14 DAY TRIAL // 
Crash Bandicoot stands for a vivid image from my childhood and one of the characters that rocked my winter afternoons and lazy summer days. I've practically devoured the first three titles of the series, enjoying each sequel more than its predecessor. This time, there's no "bandicoot" in the game's name, but our beloved critter doesn't deny his platforming origins. A revamped Crash hits the Xbox 360 and all the major consoles, but there's a one-week wait ahead of us, as we settle with the official demo and trailers of the title for now. Crash of the Titans is a neat pun on the name of the classic movie "Clash of the Titans" and the game's developed by Radical Entertainment, who hope they'll live up to the fans' expectations. Keep in mind that the latest Crash in the series was designed especially for the Nintendo Wii, so the other versions are just ports with various gameplay changes. The DS and GBA versions of the game were developed by Amaze Entertainment and we'll see Crash of the Titans being released in early October.
Story Neo Cortex is back and he's up to some new tricks, as he and Uka Uka steal a substance called "mojo" from the Mojo Temple. The mysterious fluid helps him turn all of the inhabitants of the Wumpa Islands into mutants. As the game progresses you'll see that various plot elements from the previous Crash titles are unfolded and we'll finally find out what makes Aku Aku and Uka Uka hate each other so much. Now, Cortex has got his personal army of fearsome creatures, called Titans and it's up to Crash to stop him from using the "mojo" and save his fellow Wumpa dwellers. Everyone's favorite bandicoot must "jack" titans and control their minds thanks to Aku Aku's powers in order to reach Cortex and administer him another classic beating. Where does this mojo come from? What's this jacking of Titans? You'll find out by reading on...
Concept & Gameplay
This is the 14th game in the series and I'm feeling melancholic right now, reminding about the 1996 Crash Bandicoot that changed the notion of platforming forever. We're keen on another revamp of the genre, as it collides more and more with the action adventure elements we expect to see in non-platforming games. The first things that strike you while playing Crash of the Titans is the new "jacking" system, which allows you to take control of 15 different critters, by jumping on their backs and putting the Aku Aku mask on their face. If I'm not mistaking the term "jacking" was also used in Forbidden Siren 2, a horror survival title that allowed the main character to "jack" into his dog's vision and guide him to safety. Also, the last time I've played a platforming game which included a mind-controlling feature was back in the days of the PSX and the neat Abe's Exoddus title. I'll gladly trade Mudokons for Cortex's minions if you ask me...
You can't miss the Titans, as they're far bigger creatures than the rest of the on-screen enemies and they pack quite a punch. The title's gameplay resembles the one of Crash Twinsanity, but also adds a couple of new features in order to show that things have changed in the era of next-gen entertainment. Crash Bandicoot will jump, spin, jack and slide through 20 episodes, each comprising a couple of levels and the action will take you from the Wumpa Islands to Neo Cortex's lair. The combination of the action and platforming genres gave birth to a new category, which fits Crash of the Titans perfectly: free roaming platforming. Crash is not so limited anymore as he can choose various routes to reach certain locations, while exploring a completely 3D environment, that will make you fall from ledges more than once. Sadly the classic Crash spin isn't present, well not in the original version, but the bandicoot can now throw punches and spin while in the air in order to create a "helicopter effect" and reach platforms easier.
Taking on the Titans is a must and probably the most fun part of the game. They're usually spawned in groups of three or four and they have a health bar attached to their massive bodies. Once you fill the health gauge with green stars, the Titan gets stunned and with a quick press of the B button, Crash Bandicoot will be able to jack and control the beast. While one of these furry or spiky critters is under your control, you can make good use of its abilities dispatching various minor foes or even other Titans. You can even jump from beast to beast, jacking them all after some major stunning action. Each of the 15 creatures comes with a unique set of abilities, which include shooting mauve bolts by using a sniper target, rolling and impaling the opponents with the aid of spikes. The omnipresent mojo is a collectible, allowing Crash to unlock many new abilities, while he spins and slides heading to Cortex's lair.
Unlike previous titles, the brown bandicoot now has a health bar, so you'll have to be wary while fighting enemies, because they can kill you, especially if they're large Titans running towards you. Eating Wumpa fruit is something we did back in 1996, as those "apples" were scattered all over the place being the main collectible item in Crash games for many years. Now, you can collect Wumpa fruit again, but this time they'll replenish your health and save you from the "Game Over" screen. At first sight, the game doesn't use the typical speedy next-gen approach, that features fast-paced action and cineractives, but things will get going once you'll start using Aku Aku as a skateboard. Crash Bandicoot's protector mask can also be used as shield during combat, but the AI is so clever that it will try to attack you from behind while you're using it. Aku Aku is also available as a pickup in its golden version, increasing Crash's power and speed for a limited period of time.
It may be me losing the touch, but Crash of the Titans is a tougher game, compared to its predecessors. The AI-controlled foes are more aggressive and they spawn in great numbers, sometimes even overwhelming the poor Crash. Environmental puzzles have also changed, as now the brown bandicoot can hang on ledges and run from one edge of a moving pillar to the other in order to make it move and lean towards another pillar, waiting for the perfect jump. The moving cubes you'll have to avoid are rather frustrating, but once you learn their pattern the game gets its fast pace back. I haven't tried this mode yet, but it turns out that in the full game the fans of multiplayer trials will participate in a cooperative challenge, that allows both gamers to stay alert, considering that one single jump means you've "tagged" the other gamer and he'll be in control afterwards. Crash of the Titans is a welcome return to the platforming roots, with new elements, the great jacking feature and many levels to increase the title's lifespan.
Video This may be a preview, but I'm sure that the game's developers are not going to change Crash's appearance for my sake. Well, Crash Bandicoot is more "punk", a bit younger and cooler... All of the characters look rejuvenated, more cartoonish and I'm not a very big fan of this change, since the old character design suited the title perfectly. The fixed camera also cuts a bit of that "free-roaming" mentioned above and the classic view angle issues surface once you get to hang on a ledge. Seeing through objects and losing sight of your character is not something to be ignored on a next-gen console, but such bugs can be forgivable when dealing with a great quantity of eye-candy. The game's more colored and 3D than before, although I can't get that feeling that I'm playing a next-gen oriented title. However, I have to admit that the Titans' design is swell and their abilities are so good-looking, that they're worth the "jacking" effort.
Sound Crash Bandicoot never was a masterpiece in the audio experience department and this hasn't changed in the next-gen era. The tunes are all the typical part of the typical platforming scores, but this title boasts 7000 lines of dialog, enough to avoid the repetitions that plagued titles pertaining to the genre. In previous Crash games, the bandicoot was almost always silent and acting cool, but now he's far more outspoken and witty, taunting his enemies with the aid of a voice that doesn't quite suit him.
Conclusion Is it relevant if I mention that Crash Bandicoot is one of my first Playstation titles ever? Being a fan of the series, a new installment in the Crash saga can only be good news, but only if it manages to live up to the expectations of the huge fanbase. It's been a while since the bandicoot managed to gather us fans in a crowd, anticipating a new title's release and quitting the Jak and Daxter universe for a revamped Crash. Does it have enough mojo to keep us glued to the screen? We'll find out in about a week!
