Crystal Key

"A fun adventure game suitable for anyone."

The Crystal Key was released in 2000 by DreamCatcher Interactive and Earthlight Productions. It’s a fun 1st person adventure game with hard puzzles and an interesting story.

--]Gameplay: 7
I have to admit, Earthlight Productions wasn’t exactly original when they made this game. That doesn’t mean that this is a bad game at all, though. You move around in 1st person view, searching for things to click on. You look for doors to open, puzzles to solve, places to go, and things to see. The game itself only takes 3-7 hours to complete, depending on how long it takes you to solve some of these puzzles and to get from place to place. The game also took 5 years to make. What's that? You want to know how a 3-7 hour game took 5 years to make? Well, i’ll tell you why. The Crystal Key had 10 artists, 1 script writer, and 1 person to program! They also include 11 people in the “Thanks To...” section of the credits, but I have no idea how much they did.

--]Sound & Music: 7
Music actually isn’t played all that much. When it is it’s really nothing special. Sounds are pretty well done. There are cricket noises when you are outside, dripping noises when you’re inside a cave, and things like that. They did a good job creating atmosphere and mood throughout the game.

--]Graphics: 10
This is a part of the game that truly shines. The graphics are beautifully done. I have NO complaints about them. They’re great!

--]Story: 8
Somewhere out there among the stars lives another race of people. People know this because weeks before the game starts, radio telescopes accidentally intercepted one of their interplanetary communications. When they were able to decode it, only more questions arose. Days later, a huge alien craft appeared in the skies, and began deploying powerful satellites in an equatorial orbit around the planet. The tides changed, and the next two days saw devastating weather shifts and tectonic upheaval, as if the gravitational forces at work on the planet were being distorted and intensified. Panic gripped humans everywhere. Overall, the story is quite interesting. You’ll solve the mysteries a little too soon after you start, but it’s still well done.

Gameplay: 7
Sound & Music: 7
Graphics: 10
Story: 8
AVERAGE SCORE: 8
OVERALL SCORE: 8

Should you pick this game up? If you’re a big fan of Myst or adventure games, then definitely. By now the game is being sold for around $10, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t pick it up.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/07/03, Updated 02/07/03