Crash BandicootCrash Bandicoot: Mind over mutant is extremely similar to its predecessor, Crash Bandicoot: Crash of the titans. The features are the same, locales similar, mechanics of game play identical, one could even say Mind over mutant is more of a continuation or expansion than a sequel… which I guess makes sense because in general isn’t that what a sequel should usually be? I mean, aside from improved graphics, gameplay or features that is… which Mind over mutant lacks over Crash of the titans. With Mind over mutant being released October 7th, 2008 and Crash of the titans being released only a year earlier, I can’t help but feel this was more of a cash grab than anything else.

The story starts off with an amusing little cut scene continuing from the end of Crash of the titans and continues with an average day in the life of Crash. The female bandicoot wants to fix your TV and left her tools strewn all across the level, of course this is the exact same first map as Crash of the titans (which makes sense as it is still the same home you lived in, in past games. You go through the tutorial levels, learning how to play and gathering the pieces only to come back and see a commercial. In this commercial two shady looking characters are promoting virtual headgear being released around the land free of charge. Female bandicoot gets one, buff bandicoot gets one (characters from past games) and Crash gets one… but for some reason, Crash’s fries him at the touch and he cannot wear it. Characters get mesmerized and all of a sudden turn into rampaging mutants, it’s up to crash to save them and everyone else that has transformed.

With the help of his voodoo sidekick and a whole new slew of titans to control (a feature introduced a year earlier in Crash of the titans) Crash hunts down his demented friends all while unlocking new costumes and characters to use. The controls graphics and sounds for this title are all identical to Crash of the titans, smooth textures, cartoony actions and slowdown every here and there. Audibly while Crash doesn’t speak himself, the monsters have little conversations among themselves before being bombarded by Crash, and while they can be entertaining at times, they are often quite annoying. The only graphical aspect I enjoyed throughout this game were the different cut scene styles, all of which take on a different variation of children’s entertainment, from the slapstick cartoon to puppet form.

Another added feature I enjoyed greatly was the addition of a second player for co-op. Almost taking what Mario Galaxy did with their second play and improving upon it, the second player can come and go as he/she pleases and has the option of being either a cursor that shoots chickens at baddies (don’t ask) or jump right in as a second bandicoot all together. This can be either a good thing or a bad thing as your companion has the ability to mess up your own gameplay by interfering, unfortunately there is no online co-op yet… perhaps next year’s Crash installation will have exactly that. Crash now also has the ability to store and sort through his titans and even upgrade them; in the past title, Crash could only have one titan ‘vehicle’ at a time, but now, he can pick and choose as he pleases, almost like a shape shifter at whim.

Overall, this Crash title is much more of the same, while I wouldn’t really consider it a bad thing, I don’t think players should rush out and buy this title if they already have Crash of the titans, unless they thoroughly enjoyed the story and want to continue through it. Otherwise Crash: Mind over mutant is a great game to rent for ages 10 and up.

Gameplay: 3.5/5

Graphics: 3/5

Sound: 4/5

Replay Value: 3/5

3halfstars

 






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