Crash is back on track: Crash of the Titans Xbox 360 demo impressions |
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This blogger just got back after taking Radical Entertainment's Crash of the Titans Xbox 360 demo for a crash test and thought everyone had to hear about the 3D-platformer king's return. Or at least, the dawn of it all. Developers of Crash Tag Team Racing rolled their up their sleeves once more to deliver us what seems to be a worthy entry to the series, and we're quite happy with the results.
Followers of the classic PlayStation Crash Bandicoot games will feel right at home after booting up this title while fans of platforming/action games have a lot to like in our favorite furry's latest adventure. Guns and robotic sidekicks have no place here, because Crash has enough "friends" at his disposal.
Just like how a Crash game can't be without apples, Neo Cortex and Nina Cortex are back to make life difficult for our wacky hero again. The video game starts in a chapter of another good-meets-evil story in which Cortex is trying to use a mysterious substance called "mojo" to control titans and rule the world. The first few minutes of jumping, shimmying, and trying to collect mojo in form of blue orbs that follow were telling us one thing - Crash is finally back!
We can't really blame anyone who calls Crash of the Titans a typical platformer, but acknowledging that isn't necessarily a bad thing. In a nutshell, the wacky bandicoot is back to do what he does best - defying gravity, cheating death, and whacking meanies. The developers did a good job of throwing new features into the mix thereby giving this version a new flavor.
It's obvious that Radical Entertainment has improved every element of an action-packed platformer. The game's topnotch level design becomes obvious as you go through the stage without getting lost, yet still encounter challenging obstacles. Action, whether it involves making leaps of faith or smacking enemies, happens almost non-stop. There's barely any space for players to enjoy the island's breathtaking scenery, but it doesn't get overwhelming.
After a bit of running and jumping, it was finally time we got a taste of combat. What greeted us was a monster, one of the titans, on its fours which was easy enough to tame. Aside from his basic punch-kick combo and trademark spinning move, Crash can also "jack" bigger and badder mojo-inflicted creatures by feeding them apples. Apparently, it's the wooden mask Aku Aku's power that allows him to take dominion over these unfortunate dudes.
Every time you hit an enemy, a star gauge similar to a life bar appears. Hit the limit, then you'll be prompted to press the B button that makes Crash latch onto the enemy and take control of it. Among the critters you'll take hold of is a spiky beast that does some mean melee attacks, one that can enter snipe-mode and shoot things, and a bigger baddie with bad breath. These guys have special attacks available after a gauge that fills up when you hit an enemy goes full, and they do massive damage.
Some parts of the game can't be accessed as Crash on-foot, which is why stronger titans come in handy for breaking barricades. Stashes of mojo are also scattered around the place, and only by self-destructing controlled monsters near them can you open them up. Crash alone without any aid can still do some major damage though, particularly when you acquire a power up that gives him faster speed and makes his attack button do a super-kick for a limited time.
Much like its predecessors, Crash of the Titans is quite linear. We did come across a secret stage where you have to beat enemies within a time limit, but there's not much else to explore. Puzzles are thrown at your bandicoot face, but they come in a good pace and adequate doses. You're jumping from one floating moving platform to another for one moment, shimmying against walls the next, all while collecting orbs and apples.
Looking at Crash of the Titans will instantly take any series fan down the memory lane, as the art design applied to the game is very similar to earlier installments we've seen. Environments are touched with green and other bright colors. In the Xbox 360 version, Crash's attacks while on a titan look spectacular.
From what we've heard, Radical Entertainment collected more than 7,000 lines of dialogue for the game. Crash being in full voice can be a blessing to many, but a curse to some annoyed by its pitch. Other than that, Crash of the Titans has some funky music and tracks that don't distract from actual gameplay. You probably won't find yourself humming to the tunes, but they're good enough.
To sum it all up, our orange hero is back in his full glory. If the entire game is anywhere near as fun as the demo, and it doesn't take less than 10 hours to finish the first time, then Crash of the Titans could very well put Crash back to his throne. Of course, we'd love to see more epic stages and challenging boss fights that made earlier Crash Bandicoot titles so good. Keep in mind that we only got our hands on the 360 version though, and other platforms may have something different to offer.
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Comments [refresh]
Ever since Naughty Dog sold this franchise, I never played a single Crash Bandicoot game anymore. Naught Dog build this franchise only to end up degraded by Traveller's Tales. I never tried any series that are developed by Radical Entertainment yet.
Right now, I am into Jak and Daxter. I wish Jak and Daxter will have a sequel. I might give this a rent and see how Radical Entertainment will live up to its promises.
It's nice to see them getting back to the simple platformy roots, but there are a few new mechanics that whilst they work on th surface of the demo, I'm pretty they pull it off as subtly and cutesy as naughty dog always seemed to manage.
I'm a bit behind on Jax and Daxter but haven't their been 10 odd sequels, ps2, and psp? Or are you referring to the new PS3 exclusive that I'd trade my mattress to be able to play
Should have never sold the rights to Crash Alot Of People Grew up Playing That Game And For Me Thats what Got Me To Respect Naughty Dog
Shouldn't of sold the rights, The first 3 Crash Games were soo popular that he was even named Sonys Un-Official Mascot! Damn Universal for bumping up the price and causing Naughty Dog to lose the rights, yeah, they get more money now, but the games are Multi-Platform and utter crap!
So it seems most of us who cares are big fans of Naughty Dog huh? Nice...