Crash Twinsanity [PS2]

Face it: Sony's former frontman has become a cash cow for Vivendi. Each passing year brings another product bearing Crash Bandicoot's likeness. Some are good, some are bad, and others utterly forgettable. So let's dispense with the formalities and cut right to the chase: Twinsanity's a title that Crash fans shouldn't miss. Alternating between humorous and heinously aggravating in nature, it's nevertheless one of the most inspired offerings we've seen in some time.

Forget any threat posed by Dr. Neo Cortex: here, your arch-nemesis actually becomes your ally. Instead, it's extraterrestrial menace the Evil Twins who serve as the story's main villains. The plucky pair (picture two dysfunctional bird brothers, each encased in a floating spacecraft) plan on annihilating the world and stealing its Wumpa fruit. Only through an unexpected allegiance with your longtime foe, and his diabolical daughter Nina, can disaster be averted. Cue a surefire recipe for chaos, as well as comic relief.

Although it plays like any past series episode, the twist in Twinsanity is that Cortex can be used and abused as a weapon. Throwing the spacey scientist over gaps, twirling him to turn cranks, and tumbling down tunnels and corkscrewing chutes while tussling with the twerp are just a few of the options available. Later on in the adventure, the demented doctor also doubles as a snowboard, sledgehammer, and shot put. While a fine way of scoring cheap laughs, such dual-barreled play mechanics also provide for undeniably interesting encounters.

The action's classic stuff. Three-dimensional chase sequences, sprints up shafts as humongous drills trail behind, and gigantic jumps performed by pounding on wicked worms are all sample activities. Areas where you'll slam crotchety skunks into nitrous crates or activate TNT detonators to clear a path are common too. But even old-standbys like side-scrolling jump and run jaunts benefit from a bit of ingenious design work.

The most interesting challenges involve sprinting along areas in the foreground flipping switches and tripping traps so that your companion -- hurtling helplessly around parallel platforms in the background -- won't get creamed. We're also impressed by vignettes which see the star bounding his way atop canoes caught in a river's current. Survive these scenarios, and you'll still have to sneak past hostile natives by quickly leaping stones and ducking behind clumps of reeds which wait on the other side. Everything old essentially appears new again, as subtle enhancements and your newfound sidekick introduce unforeseen dilemmas into the equation.

Laughs predictably prove a major part of the proceedings. Thank filmmaker Jordan Reichek of Ren & Stimpy and The Simpsons fame, who penned the amusing script. Whether trailing after Cortex dressed in drag or covering the creep's butt when a bear gives chase because he's got a beehive on his head, it's rib-tickling stuff. Though laughs are forced at times, the game does come across as genuinely funny once in a while. Ponder the scene where Cortex stops on a log bridge to taunt Crash before being bowled over by a booby trap. His response from the depths below: "I'm OK... the spikes broke my fall!"

Much as we appreciate the overall gameplay and brilliant boss encounters (stage-end showdowns begin with you battling the titanic Mecha-Bandicoot and only get grander), it's universally tough stuff. Instant kills are a common danger you face, as are unexpected brushes with death courtesy of a crappy camera system. Whether the result of tap dances with toxic waste or accidental run-ins with explosives, count on croaking frequently. Granted, you're awarded unlimited continues and a large number of easily earned lives, but those suffering from high-blood pressure had best beware. Of course, anyone who's ever enjoyed a past franchise installment understands this.

The game also has the usual awesome audio-visual presentation. Intricate animations, carefully rendered character models, and beautifully colored background scenes such as beaches, caves, and mountaintops are just the beginning. Superb sound effects, sensational voice-overs, and a punchy musical score (think Saturday morning cartoon themes with a backbeat) are peripheral bonuses too. Despite occasional clipping issues (odd overlaps with solid objects), the title's exceptionally well polished and professional.

Although "merely" an improvement on an existing formula, Crash: Twinsanity successfully clocks in as more than the sum of its parts. Splendid stage architecture, superb puzzle planning, and, yes, even the odd snide remark give it way more charm than most competitors. Despite limited replay value and slight conceptual deja vu, the title will entertain all age groups.