Flawed Masterpiece.
If you want to experience the best graphics, aesthetics, level design, gameplay, gameplay variety, and overall best platforming of any classic Crash Bandicoot game then you will... for about four hours. Crash four is so wildly insecure about its lack of content that it feels the need to bloat every singe aspect of the game: six gems per level, time trials, alternate versions of levels, new gems in alternate versions of levels, relics for collecting five gems at once, flashback tapes, and relics within said flashback tapes. It is safe to say that only the obsessed hold that platinum trophy. The obsessed like me, as I got to 106% on this game twice! No: I don't know what I'm doing with my life.
The amount of obvious padding in this game is shocking, and it is very hard to judge the game without the optional content, as the game is far too short without it. Honestly, if the N. verted stages were merely optional filters without collectables hidden behind them, and the N. Sanely perfect relics were removed(or at least not necessary for 106%), then I wouldn't complain. The main game needed to be really good for this tedious collection to be tolerable. Fortunately, it was.
Crash 4 did such a good job reviving the dated gameplay from the PS1 classics and making it acceptable for the current generation that it is inspiring. The beautiful levels of Crash 4 are given so much variety by the quantum masks and new playable characters. The levels of this game are much more lengthy and substantial than those found in the N. Sane Trilogy, and the levels manage to be very distinct from other crash games by making use of some much more inventive themes: Off Beat may just be my new favorite level in any Crash game. The moment-to-moment gameplay of Crash 4 is so strong that it really makes me wish I could regard the game higher.
Lastly, I want to talk about the two aspects of the game which I consider weaker than in N. Sane. Firstly, the music. Crash 4's music is fine, there are definitely a few stand-out tracks, but this game's music just lacks the punch and variety from the original trilogy. Second, the boss fights. Crash 4 blows its load far too early by opening with the best boss fight in Crash history, the rest of the roster simply cannot keep up: boss 2 is good, boss 3 is bad, and bosses 4 and 5 are fine except that they don't really feel like boss fights at all. N. Sane was much better for this.
So, in conclusion: This game is definitely worth at least one playthrough, 100% is worth it, 106% isn't, and the N. Sane Trilogy is better don't @ me.
If you want to experience the best graphics, aesthetics, level design, gameplay, gameplay variety, and overall best platforming of any classic Crash Bandicoot game then you will... for about four hours. Crash four is so wildly insecure about its lack of content that it feels the need to bloat every singe aspect of the game: six gems per level, time trials, alternate versions of levels, new gems in alternate versions of levels, relics for collecting five gems at once, flashback tapes, and relics within said flashback tapes. It is safe to say that only the obsessed hold that platinum trophy. The obsessed like me, as I got to 106% on this game twice! No: I don't know what I'm doing with my life.
The amount of obvious padding in this game is shocking, and it is very hard to judge the game without the optional content, as the game is far too short without it. Honestly, if the N. verted stages were merely optional filters without collectables hidden behind them, and the N. Sanely perfect relics were removed(or at least not necessary for 106%), then I wouldn't complain. The main game needed to be really good for this tedious collection to be tolerable. Fortunately, it was.
Crash 4 did such a good job reviving the dated gameplay from the PS1 classics and making it acceptable for the current generation that it is inspiring. The beautiful levels of Crash 4 are given so much variety by the quantum masks and new playable characters. The levels of this game are much more lengthy and substantial than those found in the N. Sane Trilogy, and the levels manage to be very distinct from other crash games by making use of some much more inventive themes: Off Beat may just be my new favorite level in any Crash game. The moment-to-moment gameplay of Crash 4 is so strong that it really makes me wish I could regard the game higher.
Lastly, I want to talk about the two aspects of the game which I consider weaker than in N. Sane. Firstly, the music. Crash 4's music is fine, there are definitely a few stand-out tracks, but this game's music just lacks the punch and variety from the original trilogy. Second, the boss fights. Crash 4 blows its load far too early by opening with the best boss fight in Crash history, the rest of the roster simply cannot keep up: boss 2 is good, boss 3 is bad, and bosses 4 and 5 are fine except that they don't really feel like boss fights at all. N. Sane was much better for this.
So, in conclusion: This game is definitely worth at least one playthrough, 100% is worth it, 106% isn't, and the N. Sane Trilogy is better don't @ me.