Crash Twinsanity

“Crash? Crash? Where are you big brother? ….”

The evil Doctor Neo Cortex is up to his nefarious schemes again … but wait, there is something more at play here, something more insidious and … well … evil!

“I’m Ok – the spikes broke my fall.”

What could be better than another adventure with Crash Bandicoot and his arch-nemesis, Dr. Cortex? Well, how about a game in which players get the opportunity to play as both during a “cooperative” adventure in which the two must join forces to combat a new threat to the island paradise?

That’s precisely what is behind Crash Twinsanity, a Vivendi Universal and Traveller’s Tales action/adventure outing for the PlayStation2. The game is slated to release in September, but GameZone.com was able to work through a preview build of the title.

Crash first popped onto the videogaming scene back in 1996 and since then the franchise has been nothing short of a phenomenal success. But this is the first time that Crash and Cortex have had to team up. Don’t worry Crash fans, the two may be partnered, but Cortex definitely gets the worst of the deal. You see, while the duo may encounter a multitude of puzzles and enemies, it is Cortex that – if you play right – will take the abuse. Much like Eidos’ Whiplash title, Crash can use Cortex as a weapon. It may seem mean-spirited, but it is rather fun and will spark more than a few fits of laughter.

Part of the reason for the humor of this game is that Jordan Reichek (of Ren & Stimpy fame) was involved with this project. The game features four playable characters – Crash, Cortex, Cortex’s niece Nina and the partners of Crash and Cortex. The enemies are reactive which will cause them to run away when outgunned and interact with others to from alliances to hunt down Crash.

The game has also moved away from load times with each level streaming seamlessly.

The game begins with a tutorial of sorts in a level called Jungle Bungle. You will learn the nuances of the controls while moving through a linear environment. Should you fail, you get to start the level all over, with cutscenes and instructions repeated. This can be a little wearing, but once you get through this level, the real fun begins.

The first thing gamers will notice about this title is the terrific three-dimensional look and excellent special effects. With a 360-degree rotating camera, players will get a full look at this richly textured, lush world. The animation is also quite good. The sound elements vary from excellent in voice acting to what can, at times, be a somewhat annoying musical score. There is the mish-mash of arcade songs, but the music is really not that bad when it goes to the voices (or synthesized voices) work within the music. However, whether you find the music appealing or not, the options package does allow you to turn it down to the point where you can’t hear it.

The control elements are simply designed and players should have no trouble getting into the swing of things quickly.

While the game seems rather linear, there is no denying that this is wonderful fun, sporting a little challenge that does get progressively harder as you move along.

Crash Twinsanity is thoroughly enjoyable arcade-adventure title that looks terrific and plays well. This is a worthy addition to the Crash franchise and a game that will appeal to younger players as well as older fans.