Croc: Legend of the Gobbos Remastered Review

 

Argonaut Games is a company that has had a major impact on the gaming industry. They were a key player behind the creation of the Super FX chip for the Super Nintendo, developed the original Star Fox and Star Fox 2, and went on to create a large number of licensed titles. However, these aren't the only games Argonaut Games became known for, as they also branched off into their own original IPs, and pushed the boundaries of what game design used to be.

Croc: Legend of the Gobbos was conceived as one of the first games to fully jump into the world of 3D platforming, and was initially pitched to Nintendo as a Yoshi game. Nintendo ultimately rejected this offer however, and got to work on games like Super Mario 64, but Argonaut Games didn't let the refusal stop them. Instead the game was repurposed into an original IP, Croc, and Legend of the Gobbos was released as the first entry in this new series in 1997. It originally launched for the PlayStation and SEGA Saturn, but now nearly 28 years later the game has returned for all major platforms and PC.

Now that Croc: Legend of the Gobbos is available on modern platforms, many may be wondering what the game is, and how it plays in today's modern world. Well, we here at Netto's Game Room were lucky enough to be sent a free early review copy by Argonaut Games for the PlayStation 5, so we can answer just that! 

 

Before we get started however, full disclosure: I personally have little to no experience with the Croc franchise, so this remastered version is my first time truly experiencing it! My co-workers on the other hand, they are existing fans of the series, and they were pretty excited to see what I thought of it. That being said, I have no nostalgia for the original release (outside seeing the box art), and I am lucky enough to get to experience it in its best possible form. 

That being said, does Croc hold up in today's world? Or is this a relic best left in the past?

The Story:

To be blunt, Croc doesn't have much of a story. The game opens with the King Rufus of the Gobbos (little puff ball like creatures) coming across Croc abandoned as a baby, and we then get to see a slide show of events as Croc grows up around his new family. It is a cute little scene, and it does do a good job making players feel attached to title character from the get go! It is filled with classic 90s cartoon charm, but in the game itself it doesn't evolve much past this intro. Of course there needs to be some type of conflict for the game to start, so needless to say, this little opening scene doesn't end on a happy note.

 

One day the evil Baron Dante shows up, attacks the Gobbos, and takes over the land by capturing them all. He imprisons them in cages across the world, and Croc is taken away to safety by his bird friend Beany. Of course Croc isn't just going to stand by as his family is taken away, so he sets out on an adventure across the island to return what was lost. 

This isn't the full story however... And that might surprise even some longtime fans.

After the release of Croc, the series was pitched to Fox to create a new Saturday morning cartoon based upon the series. A "Bible" was created for Croc that detailed characters, their personalities, and key story events, and a handful of episodes of the show ended up being drafted up. This show never took off however, but the story elements remained a part of Croc's history. While this wasn't seen in the original release, this plot summary and details can be viewed and read in the remaster, bringing the additional story to light for the first time. Of course it doesn't change the main game, but it does give fans additional story to experience.

The Controls:

Croc: Legend of the Gobbos is an early 3D platformer, and it still shows to this day. That being said, it has been updated to modern standards, and that goes a long way when introducing it to new fans.

When playing the game, there are actually two control schemes that are active at once, and multiple graphic options to be turned on and off. Players have the choice between retro textures and models or the new modern style, and there are different filters that can be turned on and off to give the game a different look. This lets returning players to recapture the 90s, or let new players get more used to the modern visuals. These settings do not change the core gameplay however, as they are simply visual, but the same cannot be said for the different control schemes.

 

Back in the day the right analog stick wasn't an option, and most games would use what is known as "tank controls." Croc was no different, and these very same controls are still active in this remaster... It's just, they are active along side the new modern controls as well.

By using the left and right analog sticks, players can control Croc like in any other modern day platforming game. The direction you push is how Croc will move, and you can rotate the camera to clearly see things. It feels very nice and smooth, and really helps the player land some of the more difficult jumps with ease. There is a bit of a weight to Croc as he jumps from platform to platform, but the game also kind of helps snap him into place as well. It helps ensure Croc lands where players want him to, without feeling too floaty and without taking away direct control. It is honestly hard to explain how it feels without experiencing it for oneself, but it can be summed up by simply saying: it feels great. 

While using the standard controls, Croc has a tail attack button, and can ground pound to smash objects, but other than that his move-set is pretty limited. The trigger buttons allow him to swim up and down into water, and he also has the ability to side step and quick turn around, but these buttons aren't very useful when using the modern controls. They are completely made for the original control scheme, which can be used by simply pressing the D-Pad.

 The D-Pad is the full on classic controls, and allows Croc to be controlled as a tank. Pressing left or right turns him, and up and down brings him forward or backs him up. The quick turn around button lets him do a 180 and spin around, while the side step buttons let him be re-positioned to land the perfect jump. It takes some time to get used to, and makes the game a bit harder in the process, but there is no denying the game was designed for these original controls. There is nothing you cannot do by using this setup, but at the same time, there also isn't much of a reason to use them over the new modern controls. Long time fans and those wanting to see what the game used to look like might like them, but I personally had little to no use for them outside of getting a feel for them for this review. 

But the controls are just one part of Croc, with the gameplay itself being what truly matters.

The Gameplay:

The structure in Croc: Legend of the Gobbos is pretty typical for classic platforming games, and even borrows one key element from the well known Sonic series. 

Instead of featuring wide open areas, the entirety of Croc is broken up into smaller sections. Each world has six main stages, two boss fights, and two bonus stages, and these levels themselves are broken up into different rooms. Each level is filled with crystals to collect, which also act as Croc's health, and six Gobbos to find and rescue. The final Gobbos in each world is typically hidden in a special room also, which can only be opened by finding all of the special crystals in a stage, and opening the special door. Stages can be beaten without doing this of course, but finding all Gobbos is required to open the bonus stages, and even the secret bonus world in the end.

 

Initially, finding all of the Gobbos and completing a stage isn't too hard of a task. Again, each level is broken up into multiple rooms, and these levels begin by being pretty straight forward. Sometimes there are small objects to jump over, gaps to cross, and enemies to fight, but outside of maybe picking up a key and backtracking to a locked cage in another room, there isn't too much to them. They are easy to navigate, enemies do not pose too much of a threat, and finding the hidden items doesn't take too much looking. Marks on walls tip you off that you can climb, and boxes you can push make it clear there is something above you that you need to reach. 

It is simple platforming and puzzle solving, and players shouldn't have an issue progressing... At first. 

 

After the first set of levels, Croc doesn't waste any time ramping up the difficulty. Gobbos are hidden in boxes you must chase, little wack a mole type mini games pop up from time to time, keys require more backtracking and additional platforming to get back, extra lives become less and less common, enemies will guard ledges, and getting hit will often throw your crystals off a cliff and become unrecoverable. Getting hit without crystals will kill Croc, so this quickly becomes a problem (again, think Sonic). Some areas also have boxes that can be smashed, and smashing them can lock you out of progressing if you don't think it through. The same can be said for the boxes you NEED to smash, yet missed and can no longer get back to them. It requires a lot more thought, and the game continues to get harder and harder from there.

Eventually Croc gets to the point where simply completing a level is a challenge, and finding all of the Gobbos can become an after thought. Of course you do need to get them all to fully complete the game, but sometimes it is better to simply come back on a return visit. You can farm the earlier levels or the hidden stage areas to get additional lives when needed, but until you do so, it might not be wise to take risks for collectibles. This is where the true challenge of Croc kicks in, and all traces of the initial stage's "platforming game for kids" level design gets thrown out the window.

Boss battles on the other hand, they never do really evolve that much.

 Every boss in the game gets taken out after a handful of hits, and they all follow the same pattern; except in different ways. Each boss will attack, and after you dodge the attack they are open to being hit. The attacks aren't too hard to figure out or get around, and it simply becomes a waiting game each time. Of course the underwater fight is a bit different, but it still plays out the same in the end. But bosses are not the focus of this game, and very little time is actually spent going up against them.

The Extras:

The remastered version of Croc: Legend of the Gobbos contains a "museum" that lets players experience the history of the series.  Here players can view interviews by the development team, the game design documents for the original Croc, the TV Show Bible, concept art, and much much more! The biggest surprise of all those was the inclusion of a full crochet guide that allows players to create their very own Croc! (This was especially of interest to our very own crochet expert Cat!) Overall these extras are a lot of fun to look at, and perfect for someone like me who enjoys the technical side of game design. There were a lot of interesting facts and a lot of information to dig through, so I personally put a lot of time in this part of the game alone. 

While it may not be of interest to everyone, it is still a really nice inclusion.

Should you play it?

Croc: Legend of the Gobbos is a classic 90s platformer through and through. This remaster didn't fully reinvent what we once had, but it did do a lot to make it feel like a modern platformer. Initially the levels are pretty short and straight forward, but the game quickly ramps up the difficulty and that alone greatly expands the playtime. Those who simply want to rush through the main levels are given a reason to go back and find all of the collectibles, and the challenge levels are even harder yet! While the game doesn't do anything too crazy by today's standards, that doesn't stop it from being a fun simple platformer from days gone by.

Is this a game you will spend countless hours on? Most likely not. But it is a fun little platformer that you can jump into off and on, or simply whenever you feel like it? You bet! In fact, that may even be the best way to play the game. The smaller levels with bite sized rooms and challenges makes it a perfect pick up and play game, and there is always the challenge of going back and mastering the levels (which includes getting all of the crystals and never getting hit). 

The down side is, on PlayStation platforms this game does not contain a platinum trophy, and on PC it is exclusive to GOG. Trophy hunters may not like missing out on a platinum with this one, and fans of other PC storefronts will have no choice but to use a different one if they want to play. It is a bit of a let down, but it doesn't stop the game itself from being fun. It also had an install size of 20 GB on PlayStation 5, which I'm assuming mainly comes from the extra videos and museum content located within the "Crocipedia."

Despite not growing up with the series, I had a lot of fun with the simple, yet challenging, gameplay Croc: Legend of the Gobbos had to offer, and I can see myself returning to again in the near future. 

VERDICT: Recommended