Crash Bandicoot Producer Says N. Sane Trilogy Looks ‘Same Old’; Franchise Should’ve Moved Forward

The producer of the original Crash Bandicoot has criticised Activision's upcoming remastered trilogy as being a "Frankenstein-ian" project, saying the franchise should have instead looked to "enthral" players with new and innovative ideas.

[GtR35olution]

Sony is trying to see if theyll be enough interest in the n-sane trilogy in order to make a decision on making a new game

[PhoenixUp]

Sony has no control over this franchise, only Activision does

[Cdn_Seahawks_Fan]

But given that is seems (at this point) to he only headed to the PS platform (unless I am missing something) that Sony would have paid for exclusivity for a remake. Makes you wonder why they didn't go for something new.

[trouble_bubble]

Because activision probably didn't want to invest double the money on a AAA platformer with no guarantee. Platformers don't really sell these days and Crash is a dinosaur. Two strikes. They're testing the waters, like with Skylanders. If it sells, they'll greenlight the real deal. If it doesn't, they're not millions in the hole.

[b163o1]

It's not about the graphics, I want to play the original Crash. Really what could the do new with a classic beside screw it up?

[PhoenixUp]

@ Cdn

Well of course Sony paid for exclusivity for this game, but they have no creative control over this game or the franchise anymore.

It's obvious why Vicarious Visions opted for these remakes instead of making a new title. We haven't had a new Crash game in 8 years and the last one made the franchise go dormant. Merely releasing another title near the franchise's 20th anniversary wouldn't have gotten people's approval, so of course they would play the nostalgia card. Not only does this give the the goodwill of gamers, but working on this game can give the devs even more experience on how to make a possible future Crash game. This could be similar to how Sanzaru worked on the Sly HD Collection, then used their experience to work on Sly 4.

[bouzebbal]

i'm glad we are getting this because the PS2 episodes weren't close to be as fun.
I cannot wait to go back in memory

[IamTylerDurden1]

The N. Sane Trilogy is a mix between a remaster and a remake. The original assets were unusable, they had to create this from the ground up while strictly adhering to the gameplay and level design of the originals. It's somewhat similar to the R&C reboot.

[GottaBjimmyb]

WEll, two things.

1. I think most people don't want something new like the last few crash bandicoot games, which were mediocre at best.
2. It is a remaster, so of course it is not some brand new formula... I am sure if they release a true sequel it will have new things additional.

[achmetha]

What they're making is exactly what I was hoping for. I'm glad they're doing it this way.

[Jamaicangmr]

Sony is just working with Activision to give us one of the most requested remasters in Playstation history. They don't own crash.

[lizard81288]

Yeah, I think people are iffy after the Crash games during the PS2 days, that were bland. TBH, I don't think there is wrong with an HD remake as long as it deserves it, like Crash does. That way you can pander to old players and bring new players into the series too. I hope it does well. I know when I get the money i'm going to pre-order it.

[IamTylerDurden1]

But if there is enough interest garnered by the N. Sane Trilogy you can expect that a brand new game has a great chance of coming. Plus, it familiarizes more ppl with crash and sets the stage for a new entry. It's actually a smart strategy.

So, support the Trilogy bc it very well could lead to a new game. Same thing with Wipeout.

[crazychris4124]

If it sells well then I'm sure we will get a brand new game. They are playing it safe for now.

[The 10th Rider]

I definitely think that's the case, but I can see where the original producer is going. I'm a bit worried the remasters won't sit well with newer gamers who aren't used to the classic gameplay. It's very much a remaster 'for the fans'. That's great and all, but that likely won't lead to blockbuster success and could hurt the chance of a new entry in the series.

[PhoenixUp]

Just think of it like the Sly Collection. The devs could use their experience working on these games to make a new installment in the series

[IamTylerDurden1]

Sanzaru nailed it in both the Sly Collection (particularly on Vita) and Thieves in Time. Both were spectacular on Vita. This could be the formula with Crash. To familiarize the dev and the audience with Crash via the remasters, then use that experience and publicity to make and sell a new game.

[Pancit_Canton]

Hopefully they will do the same treatment for Spyro.

[LemyAtom]

Definitely. I'm hoping for this too. People said we'd never see a crash remaster so we can dream for Spyro.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Can we have Crash Team Racing tho?!

[Lou Ferrigno]

man that would be the shit right there.. CTR was my jam back then.
and HD remake with PS4 pro support is a wish of mine.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

It was so well done

[-Foxtrot]

That will be next...and hopefully remastered with Crash Bash

Oh and online support

[PurpHerbison]

Only if they bother to add online support.

[quent]

Openworld 3d platformers are few and far between if there are any at all, so maybe that can become a thing in the future for the franchise moving forward, if CB gains enough interest that is

[Kakashi Hatake]

Why does every game have to be open world?

[quent]

Not all games, but I was thinking in the vain of what breath of the wild is shaping up to be, not as a sales pitch or a gimmick, but a built from the ground up platform puzzler with Vertical level design and sweeping vistas but also with some dungeons with puzzle solving in mind, one big world with different themed districts/locations, lava, snow and so on.

IMO there are a lot of great characters in past games that could fill the world as well.

I'm also thinking of it as having the potential of it being a big budget title, not just a half baked one with a very small development budget that rides its success in sales on name alone, make it BIG, make the ultimate 3d platformer.

My two cents

[quent]

Not all games, but I was thinking in the vain of what breath of the wild is shaping up to be, not as a sales pitch or a gimmick, but a built from the ground up platform puzzler with Vertical level design and sweeping vistas but also with some dungeons with puzzle solving in mind, one big world with different themed districts/locations, lava, snow and so on.

IMO there are a lot of great characters in past games that could fill the world as well.

I'm also thinking of it as having the potential of it being a big budget title, not just a half baked one with a very small development budget that rides its success in sales on name alone, make it BIG, make it the ultimate 3d platformer.

My two cents

[Immorals]

Of course it looks the same, it's a remaster. They'd be uproar if they fiddled with what made them great games in the first place!

[dohji]

Maybe if ND cared about anything other than Nathan Drake and Ellie we'd have a new good Crash or Jak game.

[gamerswin24]

Of course I would like a completely new Crash game but I see this as a stepping Stone in that direction. And this is where sales always matter and only ignorant ppl think it doesn't. If Crash remaster sells good I think Sony will definitely push for a sequel.

Also companies know there is a huge market for remasters, all you have to do is look at Dark Souls 2 remastered and Tlou Remastered and others. I played DS2 for more than 250 hours and guess what? I replayed DS2 Remastered for over 250 hours as well and loved every bit of it.

Remasters are great because we already know the game play and how fun the game will be so there is no risk factor but we still feel like we get a new game because of the updated graphics.

[CrimsonWing69]

You know, I just wanted to play the old games with a fresh coat of paint... what's so wrong with that? Need we be reminded that change and "innovation" isn't necessarily the best thing. Look at how divisive Resident Evil and Final Fantasy have become.

[Newmanator]

Look what innovation did to CoD!

[Phill-Spencer]

We all have seen how moving forward can work out with the x360 crash bandicoots. They were less than mediocre. With mainly renewing the graphics there is at least not so much the devs can f@€k up.

[AnubisG]

If he actually said this than he is an idiot. This is a remake not a new game.

[TheOptimist]

Honestly the amount of remasters this gen is humongous for a 3 year life span, following Sony, even multiplat developers have started making rmasters, jst for that extra cash. It's good that they are free on PC if you own them already.

[Kallisti]

*cough*Bulletstorm remaster*cough*

[TheOptimist]

1 out of about how many remasters, tell me again? Skyrim, Bioshock, Darksiders, Assassin's Creed, rather than spending extra if you are on RemasterStation lolololol

[mkis007]

The optimist

So your telling me there are no old games you would like to have a fully remastered version of? I would kill for a remastered command and conquer series, rogue squadron, age of the empires 2 ( wish fullfilled)...so on. Mods are excellent but they take forever to release, and some run into legal troubles.

Game assets pre 2006 haven't aged well. I keep hoping for progress on skyblivion and sky wind but it's unlikely those will release anytime soon after years and years of dev time.

[TheOptimist]

Umm.... I have a PC, and I just mod the game if I want updated versions. most of the popular older games have mods which make them look much better.

[mkis007]

Yes I was talking about pc and pc mods...So you wouldnt like them to have full remastered assets and run as if they were made to run that way? I have a pc and I most definitely would.

[SoulWarrior]

This is hardly you're run of the mill remaster though, everything is being ecreated from the ground up brought in to modern visuals and technology. People keep buying remasters, the demand is there and they will keep making them as long as this continues.

From your comments it seems like you are a Nintendo fan, how many ports and remasters do you think the Switch will get? I bet it will be a fair few, will you still complain then? I bet you'd gobble up a Mario 64 remake/remaster.

[TheOptimist]

Umm.... Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
The only console and the only Nintendo console I own is a Gameboy Advance SP. I am a PC gamer. If I wanted to play on consoles I could always just not upgrade my PC and spend a teeny weeny amount of money on the consoles, but nah, bring back PS2 era quality of games and then Sony can have my money. Right now all games seem like they are copy pasted from Multiplat titles which run better on my PC.

[formanbradley]

It looks the same in terms of item/enemy placements, but definitely not old.

[Newmanator]

Actually I think the remaster had an extra crab before the first pyramid steps on the first level than the original?

[PurpHerbison]

Sometimes I don't think developers realize just how great some of the older games are. This is evident with Blizzard and World of Warcraft.

[sullynathan]

I know that people who work on originals tend to like newer ideas but its a remaster so let it live.

[curtis92]

I think Activision did the smart (yet safe) thing here with the faithful remasters. They know enough to know a new Crash game would receive a lot of criticism because it's not Sony (ND) doing it. So they're capitalizing on this franchise the best way they can, by just remaking the classic PS1 games that are proven to be beloved by PS gamers.

[Kalebninja]

uuuh, that's the point.

[Kakashi Hatake]

Let me guess, add rpg elements and make it open world? No! I'm sick of every game having to include that to be considered relevant.

[smashman98]

That's the point. It's meant to gauge interest.

[JackTheLiz]

"An all-new Crash Bandicoot game for PS4 should be starring Crash’s own kid and his kid’s crew." Has this man gone senile?

[MultiConsoleGamer]

The producer is wrong. While I want a brand new Crash Bandicoot game, we need to reintroduce the series to new fans. That's very important. Once you've done that we can see if there's a market for a brand new game, and I'm sure there will be.

But if you want that to happen YOU NEED TO SUPPORT N SANE TRILOGY!! I can't stress that enough.

[BigGamersSmallTalk]

I can see that complaint. A lot of the games from the PS1, PS2, Xbox era are really lacking in gameplay compared to today's games. Kinda like "be careful what you wish for". I loved Crash back 20 years ago, but that super linear game style doesn't suit my interests today. I played the Crash level in Uncharted 4 and remember thinking how bad it was...yet I thought it was great back then...

[Rhezin]

I'd rather be playing THESE masterpieces remastered, than a new Activision Crash Bandicoot.

[Feriku]

Isn't "same old" kind of the point? I doubt anyone is going into the remastered Crash Bandicoot trilogy expecting anything radically different from the original games... and many fans of the original games are excited for it *because* it's the same old Crash Bandicoot gameplay.

[ShadowWolf712]

...well yeah, they're remakes.

[windblowsagain]

Games are becoming like hollywood.

Rinse and repeat.

Originality is is dying.

Next it'll be just super hero games.

No batman is not a super hero. he is a richman in a suit.

[stokedAF]

I hate when remasters look like the same old crap with better graphics! /s

[ajax17]

I like the look, who cares what that guy says.

[ABBAJESUS]

I hope that N.Sane won't cost over $20.

[JMyers]

I am just glad to see Crash back. I wish the old commercials would come back in some way though. Too much of an investment in marketing maybe, but it would be fun.

[Dragonscale]

This would be great on PSVR.

[Mr_Luke]

Perfect for me, i wanted exactly that. Didn't want to risk with a new Crash not made by Naughty Dog.

[Ants909]

I was surprised, it looks great and very true to the original.

[BioDead]

Is it me or does this game look like a PS2 title at its best? All the graphics and camera/character movements look so old like some 12-year-old kid made it with some free video editing software...

[McGlinchey12]

Someone sounds salty lol, people domt want new they want the original first before a newer crash

[tontontam0]

If they make a new crash bandicoot
it will still be "same old" but with new story and graphics
I can't think of anything new they can add to crash bandicoot to move forward, adding new moves like punching spin kick etc. will not help what more do you want? you want a sandbox game crash bandicoot? -I'm sure a lot of people will say that it's not crash bandicoot anymore. or worse maybe you people want an rpg crash bandicoot?, it worked well with mario and luigi but I don't know about crash.

[DJ]

It's business logic (I.e. Uncertainty) to use the original games as cookie cutter templates and mostly just provide new graphics. Then Activision can judge how much interest there really is for new Crash titles.

The former producer is right.

[WheatBread]

Well, they have to test it out to see if the younger gamers buy it first.

[ChronoJoe]

Seems like he's bitter about his relationship with Naughtydog and Sony. The reality is that people, including myself, wanted these games, and if remakes didn't look 'same old' I would be quite concerned.

I'd be more than happy to see a new game but the remakes are a great way of paying service to fans of the series and testing the waters on the franchise popularity. They don't look frankensteinian, as he describes, they look nice. They look like they capture the feel of the original games exceedingly well, almost akin to the Rachet and Clank remake,of the original game (which was a little different as it changed a large portion of the games content).

[Zjet]

A remake is exactly what fans wanted.

Hopefully Spyro us next