Game:

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy (2017)

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Review

Duration: 9:55

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As someone who played the first three Crash Bandicoot games over and over again, the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy delivers exactly what I wanted. The platforming, for better and occasionally worse, retains the demanding, and punishing challenge of the originals coated in a polished, modern sheen that makes even the most familiar levels feel fresh.And just as Naughty Dog’s original trilogy sucked me in years ago, Vicarious Visions’ remakes have me itching to collect every crystal, gem, and relic yet again.That’s in large part due to the impeccable technical work Vicarious Visions has done in retaining the tough but rewarding platforming of Naughty Dog’s original trilogy, while drastically updating everything around that foundation.The HD visual upgrade isn’t a matter of smoothing over some rough edges and tweaking lighting. All three entries have the glow of a Saturday morning cartoon, with jungle foliage more lush, fire and water effects more dazzling, and futuristic cityscapes glowing with — though never distracting enough to make me lose more lives — and everything from futuristic city scapes to temple ruins glow with a beauty I didn’t expect.And Vicarious Visions has smartly made the visual update matter to the gameplay as well. Enemies who may have previously been difficult to read now have better tells that don’t rob the experience of its difficulty. I can remember angrily throwing my controller as a kid after encountering the flamethrower-toting lab assistants of Cortex Strikes Back or the spiky-headed lizards of Warped. The remakes improve on their designs, however, to make any of my deaths absolutely my fault, not the game’s.The trilogy sounds better than ever too, thanks to an HD update to Crash’s soundtrack, which has always been an infectious earworm of drums and marimba. While not the exact same tracks as the original game, the new score captures the soul and energy so well that I seriously need this soundtrack on its own now. But it’s the little touches that really impressed me this time around. The way the patter of Crash’s footsteps changes from sand to concrete, or Polar’s yelps mixing with the cries of whales bring the wacky, weird, and beautiful levels to life.Even with the facelift, the original Crash Bandicoot is easily the weakest of the bunch. Crash’s limited moveset allows for less intricate, and interesting levels. And the overreliance on waves of enemies rather than platforming challenges makes for a much more repetitive experience, especially when put side-by-side with Cortex Strikes Back and Warped.There’s still fun to be had with the original entry, though, and it’s easy to see the solid foundation on which the next two games were built. And Vicarious does include some needed quality of life tweaks like box counters and time trials that make for a more fleshed out experience. But for those jumping into the trilogy for the first time, the original Crash won’t leave the best first impression.Having years to reflect on
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Source: http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/06/29/crash-bandicoot-n-sane-trilogy-review

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