Blasting through the TNT and spinning spirals through Wumpa swamps, water races and other hallucinogenic worlds that bring Tiki idols to life, Crash is back in a re-mastered masterpiece that leaves no stone unturned.
The legendary trilogy originally developed by Naughty Dog left us awe inspired at the way our remotes would fly across the room in frustration as you pounce, run, spin and thrash your way through an unforgiving world in quest of crystals, gems and relics.
It had to be done at some point, the original version was a PlayStation 1 best seller so, and it was an obvious decision to re-master the epic game harnessing the power of the almighty PlayStation 4.
It's the work of developer; Vicarious Visions and they have pulled all the stops out to keep Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy aesthetically similar and responding with much the same look and feel of the original series.
Are Re-Mastered Games Ever Better?
Well if you look at it from a holistic standpoint then the answer is yes and no. Re-mastered versions may be able to bring the graphics to life in an eye candy-popping affair, but the original sometimes demands the kind of nostalgia that makes you yearn for the glitch like gameplay and pixelated graphics, which made the game so special in the first place.
There's no denying that gaming tech has seen huge growth and development. With the power of a PS4, you have a world that looks realistic and sucks you in, immersing you in game-play and leaving your brain perplexed at what just happened exactly. It's the new processing power coupled with the memory and chip sets that make the new consoles shine brightly like never before.
The Visual Update In Crash
The really interesting part of Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is that Vicarious Visions re-mastered the game in HD yet left the visuals very similar to the original series. Even though you can tell the graphics are improved and the overall style slightly more modern, the game feels and plays like the original series and that's a pretty tough feat to accomplish in any re-mastered game.
The developers have brought Crash back to life and you will be surprised as to their focus. Vicarious Visions have re-mastered the game and the visual update in Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy lies in the lush vegetation, the fiery pits and the world around Crash himself, which includes a stunning array of futuristic City's and temple ruins.
What's even more complimentary on the developer's behalf is that these visuals never distract you from the game's objective and our red dog, Crash who battles his way through every re-mastered level in a stunning performance. The visual updates aren't distracting at all and only compliment the game. It's a wicked sensation that leaves you playing through the original but in the future.
Cortex Strikes Back Still Tops
Arguably the best of the lot in the original series and even now in the re-mastered version of the game, Cortex Strikes Back will leave your jaw dropping once more in a stunning reworked version.
With the trilogy focused and centred on Crash it's a nice breath away from the usual game play. Cortex Strikes back serves up a hot slice of challenging core platforming coupled with additional objectives, secret levels, death routes, and elusive extra gems. It's as fun as online betting in Australia, but requires a bit more strategy.
The reworked instalment keeps to the original theme of the overall original trilogy where the insane difficulty makes your eyes tear up at the very thought of trying another time, simply because that last time was supposed to be it. The re-mastered Cortex Strikes Back leaves you with the same emotion but gives you hope that all it will take is just one more try. It's a good balance in challenging game-play.
Rounding Up With Warped
Like the original series the final instalment that finishes the new trilogy off is Warped. It's Crash Bandicoot Warped and it's a wicked twist in game-play. Well it's a twist with far less difficulty. Warped offers extended level like game-play that made the idea of thrashing a red through various levels fun and exciting.
The levels can become boring offering no level of difficulty whatsoever but they are a lot of fun to play through. The vehicle levels are particularly fun but can leave the entire experience pointless if you are looking for a Cortex like level of engagement. The most important aspect of Warped is the fun nature that surrounds the game and the reason why it's still revered as one of the greatest games in history.
It's bold, it's brilliant, most of all it's timeless and it deserves an 8 out of 10!