[7][85][90] Despite this, Goslin considered the level to be the most fun in the game. For Dingodile's gameplay, the general notion of a vacuum was an early decision by the developers. The team's concept artists created various designs for Crash, with Kole being tasked with combining the most suitable elements from each iteration. [77] Critics enjoyed the light-hearted, humorous, and self-aware script,[6][7][81] and also commended the voice-acting, with Goslin singling out Horvitz's and Eagles's performances. Crash's exploration leads him to Lani-Loli, whom Aku Aku recognizes as one of the Quantum Masks four ancient witch doctor masks that have great power over space and time, and who would only appear if something has opened up the multiverse. [37] For N. Brio's boss battle, Kole created a number of alternate forms that Brio would transform himself into, including a "Slinky worm" and a pterosaur. Dingodile rebuilds and reopens his diner, Cortex relaxes on a beach and enjoys the peace and quiet, and Crash, Coco, Tawna, Aku Aku and the Quantum Masks play video games at their home on N. Sanity Island. [47] While Lex Lang reprised his role as Doctor Neo Cortex,[48] several established roles were inherited by new actors, including Scott Whyte as Crash,[48] Eden Riegel as Coco,[49] JP Karliak as Doctor Nefarious Tropy,[50] and Roger Craig Smith as Doctor Nitrus Brio. When they defeat Cortex, N. Tropy betrays him and reveals that he and his new partner (later revealed to be a female version of himself from Tawna's dimension) plan to use the Rift Generator's power to reset the timeline in all dimensions so that they may rule over all existence as gods. It was originally released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with releases for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows following in 2021. Lani-Loli's development was the most difficult. [21][22] Around the time of the Spyro Reignited Trilogy's development, Toys for Bob began conversing with Activision about a potential new Crash Bandicoot title for 2020. They discover that the rift links their universe to the rest of the multiverse, and decide to make use of it to conquer all dimensions. To this end, he incorporated the characteristically heavy use of marimbas and playful compositions, as well as some familiar themes such as those of Cortex and N. Gin. Some of the art team's smaller ideas would evolve into larger scenarios; for example, lead concept artist Ron Kee's sketch of Crash bouncing on drums served as the basis for the heavy metal-themed boss battle against N. Gin. [6] Crash and Coco's basic maneuvers include jumping and double jumping, a spinning attack, crawling, sliding, and slamming onto the ground. [98] In Japan, the PlayStation 4 version sold 10,437 physical copies within its first week of release, making it the fifth best-selling retail game of the week in the country. They can also grind on, hang off and hop across rails, as well as run along designated walls. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is a platform game in which the player primarily controls either the titular character Crash or his sister Coco, who are tasked with saving the multiverse from domination by Doctors Neo Cortex and Nefarious Tropy. [36], Cortex, like Coco, was given only small design adjustments. [3] Completing any given level will unlock a "Time Trial", in which the player must complete the level as quickly as possible. As the Quantum Masks banish him to a remote corner of the universe, the past Cortex proceeds with the experiment, preparing to brainwash the past Crash with the Cortex Vortex; the present Crash accidentally destroys the Vortex's power source, causing it to malfunction and reject his past self, thereby ensuring his own creation. At the same time, Crash and Coco's old enemy Dingodile, who recently retired from villainy to run a diner, is sucked into a rift after exacting revenge on a group of rivaling moonshiner bats after they detonate his business, and he traverses through dimensions in his search for home. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is a 2020 platform game developed by Toys for Bob and published by Activision. [54][55], On June 11, 2020, the redesigns for Crash and Tawna were leaked via merchandise listings by European distributor Blackfire. [40], While acknowledging the universal appeal of physical humor, Toys for Bob sought to ensure that the game spoke specifically to its adult target audience. [23]:3:46 After profiling players of the recent Crash Bandicoot remasters (who were primarily fans of the original trilogy between their mid-20s to early-40s) and studying the critical and commercial performance of past series titles,[23]:5:43, 6:16 the team concluded that their project would be a sequel to the original trilogy targeted primarily at its fans. [e] However, the physics for the Akano mechanic were criticized as awkward and ill-suited for precise platforming, and Kevin Dunsmore of Hardcore Gamer additionally faulted the Ika-Ika mechanic for a built-in delay between its activation and effect. [23]:6:41 To solidify this statement, the game was titled Crash Bandicoot 4 to firmly establish it as a direct continuation of the original trilogy in both its narrative and gameplay style, retconning the previous sequels that were less favorably received. Writer Mandy Benanav played a significant role in her characterization,[36] pointing out that the narrative's "alternate dimension" aspect provided an opportunity to showcase a version of Tawna who was the hero of her own universe. Aku Aku, Uka Uka's twin brother, senses a great power emanating from N. Sanity Island's central peak, and urges Crash to investigate. It's hilarious and gorgeous and a great pick-me-up right now! Time Trials are activated by collecting a stopwatch icon at the beginning of the level. 15 on the NPD monthly sales charts from No. [35][36] Tawna was originally armed with a boomerang, which was eventually retooled into a grappling hook when the development of Dingodile's gameplay rendered the boomerang's function of retrieving faraway objects redundant. [64] On February 9, 2021, Activision and Toys for Bob announced a March 12 release for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, and Nintendo Switch, as well as a pending Microsoft Windows release via Battle.net. While a Time Trial is active, all checkpoints are removed, thus requiring the player to start the level over if the player character dies. [26] After a prototyping period involving 2030 different ideas that were tested in virtual "white rooms", the team settled on four Quantum Masks based on the concepts of "slow time", "density", "phase shifting", and "gravity flip". The game's story follows Crash Bandicoot and his sister Coco as they recover the all-powerful Quantum Masks in a bid to prevent Doctor Neo Cortex and Doctor Nefarious Tropy from taking over the multiverse. An incensed Cortex agrees to team up with the Bandicoots, and the three rescue the last Quantum Mask Ika-Ika. The "density" mask, who would become Akano, originally granted the power of extreme density, which would cause the player character to move slowly, allow them to walk through explosions, lessen their jumping ability and cause them to fall through certain surfaces. [7][81][83][88] Austen Goslin of Polygon admired the boss battles for their creativity,[53] though Chris Carter of Destructoid felt that a few of them were anticlimactic. [76] Jonathon Dornbush of IGN disliked the addition of fire-spewing crates, claiming that they added little complexity to the platforming and merely added waiting time for them to cool down. [58], On June 22, a trailer showcasing gameplay mechanics and featuring the Fatboy Slim track "The Rockafeller Skank" was revealed, as well as a release date of October 2 for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The cooperative multiplayer mode is called "Pass N. Play", in which players take turns to complete the game's campaign. [99] The Switch version was released in Japan the following year and sold 2,288 copies during its first week, and was the 20th best-selling retail game in the country during that week. Mair's instrumentation for the game's multitude of characters and settings was varied; for example, Dingodile's leitmotif is defined by a double bass and a "clumsily played" tuba, while the prehistoric levels feature primitive instruments such as bone flutes and fur drums. [80][83][84] Mike Epstein of GameSpot added that switching between the new characters and Crash or Coco could affect the player's muscle memory. [87] Tawna's redesign for the game was criticized by fans for its perceived influence by social justice warrior culture. [59] Although a notice on the Microsoft Store indicated that the game would feature "in-app purchases", Toys for Bob later confirmed that there would be no microtransactions, attributing the notice to the free "Totally Tubular" cosmetic skins that were offered as a bonus for those who preordered digital copies through the Microsoft Store or PlayStation Store. [105][106] It was also nominated for Outstanding Control Precision, Outstanding Family Game (Franchise), and Outstanding Sound Effects in the 20th NAVGTR Awards, but lost to Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and The Last of Us Part II respectively. Seeking a wild card to contrast both characters, the team reworked Dingodile into a chaotic neutral figure who causes mischief while attempting to get home. The physics, level design, and difficulty drew mixed reactions, and the rail-grinding sections were criticized. [36], Tropy's role as the catalyst of the game's dimension-hopping narrative granted the artists ample opportunity for exploration. [6][78][84] Although Leri considered the physics and collision to be an improvement over those of the N. Sane Trilogy,[6] others found them to be imprecise, particularly on the platforms' edges. [53][82][86] The rail-grinding sections were criticized for their camera perspectives (which were said to obscure incoming obstacles) and sluggish controls. [53] The inclusion of the Modern playstyle setting, which grants an indefinite amount of lives, was appreciated for slightly mitigating the difficulty. [35] The team experienced difficulty in determining the function of Cortex's raygun. [67] Due to its Battle.net exclusivity, the Windows version features always online DRM. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions run natively at 4K 60 FPS (with the Xbox Series S version featuring upscale to 4K), and feature faster loading times and 3D audio. [57] 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. However, following a celebratory trip to a futuristic city, Cortex betrays the group and kidnaps Kupuna-Wa. It was actually kind of a big technical challenge to pull that off just right. The game's official art book, titled The Art of Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, was published on October 28. They then simplified the concept to turning enemy characters into a random object within the game. Collecting a Flashback Tape unlocks a "Flashback Level", a side-scrolling level that takes place before and during the first game. [53][79][80][88] The level design was met with a mixed response; some considered it diverse and well-paced,[6][79][80] while others deemed it monotonous and "sadistic". The team then decided that the characters should fill particular narrative roles, with Cortex and Tawna respectively being positioned as a villain and "guardian angel". [6][7][76][84] Some were perplexed by the structure of returning to Crash and Coco's perspective halfway through a new character's level to repeat a past level, with Alex Avard of GamesRadar+ feeling that the stages are "over before they've properly begun", and Oscar Taylor-Kent of PC Gamer finding the process of retreading old levels to play as the new characters "exhausting". As Toys for Bob sought to create a sculpted and dynamic musical experience, Mair maintained frequent communication with the audio team, seeking to create an inventive and fresh score that stayed true to the series' established tone. [2] Beenox, the developer of Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, collaborated with Toys for Bob to create the visual effects and musical remixes for the N. Verted levels,[17][44] while Activision Shanghai assisted in creating the game's multiplayer modes. [53][82] The game's final level, which involves using a series of Quantum Masks in rapid succession, was given particular notice, with some players having accumulated a death count numbering in the hundreds. [15] Collecting all of a level's Gems without losing a life earns the player an N. Sanely Perfect Relic, an achievement that is required for the game's full completion. 2 in the UK digital charts. Ultimately, he is unsuccessful in both convincing his past self to abandon the experiment and killing the present Crash, Coco and Aku Aku, who followed him from the future. The grappling hook resulted in an emphasis on mobility-based gameplay, and was influenced by Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. [6][76][80][85] Josh Wise of VideoGamer.com, however, disliked the game's "synthetic" art direction in comparison to the rougher and sparser look of the original games. [36], Tawna's inclusion and redesign was given special attention in consideration of the series' dominance of male characters. [35], Toys for Bob's study of the series' mechanics further inspired the inclusion of additional playable characters. [65] The Switch version displays at 1080p when docked and 720p in handheld mode, with both modes running at 30 FPS. [42][82], The soundtrack was positively received for its upbeat and catchy nature and emulation of Josh Mancell's work on the original trilogy. [27] The Quantum Masks' ability to manipulate time and space was determined as a means of tying together the diverse environments, themes and scenarios created by the art team, and became the basis for the game's narrative. [93] The game sold 402,000 units digitally in its first month, a lower figure than those of the recent remastered titles; by comparison, the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy sold 520,000 digital units within the last day of June 2017, and Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled sold 552,000 throughout June 2019. While invincible, the player character can automatically kill enemies and break crates within a certain radius. Crash and Coco find the Quantum Masks Akano and Kupuna-Wa and defeat N. Gin and N. Brio. The random element was discarded in favor of different platforms to accommodate the traditionally deterministic nature of the series; the two types of platforms were pared down from three for further simplification. [56] The game was teased on June 18, when Activision sent several reporters a jigsaw puzzle depicting Kupuna-Wa, who first appeared in the PlayStation 4 promotional video "It's Time to Play" in November 2019. [4] The game can be played in two different styles, which can be selected before the start of a new game and can be switched at any time in the options menu. Paul Tamburro of GameRevolution ridiculed detractors by characterizing their grievances as shallow, and regarded the controversy as "depressing". [23]:15:02 While ensuring that Crash's signature maneuvers of jumping, spinning, sliding, and body slamming felt satisfying and familiar,[23]:15:19 they sought to exceed the difficulty of the original trilogy while integrating a smoother curve. Collecting three consecutive Aku Aku masks will grant the player character temporary invincibility from all dangers except falling down bottomless pits. #Crash4 #CrashBandicoot @Activision @SBVTalent", "Roger Craig Smith Seemingly Out as Sonic the Hedgehog", "Here's a clip of Ika Ika! [g] Dom Peppiatt of VG247 felt that the amount of new characters and mechanics led to some of them, such as the Dingodile levels, feeling half-baked. [32] Kole ultimately created a personality that was "really frantic, nervous, he always feels like he's lost something". [65] On the day of the game's release for next-gen consoles, a new "Bare Bones" skin for Crash and Coco was added, which can be obtained by completing the second level. Six of a level's twelve Gems are only accessible in the N.Verted mode. [34] Crash's lack of a neck was the most difficult aspect of his design for the development team's modelers to translate; as Kole observed: "He's just shoulders and then a head. [81][86][88] The increased roster of playable characters was also welcomed for their unique and enjoyable gameplay styles,[f] though aiming with the characters was said to be difficult due to the lack of a targeting reticle. [38] Recurring antagonist Ripper Roo was intended to appear as a boss at the end of the "Run It Bayou" level, but does not appear in the final game. Many of the game's settings and environmental features were created before any story was written or any game design was constructed; Nadelberg rationalized that waiting to understand the story and script before accomplishing any designing was not a sensible direction for a platform game, a genre not traditionally reliant on storytelling. Experiments with the vacuum mechanic included using TNT crates to launch Dingodile backward, pulling switches, and operating slingshots, which were all rejected due to their complexity and effect on the game's pacing. His inclusion prompted the art team to design several members of his species, who appear as enemy characters. After the Tropies are defeated, the Quantum Masks destroy the Rift Generator, sealing all the space-time disruptions. The game was met with a positive critical reception, with praise going to the preservation and refinement of the series' classic formula as well as the implementation of the new gameplay mechanics. [97] The game made No. Crash Bandicoot: On the Run sprints past 8 million downloads in 24 hours www.pocketgamer.biz/news/76169/crash-bandicoot-on-the-run-sprints-past-8-million-downloads-in-24-hours/ t.co/IS0D1ejILt via @pgbiz", "Famitsu Sales: 3/8/21 3/14/21 [Update]", "IGEA Top Ten Australian / New Zealand Games Charts", "Best New PlayStation Games In 2020 By Score", "Best Action-Adventure Games In 2020 By Score", "Best Game of the Year 2020 | What were the best video games this year? [112], This article is about the 2020 title in the, "Crash Bandicoot Voice Actor Teases Work On 'Fun New Project', "Booked and Busy: What Soap Alums Are Up to the Week of September 21, 2020", "Check out the opening scene of the new @CrashBandicoot, out today! [96], The game made #1 in the UK physical sales charts, selling 1,000 copies more than Star Wars: Squadrons, but physical sales were 80% less than Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time was developed by Toys for Bob, who had previously developed the Spyro Reignited Trilogy and ported the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy to the Nintendo Switch. "[33] Coco's redesign, meanwhile, required only minor adjustments, aside from updating her laptop to a tablet. [25] Understanding that Naughty Dog's original ambition for Crash Bandicoot was to create a living cartoon akin to Looney Tunes, Toys for Bob's animators looked upon the source material and based the game's designs, models and rigs on their studies, pushing for Tex Avery-styled deformations and extreme movements. The default play style is "Modern", in which the player will always return to the latest checkpoint when the player character dies. [11] Lani-Loli can phase objects in and out of tangibility; Akano grants the player character a violent "dark matter spin" that enables them to glide across the air and deflect projectiles; Kupuna-Wa can slow the flow of time; and Ika-Ika can reverse gravity. [69], Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time received "generally favorable" reviews on all platforms, according to review aggregator Metacritic. [60][61] The N. Verted levels and Dingodile's gameplay were revealed on Sony's State of Play livestream on August 6,[17] and the Flashback levels were revealed at the 2020 Gamescom on August 28. [79] Critics remarked that the amount of collectibles and extra modes lent a considerable amount of replay value. [28] Artist Nicholas Kole designed the four Quantum Masks after they were established. [10] Clearing the "Trouble Brewing" boss level unlocks an "N.Verted" mode for each level, in which the level's path is inverted, a different visual effect depending on the level's Dimension is applied, and the Wumpa Fruit are rebranded as "Bumpa Berries". [31] His design was not affected by the change in mechanic from "density" to "dark matter", as Kole felt that his spinning attack resembled a black hole. After Dingodile and Cortex free Crash and Coco, they happen upon Tawna struggling against the female Tropy, who tauntingly reveals that she killed Crash and Coco herself in Tawna's dimension. Neither the game's difficulty nor reward progress is affected by the differing play styles. [21][22][23]:7:00, As Toys for Bob set the game's technical foundations via prototyping and concept art, they drew upon their mission statement for influence as to what their game would and would not be.