Crash Bandicoot is really good, if you are playing it on the PSP.  The game looks great on the system's screen and the gameplay is very linear and in short bursts.  This makes it a great buy from the Playstation Store for your PSP.  Although the game is about 12 years old now, it has aged well, and for me it continues to be the best game in a continuing declining series.  Read on for the full review.

 

The game made Crash the original Playstation's mascot, but now that reign is over in a world dominated by first person shooters.  Now the game is being immortalized in the Playstation Store for all to admire.  The game has spawned sequel after sequel after sequel, each being worse than the last.  If only they would go back to the original for inspiration and come out with a new game for the PSP heavily taking gameplay hints for the first game in the series. 

 

The game plays very linear, but it works for a portable system, which is why I reccomend if you buy this game on the PSN store that you should put it on your PSP's memory card and not play it on your PS3.  There are about 32 levels in the game each taking one gameplay perspective.  For instance in the first level you will only be moving forward, in another lever only moving side to side, and even in one very Indiana Jones-esque moving towards the camera.  I think that for this series an open world would be a bad idea.

 

The game looks so great on the PSP's small screen, which is another MAJOR reason why you should only be playing this on the PSP.  Everything is crisp and sharp and almost looks tailor made for the system, but on the PS3 (especially if you are playing on a large HDTV) the game looks the 12 years old that it is.  There wasn't much in the sound department to speak of.  The music was good, but as for the characters, Crash would only make random noises now and then depending on the situation.

 

The main game won't take you that long to get through, but for a game that is always resting safely on your PSP's memory card, it is a nice distraction from your UMD games, or a good transition game if there are slim pickin's with new releases. To me this is worth a buy on the Playstation store.

 

(Score based on PSP play) 

Storyline: 6/10

Gameplay: 10/10

Graphics: 9/10

Sound: 7/10

Lifespan: 6/10 

 

Overall Score: 7.6/10