Twenty-two years after the third opus on PlayStation, the “real” Crash Bandicoot 4 finally arrives on our PS4 and Xbox One. If some (hello!) were quite suspicious of this new episode, we have to admit that this Crash Bandicoot 4: It's about Time is an undeniable success, despite some flaws.
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View PriceRead ConclusionCrash Bandicoot 4: It's about Time
- A "real" old-school (but modern) Crash Bandicoot!
- Very visually pleasing
- The first levels, fantastic
- Great gameplay finds
- …but some very imprecise jumps, the fault of a rather wobbly perspective sometimes
- Repeated deaths (especially at the end)
- Levels with secondary characters, without interest
- Unnecessarily extended lifespan
A real (good) Crash Bandicoot, like before?
After three PSOne episodes that were close to perfection, the Crash Bandicoot saga gradually bogged down once removed from the expert hands of Naughty Dog. After a globally successful N'Sane Trilogy, a 100% new episode is now available. A new episode which offers yet another quest to thwart the plans of Neo Cortex and N. Tropy, with here the possibility of playing the crazy marsupial, or his sister, Coco.
In terms of progression, Crash Bandicoot 4 very quickly sounds like a tribute to the opuses of yesteryear, since the exploration takes place on a map, which allows you to choose the next level to go. In addition to switching between Crash and Coco, it is also possible to change the appearance of his hero, via many skins to unlock, provided however to complete the levels with flying colors.
The very first level will delight players of the first Crash Bandicoot, and from the first moments of play, this new opus smells of a very good surprise.
Nostalgia in modernity?
As far as the gameplay is concerned, there is no question of an open world in 3D here, since we find this progression via a predefined path specific to the saga, with always hundreds of boxes to explode using the techniques of each character. More precise than in the N'Sane Trilogy, the gameplay is very accessible, and even certain passages, however difficult at first sight, turn out to be rather simple to manage.
On this subject, the first levels are a pure joy to go through, relying happily on everything that had made the success of the PSOne episodes, and allow you to become familiar with the handling of Crash, but also its new powers. Excellent !
JVFR
Indeed, in addition to spinning, double-jumping and tackling (among others), this opus allows, depending on the levels, to wear Quantum Masks. These offer an additional power to our hero, which can be activated via the R2 key.
For example, we can have a mask that allows you to change dimensions (and make objects, platforms appear/disappear, etc.) or even a mask that allows you to slow down time. There is also the possibility of performing an overpowered whirling attack, which is not very easy to handle, but which also allows you to reach high platforms.
JVFR
A well (well) dosed difficulty
So certainly, it is not possible to define in advance this or that mask to use, but the dedicated levels are rather well designed overall, with a difficulty that rises crescendo. On this subject, if the first levels are quite accessible, prepare to die very (very) many times as you progress. Quickly, the game indeed multiplies the phases of ultra delicate platforms, requiring both timing and precision, without forgetting many particularly vicious traps.
In this regard, the game offers the possibility of playing in Modern mode, with infinite lives, or in Vintage mode, with an old-fashioned life counter. Finally, if the game notices that you stumble on such and such a passage, it will sometimes make you reappear with a protective mask, and will sometimes even allow a new checkpoint to appear to make your task easier. Nice.
JVFR
Overall, the levels covered are very varied and well paced, each trying to highlight a slightly different game mechanic, sometimes based on speed, precision, observation...
We obviously find the essential chases that are both funny and darned successful in terms of sensations, and the game offers a very nice spectacle for the peepers, with really very worked and detailed environments. The rhythm is also admirable, so much so that we have a hard time letting go of the controller once a level is finished.
JVFR
Too much content?
What a pity on the other hand on the part of the developers to have estimated that it was so essential to have to inflate a lifespan from modes and other challenges without much interest (Chrono mode, N'Versé mode, etc.) , but also (and above all!) sometimes forcing us to embody secondary characters (Dingodile, Cortex…) without flavor.
JVFR
Admittedly, this sometimes makes it possible to view the same level from another point of view, but the levels in question are rarely memorable. Those who wish can deepen the experience with "Timelines" levels dedicated to these different secondary characters. To complete the main adventure, count about 6 hours. Obviously, if you want to recover everything (good luck….) it will take a lot more time (and patience).
JVFR
Of course, this does not necessarily tarnish the general experience, but it is impossible not to wince in the face of this little “filling” side, which was not necessarily essential in our eyes. A pure success despite everything that this Crash Bandicoot 4, which we highly recommend to you, if you are a minimum fan of the genre of course.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's about Time8
What a good surprise this Crash Bandicoot 4, which finally allows you to reconnect with the humor, the spirit and the sensations of the original trilogy. Like a modern homage, this episode is built from the roots of Naughty Dog episodes, with the added bonus of a very successful realization, precise gameplay, a breathless pace and very varied and nicely paced levels.Most
- A "real" old-school (but modern) Crash Bandicoot!
- Very visually pleasing
- The first levels, fantastic
- Great gameplay finds
- A varied and well-paced game "as before"
- The gameplay rather rather well balanced…
The lessers
- …but some very imprecise jumps, the fault of a rather wobbly perspective sometimes
- Repeated deaths (especially at the end)
- Levels with secondary characters, without interest
- Unnecessarily extended lifespan
Test carried out from a PS4 version, provided by the publisher
