Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy Review

"Perfect Enhancements"

Campaign

The Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is actually a rather remarkable remaster offering three great classic 3D platformers as one seamless package. All three of the games have been completely revamped in terms of visuals making them look like one game while still retaining the iconic style each is known for. It was a blast to visit each of these games and the way they're handled here is excellent respecting the original design while meshing it together for a cohesive package.

The three games are Crash Bandicoot series: Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, and Crash Bandicoot: Warped. You get a minor sense of the evolution here as well with each iteration building upon the core gameplay. The first game may come across as simple, but you truly get a sense of variety in how you're challenged to platform. That concept grows in the second one with wilder situations and finally in the third they really go out there with eras and expansive vehicle segments. The story follows Crash as he battles a somewhat evil villain and there's a full narrative told across the trilogy.

Gameplay

The Crash Bandicoot games are largely linear in their setup with small options to split off to a different path. You generally have a goal to finish each level, with that being expanded upon to crystals in the later games. On top of that the levels are filled with collectibles that aid in gaining new lives or completion. There are bonus areas to discover and time trials after you complete each level. The game is enhanced with checkpoints that are fair for the most part, but I will definitely mention these games can be tough. Especially that first one, so be ready for that.

Visually on Xbox One X the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is gorgeous, with a native 4k resolution and HDR it shines. The style for the visuals really shines through being a colorful collection of wonderful scenes. Most of the levels vary greatly not only from how they're setup up platforming wise, but in the distinct natural scenes. You'll see all kinds of terrains and locations across your journeys, it's great. There are also bosses to tackle in certain situations and I liked how they mostly came down to pattern recognition.

The Conclusion

The Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is incredible on Xbox One X and as a package in general combining classic games in a remastered way that makes them seamless. The visuals are stunning while having one continuous style the whole way through. You can clearly tell there was a real care here to make the game feel like the original while making it be visually modern. I felt some of the hit boxes were a bit off, but the entire thing played really well.

There's a ton of gameplay present across the three games and you can jump into any of them at any time. If you have a favorite just jump right into that, but it's well worth it to take a look at each of the titles. It all played incredibly well, I'd love to see this style applied to other classic games as it's amazing. I had such a blast working through Crash's original games and this character is still intriguing. I was especially impressed with just how dynamic the platforming is as almost every level mixes it up a bit.

Read our Super Lucky's Tale Review
View our Game Hubs

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy Review on Xbox One X
Review Code Provided by Activision

Rating Overall: 8.6