Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is launching later this year on PS4 and Xbox One

(Image credit: Activision)

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time has been officially revealed and is set to launch on October 2 on PS4 and Xbox One. 

The platformer is a direct sequel to Naughty Dog's original trilogy, with the story taking place after Crash 3, with Dr. Neo Cortex, Dr. N. Tropy, and Uka-Uka managing to rip a hole in the fabric of space and time. 

What follows is a platforming adventure that is similar to the originals with new twists. These include the ability to play as Crash and Coco when you want, new moves such as wall running, rail grinding, and rope swinging, alongside the brand new Quantum Masks. These handy face coverings will give Crash or Coco the ability to slow down time or manipulate gravity, opening up ways of getting across levels. 

Intriguingly, Crash and Coco won't be the only characters you'll be playing as in this sequel, as you'll also be able to play as Dr. Neo Cortex in levels that offer an alternate perspective on the game's story. On top of that, the game also supports Retro and Modern Modes. Retro will follow the series' limited lives model, while Modern will offer players unlimited lives to complete a level, but will count how many times you've died.   

The game is set to be developed by Spyro Reignited Trilogy creator Toys for Bob, who are also introducing a new art style to the series. Co-studio head, Paul Yan, told GamesRadar: "We have a distinct aesthetic that comes out of the Spyro Reignited Trilogy. And we've applied a lot of those same sensibilities, but with a reverence to the design vision that came before us. We've learned a lot through the Reignited Trilogy, in terms of how do you pay homage to something that everyone is familiar with? How do you also balance that by injecting novelty and freshness into it as well? We think we've accomplished that here in Crash 4."

Learn more about how Toys for Bob is crafting a true Crash Bandicoot sequel.  

Ben Tyrer
Contributor

Ben Tyrer is a freelance games journalist with over ten years experience of writing about games. After graduating from Bournemouth University with a degree in multimedia journalism he's worked for Official PlayStation Magazine as a staff writer and games editor, as well as 12DOVE (hey, that's this website!) as a news editor. He's also contributed to Official Xbox Magazine, Edge, PC Gamer, GamesMaster, PC Games N, and more. His game of the year - no matter the year - is Rocket League.