What you need to know
- Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is the long-awaited sequel to the original trilogy.
- It continues the challenging platforming gameplay the franchise is known for.
- You can equip various masks that grant you abilities like freezing time or phasing objects.
- You can preorder Crash Bandicoot 4 for $60 through the Microsoft Store.
Recently, Activision revealed Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time to the world. Crash is relaxing and exploring his island in his time, 1998, when he finds a mysterious mask hidden away in a cave, Lani-Loli. The mask is one of the Quantum Masks and apparently knows Aku-Aku, Crash's mask friend. With the Quantum Masks returning and a Quantum Rift appearing near Crash and Coco, they decide to bravely head through to different times and dimensions to stop whoever is responsible.
Note: The official footage from Activision reveals even more locations in Crash Bandicoot 4.
I was able to experience three levels from Crash Bandicoot 4. The first two featured Crash, while the third featured Dr. Neo Cortex. You can play the campaign as either Crash or Coco, but there are some levels that feature other characters so that you gain a deeper understanding of the events surrounding the title. Picking up where the original trilogy concluded, Dr. Neo Cortex and Nefarious Tropy have escaped their interdimensional prison and have caused a fracture in space-time. As expected, it's up to Crash and Coco to save the day.
Crash Bandicoot 4 gameplay is just as challenging as the original trilogy, but the addition of various masks that give you different abilities switches it up. You can freeze time, alter states of objects, and do much more. These new masks are essential when it comes to solving puzzles and traversing levels. Crash Bandicoot 4 is a challenging game, and it can get frustrating at times. You just have to keep on repeating various sections until you get them right.
Note: This footage is from an early build of the game and doesn't represent the final version.
The title also appears to have a larger scope this time around. While the levels are still linear with precise platforming requirements, the backdrops are gorgeous and give you a sense that you're only experiencing part of these immense worlds. They're also quite varied and showcase the creativity of the developers at Toys for Bob. I played through a dinosaur-themed level and zombie village. One featured a classic Tyrannosaurus Rex chase and the other slippery, frozen platforms that were tricky to navigate. This is just a small slice of what you can expect in a few months.
Crash Bandicoot 4 should launch on October 2. According to the presentation I attended, the game will be Xbox One X Enhanced, but it's unclear what the resolution is on Microsoft's latest console. The logo flashed for a second towards the end of the presentation so I've asked Activision for more details. I was only able to play the game on PlayStation 4 Pro and didn't observe any boost to the resolution, but the title did run at 60 frames per second. Hopefully, the Xbox One X will offer a boost to resolution as well.
Crash Bandicoot 4 is shaping up to be exactly what fans have been asking for for years. It's a true sequel to the original trilogy and is more refined than its predecessors. The wait for October just got even harder because I can't wait to play more of it then. If you're worried about microtransactions, you shouldn't be because there aren't any in the game.
Wump wump wump
This new Crash Bandicoot adventure takes place in a world of shattered time, with multiple playable characters on the roster. Heal multiple dimensions and stop the villains once more.
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