RPGamers Network > Reviews > Game Reviews > Crystalis
It was a marvelous game, I thought. Here was a character who had this funky purple outfit on, carrying around with him a this shield and a sword. Reminded me of another game I've played before, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. I had, before that time, never seen a game that had semi-animated cut scenes in the beginning of the game, and was awed at what I saw. This was one of the few, and I mean very few RPG's where I really didn't know what I was doing. Why I was doing it. And what it meant for the world that I was saving. I think that's what it was I was suppose to be saving anyway.
The storyline well, as I said earlier, I really never knew what I was doing. I just knew where to go and how I was suppose to beat a boss in that immediate area. After beating it for the eighth time, I still knew about as much of the game as anyone who's never played it does. Supposedly, a great war engulfed the earth on October 1, 1997 which killed entire civilizations. And then for some unknown reason the earth's axis tilted and people mutated. Apparently, there were survivors, and they erected a sky tower and they lived in this sky tower vowing never to make the same mistake again. But, a hundred years have passed and people are again rebuilding. But, evil still prevails. Apparently, this tower had some kind of power, and it unleashed evil. And only one thing, or person... no I'll go with thing can stop this evil. That's when you assume the role of a cybernetic chambered robot guy, who emerges from within his protective cell. So, your stopping evil and the like. Why? Well, I don't really know.
In any case, you go from town to town vanquishing evils that are there (bosses) and while figuring out inane puzzles. For example, in the first town, you are required to figure out how to turn a windmill back on. Some reason, windmills in this game are given incredible power. Once you figure out how to turn this particular windmill on, a wall that was once blocked explodes opens just because you turned the windmill on. Ain't that swell?
You go about your business, from town to town finding and acquiring new powers and the such. In the first town you encounter, you pick up a sword. This is the Sword of Wind. Then you pick up three other types of swords. The Sword of Fire, The Sword of Water, and The Sword of Thunder. Each sword can be upgraded to be stronger. It's nowhere nearly as technical as Vagrant Story. No, you simply find these balls that make them stronger, which is the second level of the sword. The third level is a bracelet. These four swords with certain enemies only deal damage to that kind of enemy. For example, if you was in a Ice Cave, you could only hurt the enemies there with The Sword of Fire.
As was mentioned before, the fighting system did look familiar, and upon careful consideration, or not so careful consideration, one notes that it is reminiscent of The Legend Of Zelda. And they would be right. A unique battle system of the sword allows you to charge up the power by obtaining these balls and bracelets. Once charged up, it releases a concentrated charge representing each swords attributes, just like Zelda when Link's energy was full!
The music isn't too forgetful, only because you continually hear the same song over, and over and over again. Each town has a somewhat constant theme, if it wasn't already used before. The sound effects aren't really all that outstanding as well.
Now as it seems to me, the newer versions of Crystalis has a better storyline and explain things that this NES version didn't. If the rumors are all true, then really I encourage all to get your WonderSwan and your GameBoy Advance and play those versions. You probably won't be scratching your head wondering what your doing and why it is your doing it as much as you would if you were to play this version.
Crystalis is a fun game, don't get me wrong. It's a classic in my opinion only cause it was one of the original RPG's that were released for the NES, but other than that, it's easily forgotten. Its no Final Fantasy, or even a SaGa, but it's still a fun play nonetheless.
| Game Stats | |
|---|---|
| Genre | RPG |
| Platform | Nintendo |
| Format | Cartridge |
| # of Players | 1 |
| Released Jap | 04.13.1990 |
| Released US | 06.11.1990 |
| Released EU | N/A |
| Aprox. Length | 10 hrs. |
| Reviewer Rankings | |
| Battle System | 7.0 |
| Gameplay | 7.0 |
| Music | 7.0 |
| Originality | 4.0 |
| Plot | 2.0 |
| Replay Value | 6.0 |
| Sound | 7.0 |
| Visuals | 8.0 |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Overall | |
| 6.0 | |
Crystalis
By: SNKReviewed By: Ersatz Sobriquet
I can remember about nine years ago when I first saw this game. My father was, at that time very much so into video games, and particularly puzzle and RPG games. A crafty fellow, he was. Never really telling us, my sister and I when he was going to buy a game for us. We better just hope to walk in on him while he was playing any new game he brought for us to actually see it. Well, one day, I walked in on my father playing this very game, Crystalis.It was a marvelous game, I thought. Here was a character who had this funky purple outfit on, carrying around with him a this shield and a sword. Reminded me of another game I've played before, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. I had, before that time, never seen a game that had semi-animated cut scenes in the beginning of the game, and was awed at what I saw. This was one of the few, and I mean very few RPG's where I really didn't know what I was doing. Why I was doing it. And what it meant for the world that I was saving. I think that's what it was I was suppose to be saving anyway.
The storyline well, as I said earlier, I really never knew what I was doing. I just knew where to go and how I was suppose to beat a boss in that immediate area. After beating it for the eighth time, I still knew about as much of the game as anyone who's never played it does. Supposedly, a great war engulfed the earth on October 1, 1997 which killed entire civilizations. And then for some unknown reason the earth's axis tilted and people mutated. Apparently, there were survivors, and they erected a sky tower and they lived in this sky tower vowing never to make the same mistake again. But, a hundred years have passed and people are again rebuilding. But, evil still prevails. Apparently, this tower had some kind of power, and it unleashed evil. And only one thing, or person... no I'll go with thing can stop this evil. That's when you assume the role of a cybernetic chambered robot guy, who emerges from within his protective cell. So, your stopping evil and the like. Why? Well, I don't really know.
In any case, you go from town to town vanquishing evils that are there (bosses) and while figuring out inane puzzles. For example, in the first town, you are required to figure out how to turn a windmill back on. Some reason, windmills in this game are given incredible power. Once you figure out how to turn this particular windmill on, a wall that was once blocked explodes opens just because you turned the windmill on. Ain't that swell?
You go about your business, from town to town finding and acquiring new powers and the such. In the first town you encounter, you pick up a sword. This is the Sword of Wind. Then you pick up three other types of swords. The Sword of Fire, The Sword of Water, and The Sword of Thunder. Each sword can be upgraded to be stronger. It's nowhere nearly as technical as Vagrant Story. No, you simply find these balls that make them stronger, which is the second level of the sword. The third level is a bracelet. These four swords with certain enemies only deal damage to that kind of enemy. For example, if you was in a Ice Cave, you could only hurt the enemies there with The Sword of Fire.
As was mentioned before, the fighting system did look familiar, and upon careful consideration, or not so careful consideration, one notes that it is reminiscent of The Legend Of Zelda. And they would be right. A unique battle system of the sword allows you to charge up the power by obtaining these balls and bracelets. Once charged up, it releases a concentrated charge representing each swords attributes, just like Zelda when Link's energy was full!
The music isn't too forgetful, only because you continually hear the same song over, and over and over again. Each town has a somewhat constant theme, if it wasn't already used before. The sound effects aren't really all that outstanding as well.
Now as it seems to me, the newer versions of Crystalis has a better storyline and explain things that this NES version didn't. If the rumors are all true, then really I encourage all to get your WonderSwan and your GameBoy Advance and play those versions. You probably won't be scratching your head wondering what your doing and why it is your doing it as much as you would if you were to play this version.
Crystalis is a fun game, don't get me wrong. It's a classic in my opinion only cause it was one of the original RPG's that were released for the NES, but other than that, it's easily forgotten. Its no Final Fantasy, or even a SaGa, but it's still a fun play nonetheless.
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