Topic: User Impressions/Reviews Thread

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Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time (Impressions after 4 hours)

It’s about time I talked about Crash Bandicoot 4. I have wanted to play this game since its release in September 2020. So, when it launched as a part of PS Plus Essential’s monthly games for July 2022, I jumped at the opportunity to try it out.

“Only if this f*cking camera!”

This was my first time playing a Crash Bandicoot game and I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I knew the games were renowned for their difficulty — less to do with figuring out the way forward and more to do with landing precise jumps — but not much else. I figured that since I had played and beat Celeste, maybe Crash 4 wouldn’t be so much of a challenge. Boy was I wrong.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is not an easy game. At first glance, the jumps look simple enough to make. Enemies and hazardous objects are clearly visible, leaving it up to the player’s skill to decide whether they can move forward or not. Simple enough right?

Well for veterans of the series it might be, but for someone like me who has never played a Crash Bandicoot game — or any hardcore 3D platformer for that matter — there was one obnoxious obstacle to overcome. The camera.

3D platforming just doesn’t come so easily. Depth is a big issue here, and on many occasions, I was unable to tell how far into the environment I was jumping. Another stumbling block of the behind-the-back is the player’s ability to judge speed. Since Crash is moving “into the screen”, it is hard to tell how fast he is moving. This can lead to the player overshooting or undershooting their target, without being able to do anything about it.

At first, I revelled in this newfound challenge. It was annoying for sure, especially given that I had to restart from the previous checkpoint — and not from the beginning of the room like in Celeste (a game that you will see me referencing many times despite their vast differences). But I found myself persevering, again and again, to clear the single jump that was holding me back.

Unfortunately, for me at least, as I progressed further into the game, my gripes with the camera and my inability to adjust to its unique characteristics meant with each death I was becoming more frustrated with the game. While previously I followed each death by slamming the side of my first into my desk, I now found myself simply saving the game, and playing something instead.

Crash 4’s camera just went from a mildly infuriating nuisance to a serious put-off.

When it works, it works.

I know I just rambled about the annoying camera, but let me go ahead and contradict some of that. When Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time works, then oh boy does it work. Some levels can be played swiftly and fluidly. Spinning into a clump of crates transitions fluidly into a jump over a pool of water. It’s in these moments that Crash 4 shines. The game manages to keep hold of its difficulty and challenge without the camera inhibiting the player from fairly attempting these jumps.

Crash 4’s camera is also not a hindrance during the game’s side-scrolling sections. While these usually consist of simple enough jumps, they are spiced up with level-specific features like vines to swing on and fires to slide under. They may not be as challenging as the normal sections, but they provide a nice change of pace from Crash 4’s more frustrating moments.

I enjoyed the boat driving sections in this game. Crash moves much faster here, and while both interactivity and challenge take a nose dive in these parts, just like the side-scrolling sections, they serve as an oddly serene and slow moment that at times is much appreciated in a game like this.

My first exposure to Crash Bandicoot in the form of actually playing it and not watching a video was in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, where Nate challenges Elena saying he can beat her high score. You got to play a level of the original Crash Bandicoot game from 1996, and it was one where you were running towards the camera and seemingly out of the screen — a chase sequence if you will.

And while I don’t have any strong memories about that experience, it was forgetful if you will, that is certainly not the case with Crash 4’s very own chase sequences. These sequences require quick reactions and split-second decision-making, much like some of Celeste’s later levels where you don’t know what jump or obstacle is coming up next.

Crash 4 throws almost everything in the book at you here, all the while ensuring Crash moves at a rapid pace. These sequences were one of the most enjoyable and memorable parts of the game, and I wish they took place more often.

Visually stunning environments.

The environments that play host to Crash Bandicoot 4’s levels are simply beautiful. I reached the game’s 4th main level, Tranquility Falls, and I have to say every single level before and this one included has some of the most jaw-dropping environments of any game I have had the honour to play.

Each island is visually distinct and has a charm of its own, from the tropical forests and sandy beaches of N.Sanity Island to the loud mechanical mines of The Hazardous Wastes. But my personal favourite was the pirate-themed Salty Wharf.

Just take a gander yourself:

Isn’t it a sight to behold? The use of colour makes everything POP! out of the background, with the precise path laid out between wonky shapes and crazy designs bringing order to the seeming chaos. Everything just seems so random but works so well in practice.

The Salty Wharf introduces you to this village area by bringing you out of the starting cave on a grind rail that dips and flows through the crests and troughs between rock and house. With nothing but water underneath you, Crash 4 forces you to pay attention and keep your fingers on the buttons, making every glimpse you get of this awe-inspiring sight more worth it than the last. And, if you kept on dying like me, you get to do it all over again.

A twist on boss battles.

Just like every game in existence, Crash 4 features boss battles. Celeste was a game where I did not want there to be boss battles, and the ones that were there certainly weren’t my favourite parts of the game. I felt adding boss battles to a platformer took away from the game’s real appeal — the platforming.

But, in Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, I goddamn loved the boss battles. At least the two which I played — Dr N. Gin at the end of The Hazardous Wastes island and Louise at the end of the Salty Wharf island. Both were fun because they were more about the platforming aspects of the game than about actually fighting the boss.

My favourite of the two? The Dr N. Gin fight.

This boss battle sees you having to jump, slide, and spin your way through three different waves of enemies, running forward and spinning into the boss after each wave was outlasted. This was fun because you were partaking in fast and fluid platforming, not boring combat in the move-hit-move-hit form.

And just like all other levels in the game, the stage for this elaborate dance was exquisitely crafted and stunning to look at. I seriously cannot understate the creativity and passion the designers at Toys For Bob put into the creation of this game's tens of levels and enemies. They are some of the most visually diverse and interesting I have ever seen.

Odd choice of progression.

Before we wrap up, let me quickly talk about the game’s progression system. Or should I say its lack of one? Well, maybe that’s not entirely true. Crash Bandicoot 4 has a progression system. It’s just that it’s insanely difficult to move through it.

Crash 4’s progression system comes in the form of new skins for Crash and Coco. These can be unlocked by, wait for it, collecting all 6 gems in each level. But it’s not so straightforward because to earn each gem you have to complete each of these challenges. Gameranx has them listed out for us:

• 20% Wumpa Fruit Collected
• 40% Wumpa Fruit Collected
• 80% Wumpa Fruit Collected
• 100% Crates Smashed
• Die No More Than 3 Times
• Find Hidden Gem

That means to unlock a new skin for Crash or Coco, you have to play through the level as them and basically 100% every aspect of it while finding the hidden gem and not dying more than 3 times. For someone playing the game for the first time, this is a steep hill to climb, and one that most players won’t be willing to do.

This meant that 4 levels or 4 hours into the game, I was still playing as Crash and Coco with their default skins. To some extent, I understand why Toys For Bob did this. It rewards the most skilled and dedicated players for thoroughly beating each level. But the vast majority of people who either don’t want to or are unable to pull this off, are left with no form of progression regardless of how far into the game they are.

. . .

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time seems like great fun. The platforming is fluid, the environments are gorgeous, and the levels engaging. But the iconic marsupial’s latest outing is not without its flaws. A frustrating camera, some steep difficulty curves, and an almost non-existent progression system prevented it from really clicking with me.

I have my gripes with Crash Bandicoot 4, and while I enjoyed most of my arguably limited time with it, it wasn’t enough to stop me from putting down my controller and not returning to it for weeks.

For now, the game is behind me. But I look forward to a point in future when I realise it’s about time I returned to Crash Bandicoot 4.

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Bonus review time! With the 2002 World Cup on the horizon, EA Canada, of SSX fame, led a team of two other studios to develop a game based on the forthcoming tournament. The first of these was Software Creations, known for the many cult classics developed by the Follin brothers such as Silver Surfer, Ken Griffey Jr’s MLB, and Spider-Man & Venom: Maximum Carnage. The second studio was Intelligent Games, known for rather less classic titles like Lego Stunt Rally and Tweenies: Game Time. So does this game justify this trio of eclectic developers? It’s hard to say.

Presentation-wise, the game opens with a fittingly epic intro full of pomp and bombast. This, and the whole game in fact, is accompanied by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, which gives it more of a Quidditch World Cup vibe than the real World Cup. Not enough drunk English fans slurring their way through Sweet Caroline. The graphics are largely unchanged from FIFA 2002, although the World Cup stylings throughout the menu and match intros bump it up a notch.

In terms of gameplay… well it’s odd. While controls are identical to FIFA 2002, the faster pace and steep learning curve feel more like the later FIFA 2003. The power bar’s issues remain as well, with the same miniscule difference between the ball trickling across the grass and the ball flying directly into some poor sop in Row G’s nachos. I’m not convinced that you can ever really get to grips with the gameplay on higher difficulties (I played on Professional difficulty, the second highest).

Before we get into Scotland’s shot at glory, a quick aside about the tournament in question. The 2002 Japan/Korea World Cup was one of the most controversial in history. Refereeing in particular was questionable at best, utterly corrupt at worst. Take the Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno for example, who officiated the South Korea v Italy match. He completely ignored several violent actions from South Korean players while sending off Francesco Totti for a dive despite being about 40 yards away. This is the same man who was caught and jailed after smuggling 6 kilograms of heroin through JFK Airport in his underwear. To say it was one hell of a strange tournament is an understatement. However, this game was released before the tournament and so doesn’t actually resemble the tournament in the slightest. No dodgy referees and a sense of optimism make the video game a more palatable way to relive this World Cup!

Seeing as Scotland didn’t actually qualify for the World Cup in 2002, it’s a stroke of good luck that they’re even in this game. In fact, they’re one of only nine teams featured that didn’t qualify. This does mean that another team must have missed out when Scotland were drawn into a group though. The other three teams in Group G were Japan, Russia and Tunisia. Luck was clearly on my side. It’s important to note that Scotland’s team in this game is utterly dire however, with the highest rated player being Barry Ferguson, a man seemingly made up of 95% cured ham. Our chances were slim even in one of the worst groups in World Cup history.

The first match of the group stage was against Japan. Attempting to get to grips with the engine changes from FIFA 2002 meant this match was a drab affair involving Scottish players passing the ball to nowhere and shots flying towards the corner flag. Luckily, the Japanese AI also apparently didn’t understand the rules of football. Thanks to a lucky strike from Hammy Ferguson, Scotland went top of the group with 3 points.

Next up was Tunisia. The less said about the 0-0 draw, the better. Embarassing. This meant that the final match with Russia would have to be a victory to ensure a place in the round of 16. Thankfully, the stars aligned and 2 incredibly scrappy goals were all it took to make sure Scotland went into the knockout stages after topping their group.

In the round of 16, Scotland’s opponents were China. Yes, China. Authenticity is not a selling point for this game. Needless to say, the goalkeeper was not challenged. One goal was all it took to see them off. Unfortunately, the draw for the quarter-finals landed us with France. The France team that included Henry, Zidane, Thuram, Trezeguet, amidst many, many others. Trezeguet was still on my kill list from FIFA 2002 and so this was a must-win game for multiple reasons. While Henry came incredibly close to ending Scotland’s dream early on, half-time approached with the score level. It would take a miracle to edge out the France squad. The messiah came in the form of Mark Burchill, who my mum actually knew growing up as she made her First Communion alongside his older brother, funnily enough. His slightly unrealistic volley in the 74th minute meant we just had to hold on. When the final whistle blew to signal our advancement to the semi-finals, I scratched Trezeguet’s name off my kill list. He will forever have to live with the shame of being beaten by a team which resembled Madame Tussaud’s after a chemical fire.

Lo and behold, our semi-final opponents were Brazil. The real-life winners of the tournament and the one dry patch in a wet fart of a World Cup. It first looked as if dreams would come true after the Ham Man himself, Barry Ferguson, scored a stunning strike from outside the box. Alas, the clearly much better Rivaldo ended that dream with two clinical finishes. The journey was over. Until the third-place play-off!

Our one shot at any sort of glory in the World Cup pitted us against a fantastic Croatian side. The fans held their collective breath. The mascots covered their eyes. The odd noodle shaped wobbly things you get at petrol stations stood still. 90 minutes later, Scotland collected their third-place medals thanks to good old Mark Burchill scoring two admittedly horrible goals. To be fair, this was a supremely terrible side finishing in third place in the most prestigious tournament in the world. You wouldn’t see this in real life. So who played in the third-place match in 2002? South Korea and Turkey. Perhaps this game is more realistic than first thought.

So could you recommend this game in 2022? Honestly, not really. While the World Cup 98 game is a classic thanks to Blur's Song 2 and being able to play as all 172 FIFA-registered teams, this game restricts you to a select few unqualified teams and omits the qualification process entirely. It certainly doesn't justify the 'dream team' of developers working on it. I expect we'll see improvements being made in FIFA 2003 however, as we move onto a new and refined gameplay style!

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Well it took me over three months and 68 hours of playtime but I've finally finished Persona 3: Portable on Vita. There's so much I want to say about this game but I'll start with the positives first.

Considering this was the first Persona game with the formula we know today, it was a good first effort. You hang out with friends after school and battle monsters in dungeons, just like in the recent entries. The characters were interesting as you'd expect from a Persona game and the story was gripping enough to keep me going until the end. Furthermore, the soundtrack is definitely on par with Persona 4 and 5's soundtracks in terms of quantity and quality. This is definitely one aspect of the game I can say was just as good as the later entries.

Then there are the other aspects of the game. First off, I thought the story was decent enough. However, the main issue I had with it was that it took a long time before anything major happened. To sum up the story, there's an additional hour called the "Dark Hour" that occurs after midnight that only a certain number of individuals are able to observe, the so called SEES group that you're part of. Other people are unconscious during this time. During the Dark Hour, monsters come out from another world and the SEES' job is to eradicate them in order to prevent everyone from turning into zombies.

The story started out interesting, but it wasn't until halfway through the game that it established the villains of the story. For over 30 hours, you're just repeating the same pattern of defeating monsters and saving people without a goal in sight. This is what bothered me about the story, it just doesn't set things up well enough to keep you constantly motivated.

Then we have the social events of the game. In the later Persona games, you go on camping trips, to the beach during summer vacation, to field trips, to skiing trips and experience events like culture festival, beauty pageants and a concert that your group perform. In Persona 3 Portable, there are very few events like this throughout the story. You go just as expected on a trip to the beach during summer as well as a school trip to Kyoto. That's it. Those are the only major events that you do together with your friends and school during this 70 hour long adventure. There was even supposed to be a culture festival but they cancelled it because of a typhoon in the game. How convenient.

The lack of social events and things to distract you definitely worsened the experience a lot for me. After beating the monthly boss, you have 30 days of just doing social links over and over again. It felt just too repetitive, barely anything different happened during these 30 days. Very little story scenes, next to no social events, barely any interactions with your team members, it was just so stale. Just hang out with friends for 30 days, beat a boss, rinse and repeat.

It doesn't sound that bad, but it is. The social links in Persona 3 Portable are nowhere near as interesting as in the later games. First off, there aren't any social links for half of your team members. For the other half, you need to max out your stats in order to unlock them, which will happen during the second half of the game. So basically, you don't even get to interact with half of your team members until you're nearing the end of the game. That's just bizarre to me, it completely contradicts what a Persona game is supposed to be all about. How are you supposed to care about your team members when you don't even get to know them? This is one of the dumbest decisions that the developers made for this game.

The social links themselves are a hit or miss, mostly a miss. Most of the time, the activities only take one minute to do and they'll be something uninteresting like going out to eat or just talking outside of school. They're just not exciting to do in most cases, which is too bad because that's one of the main aspects of a Persona game.

The other main aspect of a Persona game is of course dungeon crawling. And this game definitely has the worst dungeons of all the three "modern" Persona titles. In fact, the game doesn't even have multiple dungeons. It has only one dungeon and it's 264 floors long. That's right, from beginning to end, you're just traversing through the same dungeon and going through the same types of floors over and over again. This is something you have to do in order to beat the game. At first it wasn't so bad, you were only required to do 20 floors per in-game month. But during the last two months, you had to do 50 floors every month. It was absolutely insane, like what were the developers thinking? While I still enjoyed battling and fusing Personas, it cannot be overstated enough how awful this aspect of the game is compared to Persona 4 and 5.

In short, Persona 3 Portable is a good game but it's easily the weakest Persona game of the "modern" three. Underwhelming story, barely any social events, undeveloped characters due to lack of social links and awful dungeon crawling. The only aspect that it can stand toe to toe with Persona 4 and 5 is the soundtrack, which is absolutely phenomenal in terms of quantity and quality.

Which makes me excited because I'm planning to play Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight next, which is a rhythm game where you hang out with the cast of Persona 3 and listen to the soundtrack of the game. God knows that the Persona 3 cast could use more time in the limelight. I'll definitely take this opportunity to get to know them better and I wouldn't even be surprised if I learn more about them through this spinoff than through the main game, which would be absolutely ridiculous.

So would I recommend Persona 3 Portable? Absolutely not. If you want to experience this series for the first time, you'd be better off playing Persona 4 Golden or Persona 5 Royal. Hopefully during this time, Atlus will release a remake of Persona 3 that fixes all the aforementioned issues. I'll definitely give the game another chance if that happens. But for now, steer clear of this game.