CRASH Team Rumble is a new spin-off of the Crash Bandicoot series.
If you’ve watched all of the trailers and marketing material then you might be left wondering what the game is actually like.
The truth is the trailers don’t make it particularly clear at all. Going in I thought it might be similar to a game like League of Legends or Pokémon Unite.
In a way, it is like those games, but it takes things in a much different direction.
In short, your goal is to grab fruit and score it in the marked places.
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Before you set out into a match you’ll need to pick your class. While your class doesn’t technically limit what you’re allowed to do, you’ll still feel pretty restricted by your abilities.
Crash and Tawna are the scorers, who need to run around and collect fruit. Dingodile is a heavy character who blocks incoming scorers. Coco and Neo Cortex are boosters, who have to run interference to allow their team openings.
Having only one option for one of the classes is a bit strange, but the game is just in beta right now, so that could change for the official release.
The classes stop you feeling lost when you first play the game, and having a good mix on each team can lead to a feeling of strong cohesion.
Maps are small and crowded, which plays into the chaotic feel that the game is aiming for.
If you’re looking for a point of comparison, then Crash Team Rumble is more like Splatoon than a fully-fledged MOBA.
Special weapons are full tools to mess around with.
Each character has a personal special weapon that charge when you do class-based activities.
They have very short-lasting effects, but using them optimally can quickly turn a battle around as they boost speed, heal your team, or wipe out enemies.
You can also rack up points by placing relics at the correct spots to unlock team upgrades or weapons.
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The beta was thankfully lacking in microtransactions. All the in-game items were purchasable with the in-game currency. Whether this will be the case in the final game, we don’t know.
There’s a lot of variety in the game and the all-out brawls bring out the best in the game’s chaotic action.
The big letdown is the AI. While the pool of players in the beta was limited, it was annoying when you ended up getting an AI on your team, because it virtually guaranteed you’d lose.
If the full game gets a large enough player base this shouldn’t be a problem, but the AI still needs some serious improvement.
Crash Team Rumble is a very nice blend of the series’ 3D platforming with a chaotic energy that fits the tone. It may not have the biggest longevity, but it’s one to watch when it comes out in late June.
Written by Georgina Young and Ryan Woodrow on behalf of GLHF.