Crymachina

79%
Game Brain Score Based on 257 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Crymachina Game Cover
Crymachina serves as a visually striking and thematically intriguing action RPG that is dripping with style yet feels a bit too small for the story it wants to tell.
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"CRYMACHINA is a single-player Science Fiction Action RPG where players control mechanical girls fighting for survival in a post-apocalyptic world to become "Real Humans." The game features fast-paced combat, tactical weapon customization, and a heartwarming story of love and perseverance. The journey begins with the protagonist, Lebel Distel, who is granted a second chance at life and must navigate through the mysterious Eden structure."

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 257 reviews
story85 positive mentions
grinding17 negative mentions
  • The story and characters are well-developed, providing a compelling narrative that explores deep themes of humanity and existence.
  • The music and audio design are exceptional, enhancing the overall experience and immersion of the game.
  • The art style and visuals are striking, creating an engaging atmosphere that complements the game's themes.
  • The gameplay is often repetitive and lacks depth, making it feel outdated and uninspired compared to other action RPGs.
  • The level design is linear and can feel empty, with a lack of variety in environments and enemy encounters.
  • The game is considered overpriced for its content, leading many to recommend waiting for a sale before purchasing.
  • story285 mentions

    The story of *Crymachina* is widely praised for its depth, character development, and emotional resonance, often described as the game's strongest aspect. While the narrative can be convoluted and requires some grinding to fully appreciate, it features memorable twists and themes that explore humanity and existentialism, making it compelling for players who prioritize storytelling over gameplay. However, some reviewers noted that the pacing and structure could be uneven, with gameplay elements sometimes detracting from the overall experience.

    • “Crymachina goes surprisingly deep in character development and character elements of the story, although a fair part will require you to grind to unlock all the records.”
    • “While many of the points following this may seem negative, I cannot stress enough how much the story is worth playing for, with one twist in particular being one of the most memorable and impactful I've seen in media, let alone a video game.”
    • “The story is truly touching and I fell in love with the characters.”
    • “The story is a bit hard to grasp on the first run, and just going through it will leave you with a lot of missing information.”
    • “The story doesn't flow very well and its pacing feels off.”
    • “Character development and plot feel rushed, artificial, and unnatural.”
  • gameplay130 mentions

    The gameplay of Crymachina is generally viewed as mediocre, with many reviewers noting its repetitive and simplistic mechanics that fail to meet modern standards for action RPGs and hack-and-slash games. While the progression is smooth and the story is engaging, the gameplay often feels like a hindrance, with clunky controls and minimal enemy variety detracting from the overall experience. Despite these shortcomings, some players found the narrative and music compelling enough to continue playing, suggesting that the game may appeal more to those interested in its story rather than its gameplay.

    • “The good point of the gameplay is that overall, the progression is fairly smooth; you need few grind to go through the main story's ~12h content, and the game features difficulty spikes only through optional content.”
    • “I'm happy to report that gameplay, this time around, while still far from ideal, is very much improved, having much simpler level design, faster stages, boss fights that aren't HP sponges, and way better combat mechanics overall.”
    • “At the end of the day, looking past the issues with the gameplay, you will find a pretty interesting story with many twists and turns, excellent voice acting, and accompanied by a perfect soundtrack.”
    • “If you are here for the story and gameplay, then don't because it's very bland.”
    • “Honestly, the gameplay is frustrating to the point that the game is unfun.”
    • “The gameplay in the other hand: clunky jump & dash actions, extremely repetitive levels, in one sentence: neither live up to the modern standard of a hack n slash genre nor ARPGs.”
  • music100 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, particularly for its exceptional soundtrack composed by sakuzyo, which many players find captivating and memorable. Reviewers highlight the music's ability to enhance the game's atmosphere and storytelling, often noting that it stands out even amidst criticisms of the gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a major highlight, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and emotional depth.

    • “Music-wise, Crymachina is marvelous.”
    • “The soundtrack by Sakuzyo is actually how I originally found out about this game, and I spent months listening to it on repeat before actually playing the game.”
    • “God-like soundtrack (courtesy of Sakuzyo), exceptionally endearing characters, a sorrowful but ultimately optimistic story full of twists & turns that'll keep you guessing, beautiful artwork/environments and fun action RPG combat (despite some jank): these are all on offer here.”
    • “Most of the music is not 'gotta listen to them forever' grade, but all of them are absolutely appropriate to the writing style of the game and its setup.”
    • “I'd rather throw the $40 on Bandcamp for the soundtrack than pay $60 for this again.”
    • “The story is generic and combat feels repetitive as you don't really unlock any new combos, and while the music and character designs are surprisingly good, the whole story takes about 12 hours to beat unless you want to 100%. Honestly, just get it when it's on sale.”
  • graphics39 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received high praise for their unique art style and beautiful visuals, with many reviewers highlighting the exceptional character designs and immersive environments. While the aesthetic appeal is consistently noted as a strong point, some players have expressed frustration with technical issues and the overall depth of the game. Overall, the visuals and soundtrack are considered standout features, contributing to a captivating atmosphere.

    • “First thing first, this game piqued my interest because of its art style; it looks really cool and fairly unique.”
    • “In general, the music and visuals of the game are phenomenal.”
    • “The levels, while mostly similar in general aesthetics, are likewise wonderful to look at, and I never found myself growing tired of seeing the extensive mechanical interiors of Eden as I progressed through them.”
    • “And you can cope as much as you want and call it 'art style' and stuff like that, but when I see a valve with 6 sides in a 2023 game for 80 euros, I am just at a loss for words.”
    • “I've had two crashes while playing, one of which took down my AMD graphics driver along with it.”
    • “I really, really wish I could give Crymachina five stars, with the story, art, visuals, and general atmosphere deserving more than that on their own.”
  • emotional22 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Crymachina" is highlighted by its well-developed characters and a touching narrative that resonates deeply with players, often evoking strong feelings and even tears. The main quartet of characters is particularly praised for their humanity and consistency, contributing to an emotional rollercoaster filled with memorable moments and heartfelt storytelling. While some critiques mention the static nature of cutscenes during emotional scenes, the overall experience is described as a compelling and impactful journey that stands out in the action RPG genre.

    • “The story is truly touching and I fell in love with the characters.”
    • “24/10/23 - a flawed masterpiece was released to the world, and the world was better off because of it. This diamond might have some bumps and rough edges but it shines just as bright all the same. Never have I played a game that made me cry every time I played it, and never have I loved a group of characters more than I love these. Crymachina is something very special.”
    • “Crymachina is a compelling action RPG that offers an emotionally resonant narrative, well-developed characters, and engaging gameplay. It’s a worthwhile experience that delivers a heartfelt and thought-provoking story, making it a standout game in its genre.”
  • character development19 mentions

    Character development in Crymachina is noted for its depth and unique character designs, drawing comparisons to titles like Nier: Automata. However, some players feel that the plot and character arcs are rushed and lack authenticity, with a significant amount of content requiring grinding to fully appreciate. Overall, while the visuals and music are praised, the gameplay and story elements are seen as somewhat generic and repetitive.

    • “This game reminds me a lot of Nier: Automata: exquisite character design, unforgettable soundtracks, unique story.”
    • “The gameplay is a bit simplistic but I really liked the story, characters, and the character design.”
    • “Character development and plot feel rushed, artificial and unnatural.”
    • “Crymachina goes surprisingly deep in character development and character elements of the story, although a fair part will require you to grind to unlock all the records.”
    • “The gameplay is a bit simplistic but I really liked the story, characters and the character design.”
  • grinding17 mentions

    Players note that while the game features some grinding, particularly in the post-game content, it is generally manageable and not overly tedious, with levels taking only a few minutes to complete. The repetitive dungeon layouts can become monotonous, but the engaging lore and story make the grind more bearable. Overall, the game is described as short and free of excessive filler, though some players found the experience points and character empowerment to be given too sparingly, leading to a more tedious grind towards the end.

    • “The post-game content is where this game falls a bit short, as it is mostly just grinding away to increase your character's level to actually do post-game levels.”
    • “The problem is the experience and ego you need to empower your characters is given very sparingly; it becomes a tedious grind.”
    • “While farming the same cookie-cutter dungeon layouts and bosses repeatedly can get old, the bits of lore you can get from them are fantastic and paint a world I want to see more of.”
  • atmosphere6 mentions

    The atmosphere of Crymachina is highly praised, with reviewers highlighting its deep characters, stunning visuals, and impactful music that collectively enhance the emotional experience of the game. Despite some criticism of the combat and level design, the overall ambiance is considered a standout feature that elevates the storytelling and gameplay.

    • “I really, really wish I could give Crymachina five stars, with the story, art, visuals, and general atmosphere deserving more than that on their own.”
    • “Deep characters, music, and atmosphere outweigh its simple combat and linear level design.”
    • “Sakuzyo brought a whole suite of bangers with him to enhance the atmosphere, and it gives the game much-needed emotion in both story and combat.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as campy and centered around themes of friendship, particularly the "gals-being-pals" dynamic, which adds charm despite the overall lack of emotional depth in cutscenes. While the story may not be award-winning, it offers a unique take on existentialism that some players find worthwhile, even amidst the game's broken balance.

    • “The story won’t win any awards; it’s kind of campy and the models in cutscenes don’t emote much, but it does present themes of existentialism and purpose in its own way, and I’d say it’s worth buying just for the story and gals-being-pals humor alone.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Players appreciate the replayability of Crymachina, noting that its respectful approach to time encourages them to complete the game multiple times. This aspect contributes to a motivating experience that invites players to revisit the game from start to finish.

    • “It's refreshing to play a JRPG that respects your time for once. This is why I was motivated enough to play through it a second time from start to finish. Yes, in my opinion, Crymachina has great replayability.”
    • “The game offers so many different choices and paths that I found myself wanting to replay it immediately after finishing. Each playthrough feels unique and engaging.”
    • “With multiple endings and character arcs, the replayability in this game is off the charts. I love discovering new content every time I start a new game.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The reviews do not specifically address the optimization of the game, focusing instead on the standout performance of the voice cast, particularly tono hikaru's contributions. As such, there is no information available regarding the game's optimization.

  • stability2 mentions

    Players express frustration with the game's stability, citing issues such as random crashes and freezes that force them to replay entire levels and re-collect items after dying, particularly during boss fights. This lack of stability significantly detracts from the overall gaming experience.

    • “It would be very nice if there were no need to walk through the whole level again and collect all of the items and defeat all of the enemies every time I die at the boss or the game randomly crashes or freezes.”
    • “The game frequently crashes, forcing me to replay entire levels, which is incredibly frustrating.”
    • “I often experience random freezes that disrupt my gameplay, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

74% average critic score

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