'm sure the fans have come prepared for this level of challenge. I became annoyed by the increasing number of boxes we had to break and the way the nitro boxes were used for the installations made just to make it difficult. Some episodes that can even annoy old players can put new players off the game.
Dr. Technical Parts with Neo
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is developed by Toys For Bob, who also developed Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy. Crash Bandicoot, which has survived from being a series exclusively for Sony consoles, is first releasing its new game on Playstation 4 and Xbox One consoles. I expect it to be released for Switch and PC as well as next generation consoles in the future. Let's see how the situation in the current consoles.
I played the game on the standard Playstation 4 Slim console. The game, which has a resolution of 1080p, usually hovers around 40 FPS. In the PlayStation 4 Pro version, it is possible to play with a standard 60 FPS. Although I feel that the game is stuck very rarely, I can say that you can easily play it on your standard version Playstation 4 console.
The graphics look very good both in the intermediate scenes and in the game. The places and character designs you enter are quite good. There doesn't seem to be a big difference between the pro version and the regular version. You feel as if it was made for the new generation, but was prepared with the players of the current generation in mind.
Finally, I cannot pass without mentioning the section designs. We fight in many different concepts such as forest, space, icy places and pirate areas. We see that each episode reflects the atmosphere very well with its unique structure and enemies. From time to time I know that I fell into a void while looking at "how beautiful they did it". Now, we can access this visual richness even in the old standard version Playstation 4.
My Conclusion Comment
Toys For Bob previously successfully brought older Crash games to the current generation with the N. Sane Trilogy. With Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, they show everyone that they can do a good job not only in renovating old games, but also in making new ones. They preserved the essence of the Crash Bandicoot series and went beyond making a simple copy of the old games with the newly added features.
You feel that some parts of the game are more difficult than necessary, there are only some places where they add artificial difficulty at a level that can be called "challenge the player". The list goes on and on, with out-of-the-way lengths between control points, jumping points that accept nothing less than perfect timing, and enemies that seem specifically placed to annoy the player. Although I think that this artificial difficulty is exaggerated, especially in the last episodes, I see that the necessary precautions are taken for a normal player to finish. They did not neglect to say, "You will miss some things, but you can still finish the game with a little sweat". This can be considered a plus too.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, which has a lot of options such as dozens of character views that can be collected, side stories that can be played with different characters and have effects on the main story, side sections where you can experience the past of Crash, opportunities to play the old episodes in different ways, a game everyone should have. Players who have not played a Crash Bandicoot game before do not need to hurry. The game looks beautiful and offers a lot of content.
