It was announced as a remaster of sorts at E3.

Oh I loved crash, but not all games age equally. The value of the project will be a subjective when we all get our hands on it, even for those like yourself just looking for prettier graphics, there is no objective means of meassurement in terms of what "matters". Each to their own. 

I know that~ I just think it would have been better if they jumped straight to the new game, rather than just bringing back the old ones, but... remastered.

Hardly a remaster

Xen said: I never say "day 1", but day one

I think this is the first time I've actually pre-ordered a game in about a decade.

I don't disagree but I think this is an IP which really needs to go back to the basics because the games after 3 are worse, and crash is not really relevant as a character these days.

It's not the same devs, who fans would prefer, so I believe doing this, and improving on trouble areas, would instill more confidence a potential 4th.

This is the best decision rather than a potential failure of a new game. That would just tank the IP completely at this point.

Yup, I've even seen someone call it a "HD Port"

Everything is made from the ground up, no original graphics, sound assets or code.

It's a remake from scratch, with additional features such as time trial relics in crash 1 & 2.

Xen said: I never say "day 1", but day one

I think this is the first time I've actually pre-ordered a game in about a decade.

I almost never preorder games either, maybe one in two years this time, the rule will have to be bent -> gotta preoder this and already preordered the Persona 5 CE.

Rather than just remake the 1st 3 games, why not just do a new one in a similar style? Or have Naughty Dog be involved with it. It's not they're not able to.

Because as I said, a new game trying to emulate the style of Crash 1-3 faces many difficiulties without ND being at the head of the game. It is safer and more financially viable this way cosidering the IP.

As for getting ND involved. I am not sure why Activision would want them involved. ND aint their studio. Activison had tons of their own studios os obviously they would priortise their own employees first. Besides, ND is pretty chock a block atm with the new UC standalone title, UC4 MP updates, and now TLoU2.

It is not so easy to just get ppl and teams involved in a title if said ppl and teams are external to your own operations. And at the end of the day, without ND involved, Activision might be in their right to not even make this PS4 exclusive forever since Crash is their IP and they can do with it as they want.