Crush

"Hugely original and fiendishly difficult – not fantastic, but still a must-play"

Hugely original and fiendishly difficult – not fantastic, but still a must-play

STORY
The story goes that Danny has been hospitalised for insomnia. Dr Reubens is pioneer of a new field of medicine and is convinced that his miracle machine, named C.R.U.S.H., can get to the bottom of Danny's problems.

GAMEPLAY = 9/10
You play as Danny inside his mind. The main premise of the game is that you can switch between 2D and 3D, and depending on what angle you're looking at when you Crush (switch from 2D to 3D) the levels layout can be viewed in a drastically different manner. You can use this to platform around the level picking up marbles until the exit opens up. It may sound simple, but believe me when I say it is handled in a brilliantly deep manner. Just this simple mechanic on its own would have made an original game, but then you've got to consider that there are switches that move the level around, patterns on the wall that effect all sorts of things when you're in 2D, cogs that activate in 2D, objects that can be pushed around, enemies that can either be defeated for safety or used as stepping stones – the end result is an original and fiendishly difficult game that will push your mind to and beyond its limits. Enjoy.

GRAPHICS = 7/10
The graphics aren't fantastic. They graphical quality could certainly be better, however the very interesting graphical design is nice. The graphics have a very psychedelic feel to them that makes the game have an almost insane feel to it. There is one problem I have with the graphical design though and that is that they get quite bland and repetitive. Indeed they would be far improved if they had mixed up the colouring every couple of levels.

MUSIC = 7/10
The music varies though in general it is very dreary and washed out – and that's why it is so great. The music fits the mood fantastically. It gives the game a far more insane feel and helps build up the psychedelic experience. HOWEVER there is one problem I have with it. It gets very repetitive and some of the music feels overly washed out to the point of being bland and insignificant.

REPLAYABILITY = 2/10
The game is relatively short. If you're very skilled you can probably finish it in under 3 hours. However if you struggle occasionally (and trust me, most people will) and try to complete every level it could take you up to 8 hours. If you try to collect everything it will take even longer than that, though only a select few will be willing to undergo the ferocious mental strain in doing so. Replayability is, unfortunately, almost non-existent. Though there are things to collect in levels, you're a masochist is you try to collect absolutely everything. There's also something called Trophy Challenges where you have to repeat levels with limited time and limited number of Crush uses – however virtually no one will find this worth their time.

Final
Gameplay = 9/10
Graphics = 7/10
Music = 7/10
Length = 3-8 hours
Replayability = 2/10
Final Score = 8/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/12/08

Game Release: Crush (EU, 05/25/07)