Crash is back again, spinning his way onto Sony’s next-gen console and looking better than ever before. Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time on PS5 doesn’t reinvent the wheel. This is by and large the same game that you played on PS4 (you did play it on PS4, right??). With that in mind, we’re not about to re-review the content of the game, which remains much the same as what our initial review had to say. It’s still that classic Crash goodness, packed to the brim with content and replayability, and at times brutally difficult and unrelenting. That said, the PS5 version does bring some pretty big changes that can impact how the game looks and feels.
First up is the requisite 4K resolution and 60 fps that really makes Crash look and feel right at home on the new console. It’s not a shockingly big difference—after all, Crash Bandicoot 4 already looked great on the PS4—and you probably won’t notice the difference outside of side-by-side A/B comparisons of the two versions, but Crash just looks great with the power of the new tech behind ever jump, slide, and spin.
On the PS5 specifically, Crash Bandicoot 4 supports unique features like the DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, Activity Cards, and the console’s unique 3D audio capabilities. The DualSense features are average. They certainly aren’t the pinnacle implementation of the haptic feedback and adaptive trigger tech—Sony’s own first-party games are doing the heavy lifting there—but anything utilizing DualSense features are an improvement over the DualShock 4, so it’s a welcome change nonetheless.
Activity Cards really help with guiding players through what to play next. Given the sheer amount of levels and challenges at hand, it’s a small but welcome feature that creates a kind of helpful roadmap to completion. If, like me, you didn’t get your Platinum on the PS4 version, Activity Cards are a great way to help close that gap (although you’ll still need to demonstrate some top-end platforming skills to cinch the finish).
If we’re being honest, the real winning feature of Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time on PS5 isn’t the visuals or unique PS5 enhancements. It’s the loading times. Those myriad challenges and levels require a lot of replaying and restarting levels. Whether its attempting to master the time trials for Relics, nabbing the gems for level completions in under three deaths, or finding the flawless run classic tapes, one of the best aspects of Crash Bandicoot 4 PS5 is the snappy loading, meaning you don’t spend a lot of time waiting around should you fail. The PS4 version could feel particularly defeating when failure meant a long load time to get going again, but the PS5 keeps you playing the game, and makes retrying difficult challenges much less of a chore.
The save file transfer from the PS4 version is easy enough, as long as you have access to the PS4 version of the game and your PS4 save. You’ll have to sync your PS4 save to the cloud from the Crash Bandicoot 4 PS4 version’s main menu, and then use the PS5 version to import your save. I had to download the PS4 version of the game onto my PS5, sync my save from the PS Plus cloud storage, upload it via the Crash 4 menu, then retrieve it with the PS5 version of the game. The hassle was mostly owing to issues I’ve had with the PS5 supporting external storage devices for PS4 games, however, not with how the game handles save transfers. Your experience will vary depending on how available your PS4 version and save file is to you. This will pop any Trophies you’ve already unlocked too, so no need to redo any difficult challenges you’ve already completed.
In addition, players who already own Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time on PS4 get a free upgrade to the PS5 version. It’s a nice touch that’s certainly not universal with every game that’s getting next-gen enhancements.
At its heart, this is the same Crash Bandicoot 4 that we loved last year when it came to PS4. The improved loading times alone are enough to make the PS5 version stand out, and the enhanced visuals are an added treat, seeing Crash in native 4K at 60 fps. Additional PS5 features round out the package, but as I played, it was mostly just the improved loading that really stuck out to me as the defining feature of this next-gen port.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time PS5 review code provided by publisher. Reviewed on PS5. For more information on scoring, please read our Review Policy.
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9.5
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