History YMMV / CrashBandicoot4ItsAboutTime

* CompleteMonster: [[spoiler:[[BigBadDuumvirate Dr. Nefarious Tropy and his alternate dimension female counterpart]] are the sadistic, [[TimeMaster self-proclaimed masters of time]]. After being [[Videogame/CrashBandicoot3Warped trapped in the past by Crash]], N. Tropy and Dr. Neo Cortex escape, with N. Tropy convincing Cortex to leave Uka Uka for dead. The alternate N. Tropy, in her own world, hunted down and killed sapient bandicoots, forcing Tawna to watch as she killed her world's versions of Crash and Coco. Soon afterwards, they begin to work on the Rift Generator, with N. Tropy replacing Cortex with his female counterpart before revealing that they plan to erase the multiverse and [[InTheirOwnImage remake it]] as one where they rule as gods. When Tawna attempts to stop them, they attempt to kill her, while the alternate N. Tropy gloats about the deaths of her friends, before attempting to kill Crash, Coco, Cortex, and Dingodile as well when they arrive to aid her. Cruel, sadistic, and with almost none of the same sympathetic or comical qualities as the rest of the RoguesGallery, the N. Tropys stand out as the [[VileVillainSaccharineShow darkest and vilest foes]] that Crash has ever fought.]]

** How legitimate was [[spoiler:Cortex's temporary HeelFaceTurn?]] While one might easily assume [[spoiler:he's playing a bit, thanks to his [[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot2CortexStrikesBack history]] when working on a more heroic side, he has his moments as the story progresses, feeling genuinely upset when Coco calls him a bad guy, privately wondering if 'good guys' have volcano lairs in his first playable level, and staying with the group throughout Neon City.]] Most notable to this is that, despite [[spoiler:losing to Crash and being sent to the end of the universe... [[GracefulLoser Cortex is entirely]] [[EarnYourHappyEnding content to stay there]], as opposed to his usual anger and swears of revenge. This brings up the question of what ''exactly'' his original plan to break out of the endless cycle of fighting was: was he attempting to trick Crash to deal with him later, was he legitimately turning good, with his ChronicBackstabbingDisorder tendencies getting the better of him in the end, or was it a combination of both, with him BecomingTheMask as time progressed, or with him feeling the other heroes weren't treating him well enough to stick around?]]

* CompleteMonster: [[spoiler:[[BigBadDuumvirate Dr. Nefarious Tropy and his alternate dimension female counterpart]] are the sadistic, [[TimeMaster self-proclaimed masters of time]]. After being [[Videogame/CrashBandicoot3Warped trapped in the past by Crash]], N. Tropy and Dr. Neo Cortex escape, with N. Tropy convincing Cortex to leave Uka Uka for dead. The alternate N. Tropy, in her own world, hunted down and killed sapient bandicoots, forcing Tawna to watch as she killed her world's versions of Crash and Coco. Soon afterwards, they begin to work on the Rift Generator, with N. Tropy replacing Cortex with his female counterpart before revealing that they plan to erase the multiverse and [[InTheirOwnImage remake it]] as one where they rule as gods. When Tawna attempts to stop them, they attempt to kill her, while the alternate N. Tropy gloats about the deaths of her friends, before attempting to kill Crash, Coco, Cortex, and Dingodile as well when they arrive to aid her. Cruel and sadistic, the N. Tropys stand out as the [[VileVillainSaccharineShow darkest and vilest foes]] that Crash has ever fought.]]

* CompleteMonster:[[spoiler: [[BigBadDuumvirate Dr. Nefarious Tropy and his alternate dimension female counterpart]] are the sadistic, [[TimeMaster self-proclaimed masters of time]]. After being [[Videogame/CrashBandicoot3Warped trapped in the past by Crash]], N. Tropy and Dr. Neo Cortex escape, with N. Tropy convincing Cortex to leave Uka Uka for dead. The alternate N. Tropy, in her own world, hunted down and killed sapient bandicoots, forcing Tawna to watch as she killed her world's versions of Crash and Coco. Soon afterwards, they begin to work on the Rift Generator, with N. Tropy replacing Cortex with his female counterpart before revealing that they plan to erase the multiverse and [[InTheirOwnImage remake it]] as one where they rule as gods. When Tawna attempts to stop them, they attempt to kill her, while the alternate N. Tropy gloats about the deaths of her friends, before attempting to kill Crash, Coco, Cortex, and Dingodile as well when they arrive to aid her. Cruel and sadistic, the N. Tropys stand out as the [[VileVillainSaccharineShow darkest and vilest foes]] that Crash has ever fought.]]

** N. Verted levels being required for OneHundredPercentCompletion. Apart from being horizontally mirrored, adding a visual gimmick and moving the hidden gem to another location, most N. Verted levels don't do much, if anything, to actually change up the gameplay and make the levels feel new. The player is essentially just being forced to collect everything in each level a second time, which doesn't do anything but artificially double the amount of time it takes to achieve 100% completion.

** The game's more "dramatic" storytelling than the series' usual were met with divisive reception. Some liked the attempts to make a higher-stakes story with a more earnest and atmospheric air after many previous games [[DenserAndWackier converted the Crash universe into a gag series]], while others found the plot too dry and generic without the usual self-aware silliness, as well as the series being too fundamentally cartoony to not make the more serious moments [[{{Narm}} feel laughably out of place]]. Downplaying several characters comedic qualities (eg. Coco, Tawna, N Tropy) was also divisive, as while some felt it was a fitting evolution of their earlier StraightMan roles, some felt downplaying their NotSoAboveItAll weakspots ''completely'' made them [[FlatCharacter more boring]] and [[ImmuneToSlapstick less part of the fun]][[note]]Coco and Tawna ''do'' indulge in slapstick in-gameplay, unlike the remakes however, they vent little of their own funny personality traits into it, being just blander mirrors of the same gags the others do[[/note]], and came at the cost of Flanderizing the ButtMonkey qualities of other characters (particularly Crash and Cortex, who without any role reversals, ended up {{Straw Loser}}s for [[SuperiorSuccessor Coco and Tropy]] for most of the game).

** The game's more "dramatic" storytelling than the series' usual were met with divisive reception. Some liked the attempts to make a higher-stakes story with a more earnest and atmospheric air after many previous games [[DenserAndWackier converted the Crash universe into a gag series]], while others found the plot too dry and generic without the usual self-aware silliness, as well as the series being too fundamentally cartoony to not make the more serious moments [[{{Narm}} feel laughably out of place]]. Downplaying several characters comedic qualities (eg. Coco, Tawna, N Tropy) was also divisive, as while some felt it was a fitting evolution of their earlier StraightMan roles, some felt downplaying their NotSoAboveItAll weakspots ''completely'' made them [[FlatCharacter more boring]] and [[ImmuneToSlapstick less part of the fun]].[[note]]Coco and Tawna ''do'' indulge in slapstick in-gameplay, unlike the remakes however, they vent little of their own funny personality traits into it, being just blander mirrors of the same gags the others do[[/note]] It doesn't really help that this [[ConservationOfCompetence comes at the expense of making the remaining comical mainstays such as Crash and Cortex]] [[BadassDecay look more incompetent]], costing them some of their CrazyIsCool qualities to make them feel relevant as foils (especially around [[SuperiorSuccessor Coco and Tropy]]).

** The game's more "dramatic" storytelling than the series' usual were met with divisive reception. Some liked the attempts to make a higher-stakes story with a more earnest and atmospheric air after many previous games [[DenserAndWackier converted the Crash universe into a gag series]], while others found the plot too dry and generic without the usual self-aware silliness, as well as the story still being fundamentally cartoony making the more serious moments [[{{Narm}} feel laughably out of place]]. Downplaying several characters comedic qualities (eg. Coco, Tawna, N Tropy) was also divisive, as while some felt it was a fitting evolution of their earlier StraightMan roles, some felt downplaying their NotSoAboveItAll weakspots ''completely'' made them [[FlatCharacter more boring]] and [[ImmuneToSlapstick less part of the fun]].[[note]]Coco and Tawna ''do'' indulge in slapstick in-gameplay, unlike the remakes however, they vent little of their own funny personality traits into it, being just blander mirrors of the same gags the others do[[/note]] It doesn't really help that this [[ConservationOfCompetence comes at the expense of making the remaining comical mainstays such as Crash and Cortex]] [[BadassDecay look more incompetent]], costing them some of their CrazyIsCool qualities to make them feel relevant as foils (especially around [[SuperiorSuccessor Coco and Tropy]]).

** The game's more "dramatic" storytelling than the series' usual were met with divisive reception. Some liked the attempts to make a higher-stakes story with a more earnest and atmospheric air after many previous games [[DenserAndWackier converted the Crash universe into a gag series]], while others found the plot too dry and generic without the usual self-aware silliness, as well as the story still being fundamentally cartoony making the more serious moments [[{{Narm}} feel laughably out of place]]. Downplaying several characters comedic qualities (eg. Coco, Tawna, N Tropy) was also divisive, as while some felt it was a fitting evolution of their earlier StraightMan roles, some felt downplaying their NotSoAboveItAll weakspots ''completely'' made them [[FlatCharacter more boring]] and [[ImmuneToSlapstick less part of the fun]].[[note]]Coco and Tawna ''do'' indulge in slapstick in-gameplay, unlike the remakes however, they vent little of their own funny personality traits into it, being just blander mirrors of the same gags the others do[[/note]] It doesn't really help that this [[ConversationOfCompetence comes at the expense of making the remaining comical mainstays such as Crash and Cortex]] [[BadassDecay look more incompetent]], costing them some of their CrazyIsCool qualities to make them feel relevant as foils (especially around [[SuperiorSuccessor Coco and Tropy]]).

** The attempts to play certain characters more "dramatically" (eg. Coco, Tawna and the Tropys) was met with divisive reception. Some liked the attempts to make a higher-stakes story with a more earnest and atmospheric air after many previous games [[DenserAndWackier converted the Crash universe into a gag series]], while the story still being fundamentally cartoony made others feel the more serious moments with these characters [[{{Narm}} felt laughably out of place]], and that downplaying their comedic flaws just led them to feel [[FlatCharacter more boring]] and [[ImmuneToSlapstick less part of the fun]].[[note]]Coco and Tawna ''do'' indulge in slapstick in-gameplay, unlike the remakes however, they vent little of their own funny personality traits into it, being just blander mirrors of the same gags the others do[[/note]] It doesn't really help that this leads them to be [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter portrayed as far]] [[ConservationOfCompetence more competent]] than mainstays such as Crash and Cortex, costing the latter cast some of their CrazyIsCool qualities to make them feel relevant as foils (especially around [[SuperiorSuccessor Coco and Tropy]]).

* BadassDecay: Some characters have gotten their bumbling qualities elevated in this game to [[ConservationOfCompetence accommodate other characters]] ''[[ImmuneToSlapstick losing]]'' some of theirs and [[SpotlightStealingSquad getting a role upgrade]]:

** Also with ''VideoGame/SlyCooper'' fans as well since, ironically, [[VideoGame/SlyCooperThievesInTime Sly's fourth game]] likewise involved time travel, a new developer and a new art style [[note]]Granted reception to that game was more mixed then this one, especially on the story front, but the sentiment was still there[[/note]].

* {{Narm}}:
** The player can invoke this with the unlockable skins. Since most of the game's cutscenes are rendered using the in-gameplay Unreal engine, it displays whatever skin Crash and Coco have at the time, so you can have them wear some of the goofier ones during dramatic moments, especially the polygonal retro skins and [[FrozenFace unexpressive]] balloon bandicoot Floaty skins.
** Some find Tawna's backstory with [[spoiler:Female N. Tropy killing her universe's Crash and Coco]] a rather generic and out-of-place attempt to invoke a darker, more serious storyline into the series. Combined with itself playing the context perfectly straight while still adding some awkward humour in the final climax with [[spoiler: the two N. Tropys]], it leads to MoodWhiplash, helped none by the AntiClimaxBoss.

* AuthorsSavingThrow:
** The game's premise finally addresses the long-standing issue of Cortex, N. Tropy, and Uka Uka having gotten out of their predicament in the true ending of ''Warped'' [[UnexplainedRecovery without any explanation]].
** The game's direct return to the Naughty Dog trilogy's era, style, and gameplay can be seen as the developers throwing a bone to those who didn't like the games released afterwards, while still respecting the post-Naughty Dog era's following via their claim that [[https://press-start.com.au/features/2020/06/23/crash-4-interview-retro-mode-doctor-neo-cortex-quantum-masks the other sequels still exist in a multiverse]]. ''VideoGame/CrashOnTheRun'' later confirmed this claim via taking place in a timeline where all the post-Naughty Dog games (even the ones by Radical Entertainment) are canon. What also helps is [[spoiler:the 100% bonus ending, which features cameos from characters such as N. Trance, Zem, Chick, Stew, and Nina]].
** Early footage of the game had shown the Nitro crates to have an uppercase "N". By the time of the August 6, 2020 showcase, this was restored to the crates' usual designation of "Nitro", after much feedback.
** After years of having debuted in ''Cortex Strikes Back'' [[RememberTheNewGuy with little to no explanation]], the Flashback Tape levels delve into Coco's past, back when she and Crash were treated as test subjects for Cortex's mutant army.
** On a related note, those aforementioned levels make use of the original version of the trilogy's songs, pleasing those who wanted to have them in ''N. Sane Trilogy''.
** Tawna ''finally'' getting a chance to be playable in a proper ''Crash'' adventure game (even if it isn't the mainline universe one).
** Coco mentioning that Tawna and Crash lost touch with their universe’s Tawna finally gives something of an explanation of why she disappeared after the original ''Crash Bandicoot''.
** Polar actually coming back in a playable mainline game role for the first time since ''The Huge Adventure'', after being mostly left in the sidelines once the Naughty Dog era ended.
** The Crash Bandicoot Twitter [[https://twitter.com/CrashBandicoot/status/1311404554894757888?s=20 revealed]] ''Crash 4''[='=]s Crash Dance, and it was discovered that Toys For Bob brought back Crash's signature pelvic thrusting in the dance that was absent in ''Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy'' and ''Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled'' which replaced it with a "running man" styled dance instead.
** For years, fans have debated whether the series should maintain its on-rails level structure or move into an interconnected open-world approach. This game reaches a happy medium, having self-contained levels with more open areas on occasion.
** As memorable as the portal rooms were in the original trilogy, they limited natural plot progression and possible character interactions since most lines were from the villains. The dimensional map brings back the map structure from the first game and fully realizes its potential (actually linking each level to each other, as Naughty Dog originally intended), while the levels themselves include plenty of cutscenes.
** The Switch, PC, [=PS5=], and XSX releases coincide with a patch that changes Polar's hitboxes to make it easier to break boxes in "Bears Repeating."

* ContestedSequel: While still considered a step-up from the other post-Naughty Dog games in the series with the exception of ''Twinsanity'', the game is extremely divisive among fans. While many people enjoy the game for its art style, level design, mechanical improvements, and large amount of content, some even considering [[EvenBetterSequel the best game in the series]], others criticize the game for its difficulty (most notably the [[GuideDangIt hidden boxes]] and [[MarathonLevel much longer levels]]); the padded road to full completion, the highly-contested character redesigns and seemingly ignoring the post-Naughty Dog games.]]

* DisappointingLastLevel: The penultimate world, The Sn@xx Dimension, is considered to be one of the weaker parts of the game due to every level being ThatOneLevel and the N’Verted variant’s underwater physics exacerbating the already [[MarathonLevel ridiculous level lengths]], not helped by the swaying of the water being very distracting. Though thankfully the final world, Cortex Island, is generally considered a strong sendoff to the game.

* CompleteMonster: [[spoiler:[[BigBadDuumvirate Dr. Nefarious Tropy and his alternate dimension female counterpart]]. While in previous games, Tropy was a menacing but LaughablyEvil egotist, here the two Tropys are reimagined into the brutal, self-proclaimed [[TimeMaster masters of time]], with their threat level PlayedForDrama often uncharacteristic to the franchise. After being [[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot3Warped trapped in the past by Crash]], N. Tropy and Dr. Neo Cortex escape, with N. Tropy convincing Cortex to leave Uka Uka for dead. The alternate N. Tropy, in her own world, hunted down and killed sapient bandicoots, forcing Tawna to watch as she killed her world's versions of Crash and Coco. Soon afterwards, they begin to work on the Rift Generator, with N. Tropy replacing Cortex with his female counterpart before revealing that [[ApocalypseHow/ClassX5 they plan to erase the multiverse]] and [[InTheirOwnImage remake it as one where they rule as gods]]. When Tawna attempts to stop them, they attempt to kill her while [[WouldYouLikeToHearHowTheyDied the alternate N. Tropy gloats about murdering her friends]], before attempting to kill Crash, Coco, Cortex, and Dingodile as well when they arrive to aid her. Self-absorbed, sadistic and cruel to a disgusting extent, the N. Tropys stand out as the [[VileVillainSaccharineShow darkest and most vile foes]] that Crash and friends have ever fought.]]
* ContestedSequel: While still considered a step-up from the other post-Naughty Dog games in the series with the exception of ''Twinsanity'', the game is extremely divisive among fans. While many people enjoy the game for its art style, level design, mechanical improvements, and large amount of content, some even considering [[EvenBetterSequel the best game in the series]], others criticize the game for its difficulty (most notably the [[GuideDangIt hidden boxes]] and [[MarathonLevel much longer levels]]); the padded road to full completion, the highly-contested character redesigns and seemingly ignoring the post-Naughty Dog games.

** [[spoiler:Cortex crosses it by ''attempting to erase Crash from exsistence'']].

** One of the supposed reasons why Tawna was [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome largely jettisoned from the series]] was [[ExecutiveMeddling an executive at Sony Computer Entertainment America being offended]] with her MsFanservice concept, then had left the company after the similarly sexy [[VideoGame/TombRaider Lara Croft]] became popular. This game's version of Tawna is essentially a Bandicoot version of Ms. Croft. Toys For Bob's [[VideoGame/SpyroReignitedTrilogy previous game]] had a Lara pastiche itself via Tara [[note]]Though she was also in the original release of ''VideoGame/SpyroYearOfTheDragon''[[/note]].

** 100% completion. Some people think the game provides a reasonable challenge, but others think this game relies too much on FakeDifficulty, FakeLongevity, and an overabundance on LastLousyPoint.

* ContestedSequel: While still considered a step-up from the other post-Naughty Dog games in the series with the exception of ''Twinsanity'', how the game stacks up to the originals and ''Twinsanity'' is often debated. While many people enjoy the game for its art style, level design, mechanical improvements, and large amount of content, others criticize the game for its difficulty (most notably the [[GuideDangIt hidden boxes]] and [[MarathonLevel much longer levels]]); the padded road to full completion, the highly-contested character redesigns and seemingly ignoring the post-Naughty Dog games.

* EvenBetterSequel: While somewhat [[ContestedSequel contested]] compared to the original trilogy, the game is still generally contested with ''Twinsanity'' for the best ([[VideoGameRemake wholly original]]) game since Naughty Dog left the series and a solid platformer in its own right. And of course it’s not uncommon to see people who say that it’s on par with, or even better, than the original trilogy.

* EvenBetterSequel: While somewhat [[ContestedSequel contested]] compared to the original trilogy, the game is still generally considered the best ([[VideoGameRemake wholly original]]) game since Naughty Dog left the series and a solid platformer in its own right. And of course it’s not uncommon to see people who say that it’s on par with, or even better, than the original trilogy.

* ContestedSequel: While still considered a step-up from the other post-Naughty Dog games in the series with the exception of Twinsanity, how the game stacks up to the originals and Twinsanity is often debated. While many people enjoy the game for its art style, level design, mechanical improvements, and large amount of content, others criticize the game for its difficulty (most notably the [[GuideDangIt hidden boxes]] and [[MarathonLevel much longer levels]]); the padded road to full completion, the highly-contested character redesigns and seemingly ignoring the post-Naughty Dog games.

* ContestedSequel: While still considered a step-up from the other post-Naughty Dog games in the series with the exception of Twinsanity, how the game stacks up to the originals is often debated. While many people enjoy the game for its art style, level design, mechanical improvements, and large amount of content, others criticize the game for its difficulty (most notably the [[GuideDangIt hidden boxes]] and [[MarathonLevel much longer levels]]); the padded road to full completion, the highly-contested character redesigns and seemingly ignoring the post-Naughty Dog games.

* ContestedSequel: While still considered a step-up from the other post-Naughty Dog games in the series, how the game stacks up to the originals is often debated. While many people enjoy the game for its art style, level design, mechanical improvements, and large amount of content, others criticize the game for its difficulty (most notably the [[GuideDangIt hidden boxes]] and [[MarathonLevel much longer levels]]); the padded road to full completion, the highly-contested character redesigns and seemingly ignoring the post-Naughty Dog games.

* CompleteMonster: [[spoiler:[[BigBadDuumvirate Dr. Nefarious Tropy and his alternate dimension female counterpart]]. While in previous games, Tropy was a menacing but LaughablyEvil egotist, here the two Tropys are reimagined into the sadistic, self-proclaimed [[TimeMaster masters of time]], with their threat level PlayedForDrama often uncharacteristic to the franchise. After being [[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot3Warped trapped in the past by Crash]], N. Tropy and Dr. Neo Cortex escape, with N. Tropy convincing Cortex to leave Uka Uka for dead. The alternate N. Tropy, in her own world, hunted down and killed sapient bandicoots, forcing Tawna to watch as she killed her world's versions of Crash and Coco. Soon afterwards, they begin to work on the Rift Generator, with N. Tropy replacing Cortex with his female counterpart before revealing that they plan to erase the multiverse and [[InTheirOwnImage remake it]] as one where they rule as gods. When Tawna attempts to stop them, they attempt to kill her, while the alternate N. Tropy gloats about the deaths of her friends, before attempting to kill Crash, Coco, Cortex, and Dingodile as well when they arrive to aid her. Cruel and sadistic, the N. Tropys stand out as the [[VileVillainSaccharineShow darkest and vilest foes]] that Crash has ever fought.]]

*** ''[[UpToEleven And on top of that]]'', [[spoiler:both games feature two versions of their respectives Nefariouses: One from the main dimension, and one hailing from the same dimension as the new playable female characters. What's more, ''Rift Apart'' explores the home dimension for its female character in more detail [[HufflepuffHouse than]] ''[[HufflepuffHouse It's About Time]]'''s.]]

** Crash, while maintaining the same prowess in gameplay, consistently plays PluckyComicRelief for the rest of the cast in story, and is regularly annoying or [[OvershadowedByAwesome outshone by]] his [[PositiveDiscrimination now far more competent sister]]. Granted Crash was ''always'' a goofball, but only ''one of many'' and in some cases held the SmartBall. To punctuate this, nearly all of ''Coco's'' [[NotSoAboveItAll idiosyncrasies from previous games]], such as being a FailuresOnIce, her selfie affinity, and [[WhatTheHellPlayer lower patience for gameplay punishment]], have been passed over to Crash in this game to make them a more clear cut RightWayWrongWayPair.

* UncannyValley: Alternate Tawna's in-game model (in contrast to how she's depicted in official and concept art) can seem off to some people, looking much more awkward than other female characters in the series, particularly due to the tip of her muzzle being almost invisible and almost shaped as a human nose.
** The Retro skins are an odd example, being low-poly but not ''actually'' matching the [=PS1=] models. They move as smoothly as every other skin, resulting in something that is too well-animated for the older games while looking simply unfinished in this one.

** A similar circumstance occurs with Tawna and N Tropy, who both have replacement voices of varying authenticity, despite Misty Lee and Corey Burton actually staying on for other roles. It is worth noting that all three characters undergo a [[CerebusSyndrome a more serious character shift]] to some level, suggesting the switch up to new more grounded sounding actors over their previous [[DenserAndWackier more comical sounding ones]] was to prevent VocalDissonance.