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Yo!
It's finally here! After reading about this game for months, seeing all of those
glorious screen shots and playing a teaser version at E3 I finally got my chance
to play the completed version of Sony's new mascot, Crash Bandicoot! Does it
live up to the hype??? Well to be honest with you, no it doesn't. Crash is a
3D platform game set on an island (actually three islands to be exact). The
purpose is to run around on different levels breaking boxes that contain a
variety of things from apples (when you get 99 of them you get an extra life),
to voodoo masks (for extra protection), to extra lives. The ultimate goal is to
get to the third island, defeat the evil Dr. Neo Cortex (I can't help but wonder
if that big 'N' on his forehead is intended to mean something other than
Neo...), and rescue your girlfriend Tawna. You start the game on the sandy
shores of island number one and must progress through increasingly difficult
levels and sub-bosses on each island until you finally reach Neo some 26 levels
later.
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Woah!!
Ultra-high resolution graphics. Now this is what the playstation is really
capable of executing! Hardly any pixelation to be found in the game. I was
spellbound by the graphic beauty of this game. All of Crash's moves are smooth
and the background scrolls by seamlessly. The attention to detail is
incredible. Light-sourcing to this extent has not yet been seen in ANY game.
When Crash walks in a dark area his whole body is shadowed. As he walks back
into the light, the darkness leaves his body...piece by piece. When he walks
into a cave beams of light come trickling through. Simply awesome and just wait
until you see the water levels...There are many different perspectives depending
on which level you are on. Some of the levels are your typical side scolling
but most levels consist of you controlling Crash in, out and all around the
screen. There is a bit of polygon clipping with Crash and the background
environment, but this is minimal and does not detract from the game in any way.
Overall, Naughty Dog has indeed taken the platform game to a new level!
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The
sound effects are absolutely amazing. Everthing has been flawlessly executed
and carried out. The sounds are crisp and clear and quite amusing. My only
complaint here is that Crash doesn't have all that much to say except for an
occasional "yee haw!" when he defeats a sub-boss...The music is
wonderful too. Very catchy title tune and atmospheric music to match each
level. All of the music is midi based and not streamed off the disc via redbook
audio. Very impressive stuff.
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Lot's
of levels and different strategies for each level make this game very enjoyable.
The gameplay mechanics are performed extreemly well and become second nature
after the first level. Each level contains a special gem that can only be
collected by finishing each round flawlessly (no loss of life AND breaking all
of the boxes). The game can be completed without doing this, but you will not
get a 100% complete or a special ending without doing so. Many boxes on the
levels are hidden and can only be accessed by obtaining a colored gem from a
later levels. You are than permitted to go back to the earlier level and find
the secret gem paths where the hidden boxes are located. Make no mistake, this
game is not a cake walk! Just to save the game you are playing requires you to
find three icons of Tawna and then reach her in the bonus round! I really enjoy
playing Crash and will probably not soon tire of it. Tons of fun!!
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A
really excellent platform game, perhaps one of the best ever made. But very few
games ever manage to live up to the hype...This one comes close though. Here,
in addition to building up this game as a "competition killer" you
have the introduction of a new Playstation mascot title to boot. The former is
where it falls a little short of expectations. This title will probably sell by
the bucket loads, as it should, but I would not rank it up there with Mario
64...sorry (although the graphics will certainly give it a run for it's money!).
It is certainly nice though to see Sony grasp a new mascot for their wonderful
system. Naughty Dog is already hinting at a Crash 2 and maybe this time it will
be a true unrestrictive 3D environment. But for those of you that like platform
games, this one is a MUST BUY. It's fun, fast and it's got attitude!!
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TOM |
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GRAPHICS: |
Brilliant |
A
whole hell of a lot of fun to play. I am currently trying to beat the game with
all of the gems... |
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SOUND: |
Brilliant |
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PLAYABILITY: |
Brilliant |
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VALUE: |
Brilliant |
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OVERALL
9/10 |
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MARTIN |
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GRAPHICS: |
Brilliant |
Superb
graphics and sound are slightly spoilt by frustrating gameplay. |
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SOUND: |
Brilliant |
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PLAYABILITY: |
Good |
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VALUE: |
Good |
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OVERALL
8/10 |
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