Crystal is not new. FuRyu and Spike Chunsoft’s JRPG was released in Japan in 2018 and debuted for PS4 and PC in 2019, but now it’s been adapted for Nintendo Switch and only goes on sale today. And what is the reason for these delays in global launch? The main cause is of course the global pandemic, but also criticism of all kinds and the insufficient sales figures that the original recorded when it was launched. We had the opportunity to test it exclusively for the hybrid platform and these are our conclusions.
The first thing that will catch your attention if you didn’t know this title is its decidedly dark and gothic setting. People who have matured through the early 2000s will see a clear cultural influence. emo. One of the most appreciated points about Japanese role-playing games is that they have a deep story, that they are able to empathize and reach out to the player, which ultimately makes us addicted. In this aspect, I can anticipate telling you that Crystar will satisfy the most demanding, since the script has more twists, surprises, plots and entanglements than the best Turkish soap opera that you follow.
Although the violence is referenced to combat and there is no explicit sexual content, the characters and the plots will very frequently discuss very tough subjects such as death, mental health, family issues and even suicide. without going inside spoiler we will meet a teenage student (king) on a quest to save his little sister’s soul (Mirai) from the hands of an evil demon (anamnese). To do this, she must serve as the enforcer of lost souls under the command of two manipulative devils, which is a clear journey through purgatory to hell.
Advertising:
In terms of game dynamics, veterans of these JRPGs will find many similarities to other more recent titles such as the predecessor Zelda Breath of Wild and especially the later Genshin Impact. You are looking for fast and exciting fights full of light and color, with dodges, fast movements, jumps, combos and even special attacks. Still, this is all just for show if the enemies you’re up against are boring. The AI is conspicuous by its absence; The few enemy henchmen must follow you and attack bouquets from Easter. They pick up their basic routines quickly, and it’s pretty easy to take them down with no challenge. The same thing happens with each level’s bosses, who have a special attack or two that repeat ad nauseam and end up eliminating you with a simple “dodge and punch.”
To make matters worse, the system Inventory and skill generation Specials boils down to collecting “emotions” and shards of them (which are very limited) and spending a boring amount of time between levels crafteando these skills over and over again to get small bonus features. It sounds like a joke but as the title suggests You have a wine button: Through tears you charge your “mana” and make emotions. It’s worse than it sounds.
In terms of graphics, we must remember that this is a discrete game from 2019 and a port for Switch at the same time. We will find quite low quality both in cinematic scenes and in the graphics generated by the game engine. The scenarios are built in short dungeons and are very similar to each other, but the choice of colors and background images changes from level to level. It feels like you’re playing the same dungeon over and over again.
Advertising:
Still, everything feels like it’s a game well-suited to Switch’s portable mode. The very limited and short scenarios along with the frantic combats make Crystar a good game to while away those dead moments, perhaps on public transport trips or if you manage to carve out a few minutes of free time. And if not, you can always lose yourself and enjoy a very complex plot that will glue you to the screen… if you don’t shed a tear.
Advertising:
