Crash Bandicoot: N.Sane Trilogy PS4 Review

History of Crash Bandicoot franchises:

In year 1996, Crash Bandicoot made a first debut for PS1, which was originally developed by Naughty Dog. It is a 3D platformer game where you take control of mascot hero named Crash Bandicoot has his mission to stop the evil scientist named Dr. Cortex from taking over world and rescue his girlfriend named Tawna. This game was best known for soild gameplay, unique levels, impressive visuals style, great presentation and of course the main protagonist. It was well received by most of the video game critics and had becoming the PS1's eighth best-selling game sold over 6.8 million copies.

The success of the first game has spawned with the sequels such as Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes back, Crash Bandicoot: Warped, and of course the spin-offs such as Crash Team Racing. During the year 2000's, SCE and Naughty Dog has sold the rights of Crash Bandicoot franchises to Vivendi Universal and letting developers Traveller's Tales takes charge of developing Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex and Crash Twinsanity for multiplatform consoles was released in between 2001 and 2004, while 2007's Crash of the Titans was developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Sierra Entertainment, and then the last game in the main series was Crash: Mind over Mutant was published by Activision in 2008.

In year 2016, Sony's E3 Press Conference has finally announced that the HD remaster of classic Crash Bandicoot will be released for PS4 as Crash Bandicoot: N.Sane Trilogy will include original first three games in Crash Bandicoot series running on high-definition 4K resolution, remastered audio and cutscenes, and newly recorded dialogue from past voice actors from the franchise.



Crash Bandicoot: N.Sane Trilogy PS4 Review:


Crash Bandicoot: N.Sane Trilogy is a 3D platform game for PS4, which was developed by Vicarious Visions and published by Activision. It is a HD remastered and video game compilation of first three titles in Crash Bandicoot series, which were all originally developed by Naughty Dog for PS1 in the 1990s.

Back in my old days when I was younger, I haven't played any of Crash Bandicoot titles because I was busy with playing popular platform games like Mario, Sonic, Rayman, Banjo-Kazooie and Conker, but I heard lot of positive things about Crash Bandicoot series because my old friend from school, who had PS1, told me about the game was really entertaining and fun to play. Then now in 2017, I have finally get to play these classic Crash Bandicoot games on my PS4 and I've been played it for a weeks. These are the best video game compilation for PS4 owners should be able to enjoy incredible 3D platform game because these are very faithful to Naughty Dog's original trilogy due to upgraded HD visuals, remastered presentation and sounds, and of course originals classic style gameplay that makes these game worth owning it for the fans of the platformers genres.

So without go further do, lets start the review.



Presentation

After the beginning of the game's logo, I really liked the scene of polygoned character Crash Bandicoot threw the wooden boxes and jumps into the upgradable machines that turns him into freshed-new looking character, wow he looks fantastic in his remastered appearences.

Then you will have 3 selectable games to play on the main menu, which are nicely done.

These games takes place in fictitious Wumpa Islands, South Australia. In first game, the story starts off with evil scientist named Dr. Cortex and his assistant Dr. Nitrus Brio experimenting the new device Evolvo-Ray which are used to mutate most of the animals into beasts with superhuman strength, so they also experimenting on Crash with untested Cortex Vortex until it rejected allowing Crash attempt to escape, while Crash's girlfriend Tawna, who attempting to save Crash, got captured in Cortex's castle. Crash has the mission to stop Dr. Cortex's plans and rescue Tawna.

In second game, it takes place the event after the first game, Dr. Cortex falls towards to lair of dark caverns and discovers glowing crystals as he takes the crystals to his laboratory to examine it. One year later, Crash was living with his sister named Coco as she forces him to get her new battery for her laptop until he abducted by Dr. Cortex instructing him to bring a crystals, while Coco who is suspicious of Cortex's true intentions.

In third game, Dr. Cortex's space station was destroyed by laser beam device and demolished into tropical mountain which causes evil masked Uka Uka, who is Cortex's mastermind, to set free and confront Dr. Cortex's failure to retrieved the crystals and gems. While Uka Uka recruits Doctor Nefarious Tropy to join him and Cortex in their latest plan, they decided to create a time machine that allows the villains to travel through time to find more gems and crystals scattered across the timeline. Meanwhile at the Bandicoot homeland, Aku Aku senses his evil twin brother Uka Uka's dangerous plans and orders Crash and Coco to prevent them from collecting crystals before it's too late.  

I got to say that I really liked the story overall because it's very simplistic and easy to follow the dialogue plot in the game. I also liked the design of the cutscenes are completely re-done giving a cinematic look of the game that fits well on the HD remastered version. The various of the characters are very memorable in the game such as Crash Bandicoot is quite a cool video game protagonist with his awesome personality and his rad appearance, while Dr. Cortex considered to be impressive villain in the series with is sinister plans and comedic humour that made him entertaining. I really liked the level presentation that takes place in different set of locations such as Jungle, Beach, Ruins, Mountains and many more interesting places. Crash Bandicoot has the funniest death animations in the whole game after being attacked by enemies and obstacles or falling of the stages are the best part of the in-game's presentation.

Overall, it has great storyline, cinematic cutscenes, hilarious death animation, memorable characters and excellent level presentation.


Gameplay

You take control of Crash Bandicoot to complete the stages from start to finish which is more like of the linear 3D platform game. Crash has his abilty to jump and spin-attack in first game, while in later game like Cortex Strikes Back allows you to perform slide attack and body slam, which are used for attacking enemies, smashing crates and collect items can be found on the crates such as wumpa fruits, extra lives and protective Aku Aku masks which protect Crash from one single hit from enemy and obstacle. Collecting 100 of wumpa fruits will also gained you extra lives.  There are some different types of crates such as letter C for checkpoint that lets the player resumes the level after losing life, arrow crates which makes Crash bounces on, and the TNT crates makes the things explodes, but the Nitro crates are quite deadly which makes instant kill to Crash, so be careful. You will able to earn the gems by destroying all the crates without dying, so it can be found on hidden levels or alternatives routes. You can also find bonus stages which can be appeared as question mark sign in each stages. You can also earn relic by beating the time limit from time attack mode which can be available after beating each stages. In later game like Warped, you can also earn Crash's new ability by defeating boss, so you can perform any of his ability such as longer spinning attacks, bazooka, double jump and dash which is quite nice edition for later Crash's sequel. These game does shares with great mini game action such as ride stages where you ride with hog, bear and tiger to avoid obstacles, race to finish at motorbike stages, fight out with planes at dogfight stages and of course Coco's jet-ski stages that made the game quite entertaining. You also get to play as Coco for each games which sounds pretty cool to see any playable characters in whole three games.

I got to say the gameplay plays really great with these 3 games because the controlling Crash is pretty playable with left thumbstick are highly recommended for 3D platform game style to make it easier to control, while using d-pad are actually used for someone who preferred the classic style PS1 controls. It's takes awhile to practice the game because sometime Crash may have floaty jump which causes sometime to fall of the stages or accidentally being touched by enemies or obstacles. Despite the levels design are quite well done, some of the stages may have a dodgy hazards objects which causing players to struggle to get past through the level, but practice makes better once you get used with these levels. I really liked the boss battles on each games because each of the boss characters are quite balanced and challenged at the same time. My favourite part of the game is the stage where you have to evade from the rolling boulder is quite epic. I felt that I liked the Crash Bandicoot: Warped a lot better because this game offers new variation of Crash's abilities making it easier to play and it has better level stages, boss battles and motorbike mini-game which makes the game even better in comparison to first two games which are also a great game, but I felt the first game considered to be hardest in the series. I got to say that revisiting same levels from previous are quite useful for collecting relics and gems will adds the replay values of the game which is fantastic for 3D platformers genres.

Overall, It has great gameplay, well done stages, entertaining boss battles, enjoyable mini-games and nice replay values.


Graphics

I got to say that the games developer did a stunning job with these three games with upgraded visuals runs on 1080p (regular PS4 or PS4 slim) to 4K resolution (PS4 Pro model), stellar animation for character design and the level environment has magnificent setting for most of the level locations that fits the theme of the game. It gives a cartoony style of the game that made it more appealing and faithful to classic PS1 trilogy. I also liked the special effects of lighting and contrast in each levels such as the stage is where you have to use fireflies to glow in dark, the beach stage has well made sea water and the snow stage was covered with snow and outstanding icy particles inside the cave.

Overall, it has nice visuals, stellar animation, magnificent environment, and outstanding special effects.


Music and Sounds

I got to admit the original theme song sounds very catchy and memorable with jazz-style soundtrack which fits really well for Crash Bandicoot series, while rest of the soundtrack in all levels sounds really great too. It was originally composed by Josh Mancell from the original PS1 trilogy, while it was was arranged by Vicarious Visions audio team did a perfect job for the N.Sane Trilogy. It has superb sound effects with cartoony style soundworks, atmospheric noises for each stages and of course the voice cast did a amazing job voicing their characters which are completely re-done with newly dialogue from the past actors who originally did their voice from the franchise.

Overall, it has fantastic theme songs, superb sound effects and amazing voice cast for their characters.


Special Features

This game features some replay values such as revisiting same levels for collecting more relics in time attack mode and more gems when destroying all the crates. It features one playable character for all 3 games such as Coco and trophy achievements. It also including additional features for all 3 three games such as unified checkpoints, pause menus and save systems, including both manual and automatic saving, which were first introduced in Warped.



Advantages

Impressive presentation

Memorable characters

Great gameplay

Epic boss battles

Enjoyable mini-games

Stunning graphics

Catchy music

Amazing voice acting

Nice replay values


Disadvantages

Dodgy hazard objects

Floaty Jump


Final Verdict


Presentation 9/10 - Great storyline, cinematic cutscenes, hilarious death animation, memorable characters and excellent level presentation.

Gameplay 9/10 - Great gameplay, well done stages, entertaining boss battles, enjoyable mini-games and nice replay values.

Graphics 9.5/10 - Nice visuals, stellar animation, magnificent environment, and outstanding special effects.

Music and Sounds 9/10 - Fantastic theme songs, superb sound effects and amazing voice cast for their characters

Special Features 9/10 - Replay values, one playable character, trophy achievements and more additional features.


Overall 9/10 - Crash Bandicoot: N.Sane Trilogy is a fantastic video game compilations for all platformers fans should able to enjoy these 3 awesome games from the past. I'm very glad that Vicarious Visions did a wonderful job of remastering these 3 originals trilogy has finally come to PS4 consoles. This is definitely must own game for PS4 owners and I'm still hoping for the developer teams will able to give Spyro The Dragon a PS4 remaster treatment for the future. Overall, Crash Bandicoot: N.Sane Trilogy are by far the best 3D platformer game for my PS4 collection in my opinion.


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