Everyone's favorite Bandicoot is back in Crash of the Titans, and this game does know jack. The latest edition for the PlayStation 2 of the venerable franchise features our hero, his sister Coco, Crunch and, of course, Aku Aku, the disembodied friend to Bandicoots since, well, since there have been Bandicoots.
And once again, Crash must thwart the evil plotting of Dr. Neo Cortex, who is stripping Wumpa Island of resources and turning its residents into mutant soldiers.
The Crash series is all about maneuvering our hero through, over, under and around his environment, which invariably calls for a lot of jumping and hanging around. Fortunately, Bandicoots are quite agile and up to the task.
In Crash of the Titans, the game starts with Crash having to rescue Aku Aku after he is kidnapped by, used guessed it, the nefarious Dr. Cortex. Then he completes fights against groups of enemies. The difference is that he doesn't just have to defeat enemies, he can also jack them, as in hijack them and use them to fight for him.
"Jacking" one of the huge monsters sent after Crash is a matter of subduing them long enough to jump on their backs and take control. Crash then gains their abilities and can direct them in a fight. It gets doubly interesting when to defeat one huge monster it becomes necessary to jack another first.
Make no mistake, this game is aimed squarely at younger players. While there is quite a bit of fighting, it's largely of the button-mashing variety and not that difficult to get the hang of. The fighting is bloodless, and vanquished foes disappear, so it's OK for kids to play. The game carries a recommendation that it's for anyone over age 10.
Fighting aside, this game is still about timing jumps, board-sliding, completing time trials, solving puzzles, and collecting as much Wumpa fruit and other goodies to boost health and other special powers. Do it all correctly, and you can rescue Crash's sister, who also was kidnapped at the outset of the game, and save the island.
Crash of the Titans is great, escapist fun. It's challenging and largely dependent on how good the player wants to be as far as how much playing time it offers. There are many side-challenges that don't HAVE to be completed, but it's fun to take time out and try beating different puzzles or skill tests nonetheless.
For the most part, the game will appeal to the younger set, or just those young at heart. It looks like a cartoon, sounds like a cartoon and doesn't take itself too seriously. Which is what I found most appealing.
