"A great sword and shield RPG"

What makes Crystalis so cool? Its the fact that it brought back the good old slash and defend style of really old adventure/RPG games. I've probably only put about two hours into the game and already I find myself immersed in a wonderful RPG.

The spells and save feature are easy and accessible, allowing the player to save or heal at a critical moment. The fighting is based on a Zelda type engine in which the player simply slashes or defends. The game is a long adventure in which I found myself stuck in moments. The difficulty is set at an excellent level.

The only real downfall in Crystallis is the storyline. Or should I say, lack of it. The story can be quite sloppy at times. I really don't think the world ended in 1999, and evil controlled the universe, seeing that 1999 has come and gone. I can't seem to understand some moments in the game where the character does something strange and bewildering. Like instantly disappearing and reappearing.

Basically, Crystalis is set in a world teetering on the precipice of annihilation. The year is 1999 (hehe) and a meteor struck the planet causing mass mutation of many creatures. One hero is set out to make the world right again, he is sent from a castle in the sky, built to save mankind. On our hero’s adventure he encounters many perils and people, and discovers many wonders. You take on the role of this hero, one lone man in a world of carnage. Good luck, you’ll need it.

All in all, I really liked Crystalis. My favorite part of the game is the fighting style, which most of is owed to the game Zelda. The story may fall short of my expectations, but it did only have 8-bits to work with. Pick up Crystalis, but if it costs over 15$, pass on it.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/14/00, Updated 06/14/00