Crimson Sea

"Is it a lazer or a light saber? It's both!"

Crimson Sea has a very interesting name. It also has a very interesting story line. Somewhat intriguing, I looked on as my friend played. Then I picked up the controller, and I haven't been able to put it down since. Simply put, Crimson Sea is a bit of a shocker, so be prepared for the voltage!

GRAPHICS 9/10

Worthy material here. The graphics are all smooth and pretty, and sometimes I swear I'm playing a Final Fantasy title. All of the back grounds fit the moods that they are trying to instill, and the character's actions are fluid as they move, fight, and even speak. Koei surprised me with this game, at first I thought that it was developed by Square, but then I had to remember that it was for the Xbox. Good job in the graphic department of this game.

SOUND 10/10

I honestly could feel the tension in the music, and the flutter and moving of the enemies also helped me to discern their location. All of the speech, albeit a bit dry at times, was very clear, with voices fitting their characters. The music selected for the various stages fit rather nicely, and the music turned to suspense at just the right time, a key element in creating a mood in a gamer's subconscious.

CONTROL 9/10

A very nice job overall with the controls. The only gripe I have is that they are rather simple, sometimes you mean to zig when you've actually zagged. But the control does fit the run and gun style of the game, so I guess the simplicity issue can be forgiven, since you have to make split second decisions within this game.

REPLAY VALUE 7/10

It is a decent title, which actually has a bit of potential of replay. There are two different modes, Normal and Crimson, to keep things balanced, although the game doesn't vary much between the two. I found myself just replaying level after level just to kill the enemies because it was so fun to do so. The game should be in your inventory at least for a little while, but it can become very boring if you can't find inventive things to do with it.

OVERALL 8/10

I will honestly say that I've enjoyed this title. While it may not have been as awesome as the title, I was quite pleased with it. The ability to use both a gun and a sword was something sorely missed on the Xbox, and the game does have certain qualities that make it worth owning. The cut scenes are gorgeous, as well as the music and controller interaction. Frankly put, this little game is a gem that you should own, but if not at least rent it. You'll enjoy it for what it is, a old school run and gun, with a little hint of RPG for flavor.

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