History YMMV / CrashBandicoot4ItsAboutTime

** Eden Riegel being the substitute for Debi Derryberry as Coco. While Eden's performance was seen as adequate (or at least sounding less like Jimmy Neutron compared to Debi's), some fans were baffled as to why Debi would be doing Coco for ''On The Run'' instead of this game, especially since Debi has been a series regular as Coco since ''Wrath of Cortex''.

** Coco's actions in ''[[VideoGame/CrashBandicootNSaneTrilogy N. Sane Trilogy]]''. Her deciding to use the Time Twister to help Crash in his prior adventures, alongside Cortex and N. Tropy's messing around, may have caused the minor changes in ''N. Sane Trilogy'' to eventually result in the post-''Warped'' timeline [[ForWantOfANail being completely changed]].

** The success of the ''[[Film/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' movie has led fans to joke about a live action Crash Bandicoot movie, often also joking how Creator/PeterDinklage should play Dr. Cortex.

* UnintentionallySympathetic: Crash spends a good quantity of the story singled out as TheChewToy, StrawLoser and TheFriendNoOneLikes. While this dynamic wasn't unheard of in previous games, it was [[DependingOnTheWriter usually only in instances]] Crash was being a ComedicSociopath or LethallyStupid (eg. ''Tag Team Racing'') and even then slapstick karma would often befall his comrades whenever they themselves [[InsufferableGenius got too pompous]]. Despite attempts to treat Crash as an InsufferableImbecile however, Crash consistently being a KindheartedSimpleton and the others being mostly ImmuneToSlapstick he causes means his only crime is [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer not being as elegant a hero as they are]]. It doesn't help that Toys For Bob specifically stated they altered Crash's dynamic with the other characters because they wanted them to be "equals".

* UnintentionallySympathetic: Crash spends a good quantity of the story singled out as TheChewToy, StrawLoser and TheFriendNoOneLikes. While this dynamic wasn't unheard of in previous games, it was [[DependingOnTheWriter usually only in instances]] Crash was being a ComedicSociopath or LethallyStupid (eg. ''Tag Team Racing'') and even then slapstick karma would often befall his comrades whenever they themselves [[InsufferableGenius got too pompous]]. In this instance however, Crash is consistently a KindheartedSimpleton who's only crime is not being as elegant a hero as the others. It doesn't help that Toys For Bob specifically stated they altered Crash's dynamic with the other characters because they wanted them to be "equals".

** ''Crash 1''[='=]s working title was "[[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic's]] Arse game" because of how the camera focused on the back of Crash owing to its level design. It therefore feels quite amusing after the reveal trailer for Crash ''4'' showed some positively ''Sonic''-esque elements, like grind rails and some parkour setpieces straight out of ''VideoGame/SonicLostWorld''. It even does as ''VideoGame/SonicMania'' did and establishes a new continuity off of the third game, despite there [[VideoGame/CrashBandicootTheWrathOfCortex already being]] [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog4 a fourth-numbered game]]! To top it all off, [[spoiler:alternate dimensions are involved in both games' story to some capacity]] and Creator/RogerCraigSmith himself voices a character in the game.

** Back during Naughty Dog's tenure, [[VideoGame/CrashTeamRacing Nitros Oxide]] was allegedly created to make the series impossible to take seriously anymore (partially due to uncertainty about its future, and partially from hard feelings towards Universal Interactive Studios). Now? Not only does this game feature even stronger sci-fi elements (including aliens similar to Oxide), but Taylor Kurosaki, a key staffer from the Naughty Dog games, is a consultant for it as well. [[spoiler:Oxide himself makes an appearance late in the game, to boot.]]
** Back in ''Twinsanity'', Cortex would turn into an angel upon losing a life. This time around, his "angel" form has a more appropriate demonic appearance.

** 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 [[Franchise/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]].
** Sometime before launch, Jason Rubin compared the game's use of plot progression in its levels to ''VideoGame/{{Uncharted}}'' ([[OlderThanTheyThink despite the fact that the]] ''[[OlderThanTheyThink Crash]]'' [[OlderThanTheyThink series already tried this in the earlier post-Naughty Dog games]], though [[CreatorBacklash his feelings on those are clear]]). The 100% epilogue for Alternate Tawna states that she's had a brief fling with a pastiche of Nathan Drake, whom she described as "[[TakeThat some dweeb]]".
** After ''N. Sane Trilogy'' had launched, several journalists that weren't too skilled at the games infamously compared their difficulty to ''VideoGame/DarkSouls''. Judging from this game's difficulty being [[SequelDifficultySpike much more severe]] than those games, it seems that the staff at Toys For Bob [[TemptingFate took those reviews to heart]].

** A game that's a successful relaunch of a beloved 90s FunnyAnimal mascot platformer series after a period of gimmicky entries, that also ended up being [[SequelDifficultySpike even more challenging]] than its origins in the process. Is it this game or ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns''?

* UnintentionallySympathetic: Crash spends a good quantity of the story singled out as TheChewToy, StrawLoser and TheFriendNoOneLikes. While this dynamic wasn't unheard of in previous games, it was [[DependingOnTheWriter usually only in instances]] Crash was being a ComedicSociopath or obstructively stupid (eg. ''Tag Team Racing'') and even then slapstick karma would often befall his comrades whenever they themselves [[InsufferableGenius got too pompous]]. In this instance however, Crash is consistently a KindheartedSimpleton who's only crime is not being as elegant a hero as the others. It doesn't help that Toys For Bob specifically stated they altered Crash's dynamic with the other characters because they wanted them to be "equals".

* UnintentionallySympathetic: Crash spends a good quantity of the story singled out as TheChewToy, StrawLoser and TheFriendNoOneLikes. While this dynamic wasn't unheard of in previous games, it was [[DependingOnTheWriter usually only in instances]] Crash was being a ComedicSociopath or obstructively stupid (eg. ''Tag Team Racing) and even then slapstick karma would often befall his comrades whenever they themselves [[InsufferableGenius got too pompous]]. In this instance however, Crash is consistently a KindheartedSimpleton who's only crime is not being as elegant a hero as the others. It doesn't help that Toys For Bob specifically stated they altered Crash's dynamic with the other characters because they wanted them to be "equals".

** [[spoiler:Cortex crosses it when he -- after faking his previous HeelFaceTurn -- betrays the team, steals Kupuna-Wa and [[MakeWrongWhatWasRight uses her powers to go back in time]] with the intention of [[RetGone preventing his past self from creating Crash]]. Him cruelly calling the Bandicoot [[KickTheDog "[his] greatest mistake"]] as he leaves to do so only makes it worse, especially with [[EtTuBrute how visibly]] ''[[EtTuBrute hurt]]'' [[EtTuBrute Crash looks]] when Coco explains to him what Cortex means]].

** Bears Repeating, a level with a decently-long and difficult regular section that leads into a Polar segment that requires insane precision to hit all the boxes, especially the crates that are stacked in a 2x2 formation (of which there are many). The level also has a yellow gem path that's a CallBack to the infamous The High Road from ''Crash 1'', and the flashback tape is placed in the middle of the Polar section in mid-air. Getting the N. Sane Relic is especially sadistic, since if you die or miss a box in the Polar section, you have to redo ''the entire level''. There were so many complaints about Polar's hitbox, that it was [[AuthorsSavingThrow finally patched]] to be much wider.

** Bears Repeating, a level with a decently-long and difficult regular section that leads into a Polar segment that requires insane precision to hit all the boxes, especially the crates that are stacked in a 2x2 formation (of which there are many). The level also has a yellow gem path that's a CallBack to the infamous "The High Road" from ''Crash 1'', and the flashback tape is placed in the middle of the Polar section in mid-air. Getting the N. Sane Relic is especially sadistic, since if you die or miss a box in the Polar section, you have to redo ''the entire level''. There were so many complaints about Polar's hitbox that it was finally patched to be much wider.

** Bears Repeating, a level with a decently-long and difficult regular section that leads into a Polar segment that requires insane precision to hit all the boxes, especially the crates that are stacked in a 2x2 formation (of which there are many). The level also has a yellow gem path that's a CallBack to the infamous "The High Road" from ''Crash 1'', and the flashback tape is placed in the middle of the Polar section in mid-air. Getting the N Sane Relic is especially sadistic, since if you die or miss a box in the Polar section, you have to redo ''the entire level''. There were so many complaints about Polar's hitbox that it was finally patched to be much wider.

** Thought finding and smashing all of a level's boxes to obtain its Clear Gem was tricky enough in the older games? Well, not only have the developers hidden more boxes in unexpected places, such as the two sets of tires the Bonus Platform covers in "A Real Grind", ''the third level in the game'', but there are not one, not two, but ''FIVE additional Clear Gems to collect'': three are earned by collecting 40%, 60%, and 80% of a level's Wumpa Fruit, respectively, another is earned by beating the level while dying 3 or less times, and the last one is hidden somewhere in the level. Oh, and you have to do it all over again for the level's N. Verted variant -- environment-obstructing visuals and all, '''AND''', as detailed in ThatOneAchievement above, you need to obtain all but the hidden gem without dying to earn the level's N-Sanely Perfect Relic. Have fun!

** As Toys For Bob worked on the ''Spyro Reignited Trilogy'', this comes as no surprise. But seeing it now applied to Crash in an original game made by them is a sight to behold - from the more streamlined but nonetheless appealing designs, the lush, intricate backgrounds, to the bouncy and personality-fueled character animation, this is arguably the best a ''Crash'' game has ever looked yet.

** The sheer amount of hidden boxes in each level. [[FranchiseOriginalSin While some levels in the original trilogy also suffered this]], they were only a select few. This game by comparison has boxes hidden just off-screen in every single level, essentially forcing you to play them multiple times or consult a guide just to find them all - a problem only exacerbated by how long [[MarathonLevel some of the later levels are]].

** The lack of the PC, UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch and UsefulNotes/PlayStation5 ports in sight around the time of the game's original release in late 2020. This is due to Activision still "evaluating additional platforms" to release the game, according to PR. While it makes sense for the next gen consoles (mostly for the Playstation 5, as the UsefulNotes/XboxOne version will be cross-gen compatible with the [[UsefulNotes/XboxSeriesXAndS Xbox Series X and Series S]]), the lack of PC and Switch ports at launch is jarring to many, especially since ''N. Sane Trilogy'' and ''Nitro-Fueled'' sold exceptionally well on the Switch and the latter was not only available on the console from day one but is still absent from PC. And while the Switch, [=PS5=], Xbox Series X|S and PC versions were later announced to be released in 2021, the PC version got scorn from fans after it was announced to be released exclusively for Blizzard's Battle.net instead of Steam - which has a bigger userbase compared to Blizzard's service - and the ire only increased when it was discovered upon release that the game's DRM does not allow it to be played without an internet connection. (Not helping was that said DRM was cracked ''within the day''.)
** Concerns arose when the game's ESRB label hinted at the inclusion of microtransactions. While Toys For Bob later clarified that [[https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2020/06/30/no-crash-bandicoot-4-microtransactions-toys-for-bob-clarifies/# there wouldn't be any microtransactions in the game]] - and stayed true to their word - the damage was already done, as a number of players had canceled their preorders. Not helping matters was that ''VideoGame/CrashTeamRacingNitroFueled'' had gotten microtransactions patched into it months after release.

** Thought finding and smashing all of a level's boxes to obtain its Clear Gem was tricky enough in the older games? Well, not only have the developers hidden more boxes in unexpected places, such as the two sets of tires the Bonus Platform covers in "A Real Grind", ''the third level in the game'', but there are not one, not two, but ''FIVE additional Clear Gems to collect'': three are earned by collecting 40%, 60%, and 80% of a level's Wumpa Fruit, respectively, another is earned by beating the level while dying 3 or less times, and the last one is hidden somewhere in the level. Oh, and you have to do it all over again for the level's N. Verted variant - environment-obstructing visuals and all, '''AND''', as detailed in ThatOneAchievement above, you need to obtain all but the hidden gem without dying to earn the level's N-Sanely Perfect Relic. Have fun!

** While getting all the Colored Gems was always a tricky task, given the varying degrees of GuideDangIt involved, their hiding places are especially secretive this time. The blue gem, however, takes the cake. Finding out how to get it without a guide is confusing enough, but actually pulling it off is a nightmare: to get it, you must complete Draggin' On without breaking a single crate, meaning that not only do you have to complete the level without dying, since checkpoint crates are out of the question, but you also have to avoid breaking any crates. And this is a level where you have to use '''Akano''' (the mask that gives you the Death Tornado Spin-esque power) to get through most of it. Good luck. The task can be made *slightly* easier by deliberately entering the bonus stage and dying, creating a free checkpoint midway through the stage.

** 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 [[WomenAreWiser 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.
* BaseBreakingCharacter:
** Alternate Tawna. For those who like her, she is a fun reimagining of a previously neglected character, who brings more emotion and depth to the story, and is also welcomed as another prominent female character. For those who dislike her, she is an unfunny CreatorsPet with [[DarkAndTroubledPast an overly]] [[MoodWhiplash serious backstory]], who checks off every 'Strong Female Character' cliche in the book without checking off ''enough'' as [[CastFullOfCrazy a Crash Bandicoot character]]. It didn't help that the original Tawna was [[VideoGame/CrashTeamRacingNitroFueled just starting to get some love]] [[CharacterisationClickMoment within the series]], making the act of demoting her ''again'' for a different counterpart more contentious.

* AccidentalInnuendo: The first Quantum Mask you meet is called Lani-{{Loli|con And Shotacon}}. Granted, his name makes sense if you know what they were going for, but to some who don't, his name instead comes off as an UnfortunateName.
* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:

** Coco's revised characterisation into Crash's SuperiorSuccessor is also divisive. Some like her being toned back down to her StraightMan persona of the original games and found her post-Naughty Dog characterisation too obnoxious and incompetent, while some dislike her overly flawless character and how much she supercedes Crash as the main protagonist, believing giving Coco quirks and flaws was needed to balance her out as she became just as physically capable as Crash and thus no longer an even BrainsAndBrawn unit. Some also believe her more snide and impatient behaviour towards Crash makes their dynamic too mean spirited, reducing Crash to a StrawLoser (compared to previous games, where they had a more playful bond and most times Coco acted stuck-up usually led to a karmic role reversal) while some believe it makes their sibling dynamic more realistic and funny.

** Coco's revised characterisation into Crash's SuperiorSuccessor is also divisive. Some like her being toned back down to her StraightMan persona of the original games and found her post-Naughty Dog characterisation too obnoxious, while some dislike her overly flawless character and how much she supercedes Crash as the main protagonist, believing giving Coco quirks and flaws was needed to balance her out as she became just as physically capable as Crash and thus no longer an even BrainsAndBrawn unit. Some also believe her more snide and impatient behaviour towards Crash makes their dynamic too mean spirited, reducing Crash to a StrawLoser (compared to previous games, where they had a more playful bond and most times Coco acted stuck-up usually led to a karmic role reversal) while some believe it makes their sibling dynamic more realistic and funny.

** Coco's revised characterisation into Crash's SuperiorSuccessor is also divisive. Some like her being toned back down to her StraightMan persona of the original games and found her post-Naughty Dog characterisation too obnoxious, while some dislike her overly flawless character and how much she supercedes Crash as the main protagonist, believing giving Coco quirks and flaws was needed to balance her out as she became just as physically capable as Crash and thus no longer an even BrainsAndBrawn unit. Some also believe her more snide and impatient behaviour towards Crash makes their dynamic too mean spirited, reducing Crash to a StrawLoser (compared to previous games, where they had a more playful bond and most times Coco acted stuck-up usually led to a karmic role reversal).

* BaseBreakingCharacter: Alternate Tawna. For those who like her, she is a fun reimagining of a previously neglected character, who brings more emotion and depth to the story, and is also welcomed as another prominent female character. For those who dislike her, she is an unfunny CreatorsPet with [[DarkAndTroubledPast an overly]] [[MoodWhiplash serious backstory]], who checks off every 'Strong Female Character' cliche in the book without checking off ''enough'' as [[CastFullOfCrazy a Crash Bandicoot character]]. It didn't help that the original Tawna was [[VideoGame/CrashTeamRacingNitroFueled just starting to get some love]] [[CharacterisationClickMoment within the series]], making the act of demoting her ''again'' for a different counterpart more contentious.

** Run It Bayou is often considered the game's first big roadblock for completionists, as it involves backtracking over jetboard segments, timed crates on jetboard segments (some of which have you fighting against a current) and has one of the sneakiest hidden gems in the game. The N. Verted Mode variant is even tougher, as everything's ''[[{{Undercrank}} undercranked]]''.

** 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 to pick up the slack (particularly Crash and Cortex, who with less role reversals or cartoony story beats, just ended up {{Straw Loser}}s for [[SuperiorSuccessor Coco and Tropy]] for most of the game).

** Building Bridges. The Tawna section can be incredibly finicky, with the hitboxes of the electric enemies being [[HitboxDissonance wider than they need to be]], and the electric platforms being ridiculously difficult to time, not to mention Tawna's kicking hitbox being at the mercy of TNT Crate stacks. Then, once that's section's done, there's the matter of both a harder bonus stage, which is typically not the case for alternate timeline levels, and an even ''harder'' Polar section than before. Oh, and god help you if you have to redo the level, as all of Tawna's lines are her [[{{Wangst}} needlessly complaining about the cold temperature]].

** Shipping Error has an absolutely nightmarish platforming segment with Cortex, where you must cross three rows of fast horizontally moving platforms, and break a couple of boxes in mid air. The vertical climb segment is also pretty tricky. And then you switch back to Crash/Coco for a replay of Out to Launch, with one of the most insanely hard bonus stages in the game.

* AccidentalInnuendo: The first Quantum Mask you meet is called Lani-{{Loli|con And Shotacon}}.

* 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, the N. Tropys stand out as the [[VileVillainSaccharineShow darkest and vilest foes]] that Crash has ever fought.]]