Crash Twinsanity – PS2 – Preview 2

“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.