Crystalis (NES game Review)

Ok, people, this week’s game review is on a cult classic. It’s an RPG that didn’t get the recognition it deserved in a crowded gaming market. On the block today, is Crystalis.

Crystalis, also known as God Slayer: Sonata of the Far-Away Sky in Japan, is an action-adventure RPG produced by SNK for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It was released on April 13, 1990 in Japan, and later that July in the U.S.A. The game’s initial success prompted a release for the Game Boy Color by Nintendo Software Technology in 2000, a game that is considered more of a remake than a port of the original, and very inferior in many aspects.

Before the actual gameplay starts, you’re treated to the backstory of the game. This is a delight, because at the time this game came out, you didn’t see a ton of games offer up a big backstory in the game itself. Usually, the backstory was in the game manual. What we discover, is that war erupted October 1, 1997, also called the ‘End Day’. Civilization is destroyed from this savage war. The humans and animals who survived the war, were all changed. Humans evolved to use long buried magic powers, animals mutated. The survivors vowed to never make the same mistakes, and erected a large tower in the sky, intending to oppress evil forever.

100 years has passed since 1997 and the beginning of the game. Most of the earth is dominated by mutated creatures. The people worked together to rebuild villages and fix their lives, but they still lived in fear. As they feared the rebirth of evil, they remembered the tower and the consequences of activating it. They feared what would happen if evil emerged, but there was one last hope. That hope is you.

The game begins with the protagonist, a man in a cryogenic sleep, awakening and coming out of a cave in the town of Leaf, which is the first town you’ll see in the game.  You are given money and a sword, the first of4 main swords, and you begin your quest to discover your past. When you awaken, your memories have been damaged from the cryo-sleep, so you have no idea who you are or what your purpose is. As you travel, you meet many wise men, who help you gain magic abilities, and you gather up the four swords, to stop Emperor Draygon, save Mesia, who was also cryogenically frozen and awakened when you did in another part of the world, and in the end, stop the tower once and for all, and save the world.

Now, how did this game stand up to others of its time??

Story/Plot:  5 /5 stars. The story is mind-numbingly good. It sucks you in for HOURS at a time, and makes you come back for more and more. There’s always some new boss or some new magic power for you to get. There are twists to the story around every turn, and something bad happens fairly often for you to fix.

Gameplay: 4 /5 stars. It’s really fluid, smooth playing, but parts of it get repetitive. But, the thought and memory you have to put to getting around the dungeons and castles and caves really makes this game interesting and fun. And one of the biggest pluses to this game… you can save your progress almost anytime.  The menu for your items, swords, and magic is also simple and easy to use.

Music: 5 /5 stars. SNK really outdid themselves with this 8 bit soundtrack that almost sounded more powerful than it was. It added suspense, it added a sense of calm, and it added excitement to the game that other games of that could only dream of.

Graphics: 4 /5 stars. While the graphics were ok for their time, I have seen better. But, it really doesn’t detract from the gameplay, and the game runs smoothly. It’s good, just not quite ‘great’.

Overall: Overall, I give it 18 out of 20 stars. The good really does outweigh the bad with this game! The game, again, runs smoothly, it’s exciting, and it’s a great action RPG that gives you a hell of a challenge. The hidden items and puzzles make you really think. So, overall, it’s a great game that gives you hours of fun. I really suggest you give it a shot and try it out!