Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time | |
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![]() Cover art, featuring Coco (left) and Crash (center) | |
Developer(s) | Toys for Bob[a] |
Publisher(s) | Activision |
Writer(s) | Mandy Benanav |
Composer(s) | Walter Mair |
Series | Crash Bandicoot |
Engine | Unreal Engine 4 |
Platform(s) | |
Release | October 2, 2020 |
Genre(s) | Platform |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer[2] |
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is an upcoming platform game, under development by Toys for Bob, and to be published by Activision. The game will be the eighth main installment in the Crash Bandicoot series, a sequel to the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, and the fourth game chronologically, taking place after the events of Crash Bandicoot: Warped.[3][4][5] The game's story sees both Crash Bandicoot and his sister Coco facing against their old nemesis Doctor Neo Cortex as he sets forth on a new scheme to conquer a multiverse of dimensions scattered across time and space.
The game will feature new elements to the traditional gameplay of the series, including masks that can alter levels and provide means to traverse or overcome obstacles, additional game modes for replaying levels, and the ability to control five characters in the game, three of whom will have their own unique gameplay and levels. The game is due to be released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on October 2, 2020.[6][7]
Gameplay
It's About Time places players in control of five playable characters as they traverse multiple levels, each filled with enemies, crates, wumpa fruit and hazards, with the objective being to get from the start point to the goal as with the original trilogy.[8] The game features two different game modes for players to engage in: Retro Mode, which focuses on the use of limited lives that require players to find additional ones during levels and forces them to restart a level should they run out; and Modern Mode, which features unlimited lives and a death counter. In addition, levels feature two separate variations, each of which features their own layout of hazards, enemies and objects - main story and "alternate timeline".
Main story levels focus on players controlling Crash and Coco, both of whom use identical movesets such as spinning and sliding, alongside new moves to the series such as wall running. In these levels, the characters are aided further by special masks, each of which is rescued during the story and who offers their powers - each level features at least one such mask being available to help traverse obstacles during certain segments, appearing before the player enters and leaving when the segment is traversed. Each mask has a specific property that dictates how it can help players overcome obstacles - for example, phasing objects in and out of existence.[9] Alternate timeline levels focus on players controlling one of three other playable characters during these levels: Doctor Neo Cortex, Dingodile, and Tawna. Each character features their own unique playstyle and moves to overcoming obstacles and completing their levels. Cortex makes use of a raygun that not only can be used to attack, but which can be used to transform enemies into platforms - both solid and bouncy - along with being able to perform a forward dash. Dingodile primarily makes use of vacuum gun, which can be used to suck up and fire enemies and objects. Tawna, while maintaining some moves used by Crash and Coco, makes use of a grappling hook to hit objects from long distances.[10][11]
Levels feature a variety of gems that can be collected - alongside smashing all the crates in a level, gems can be found in hidden in the scenery, and also from collecting three increasingly significant amounts of wumpa fruit during a playthrough. Collecting gems unlocks outfits for Crash and Coco, which players can switch to at any time during the game.[12] Players can also collect VHS tapes in levels that unlock bonus Flashback levels, taking place before the events of the original game.[13] Levels can be replayed in order to complete any remaining gem challenges, undertake time trials - focusing on reaching the goal in the quickest time, with aid of special crates - or completing them in N. Verted mode - a mirrored version with unique properties, such as taking place underwater or being a blank canvas that needs to be painted.
Plot
Following their defeat at the hands of Crash Bandicoot, Doctor Neo Cortex and Doctor Nefarious Tropy face the furious wrath of Uka Uka, an ancient and evil witch doctor mask. As he berates them for their failure and for their recent scheme trapping them in the past, the pair watch as his outbursts cause him to inadvertently unleash a shockwave of energy that rips open a hole in the fabric of space and time. While Uka Uka passes out as a result, N.Tropy discovers that the hole links their universe to the multiverse, leading Cortex to decide that they use this to conquer their dimension and all other dimensions.
Aku Aku, Uka Uka's twin brother, senses the disturbance in space and time and quickly realises what has happened. He enlists Crash and his sister Coco to venture across the multiverse and combat the chaos Cortex is creating, in order to find the Quantum Masks - four ancient witch doctor masks that have great power over space and time, and who are the only ones that can help restore order. During their adventures, the pair quickly run across an parallel version of Tawna, Crash's old girlfriend, who offers her help while undertaking an adventure of her own. At the same time, Dingodile, who recently retired from villiany to run his own restaurant, finds himself caught up in the chaos when his business is burned down and he is sucked into the multiverse by a spacial disruption.[4][5]
Development
The game was teased on June 18, 2020, when several reporters were sent a jigsaw puzzle that revealed a new, mysterious mask character. The following day, a Taiwan Digital Game Rating Committee filed a rating for the game, revealing the title, box art, a short plot synopsis and the game's developer, Toys for Bob.[14] Powered by Unreal Engine 4, it was announced during the Summer Game Fest on June 22.[15][16]
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time was written by Mandy Benanav and features a score composed by Walter Mair.[17][18]
References
- Notes
- References
- ^ Beenox [@BeenoxTeam] (22 June 2020). "Congratulations to @ToysForBob for announcing Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, happy to be part of the supporting team!" (Tweet). Retrieved 22 June 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Crash Bandicoot™ 4: It's About Time". PlayStation Store. Sony. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
- ^ Dornbush, Jonathon (22 June 2020). "Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time First Gameplay, Details Revealed". IGN. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ a b Grixti, Shannon (22 June 2020). "We Spoke To The Crash 4 Developers About Crash's New Look". Press Start. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ a b Holt, Kris (22 June 2020). "Crash Bandicoot 4 pretends the PS2-era games never happened". Engadget. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
- ^ Crash Bandicoot™ 4: It’s About Time Announcement Trailer, retrieved 25 June 2020
- ^ Takahashi, Dean (22 June 2020). "Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is coming October 2". VentureBeat. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ Wesley Yin-Poole (22 June 2020). "Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time officially announced with debut trailer". www.eurogamer.net.
- ^ https://www.gameinformer.com/2020/09/11/an-exclusive-look-at-crash-bandicoot-4-its-about-time
- ^ Holmes, Mike (6 August 2020). "Dingodile will be playable in Crash Bandicoot 4". Gamereactor. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- ^ Nadelberg, Josh (8 September 2020). "Tawna Gameplay revealed for Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time". PlayStation Blog. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ https://support.activision.com/crash-bandicoot-4/articles/crash-bandicoot-4-it-s-about-time-faq
- ^ https://www.ign.com/articles/crash-bandicoot-4-its-about-times-flashback-levels-revealed
- ^ "Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time rated for PS4, Xbox One in Taiwan". Gematsu. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ "Official PlayStation Podcast Episode 373: Crash and the Boys". 31 July 2020.
- ^ Fingas, Jon. "Crash Bandicoot 4 will be revealed tomorrow at 11AM ET". Engadget. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ Benanav, Mandy [@mandybtweeting] (22 June 2020). "So uh, you might have figured this out by now but... I'm writing the new Crash Bandicoot. I loved these games as a kid so I guess all I can say is: whoa! 🙀🙀🙀" (Tweet). Retrieved 26 June 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Furu, Eirik Hyldbakk (24 July 2020). "The Good and Bad After Playing Crash Bandicoot 4". Gamereactor.
External links
- Activision games
- Crash Bandicoot games
- Cooperative video games
- Multiplayer and single-player video games
- Platform games
- PlayStation 4 games
- Toys for Bob games
- Unreal Engine games
- Upcoming video games scheduled for 2020
- Video game sequels
- Video games developed in the United States
- Video games featuring parallel universes
- Xbox One games