Crystal Rift
- March 29, 2016
- Psytec Games
A really bad experience that should be left in the Dungeon from once it came.
"Crystal Rift" is a first-person dungeon crawler game that features grid-based movement and puzzles. Players explore a series of mysterious, ancient ruins filled with traps, secrets, and challenges. With its emphasis on problem-solving and exploration, the game offers a unique and immersive experience for fans of the genre. However, some players may find the graphics and gameplay dated.
Reviews
- The game has brought the player and their son closer together, creating many happy memories.
- It offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic dungeon crawlers, with engaging puzzles and a charming atmosphere.
- The VR experience is immersive, with good head tracking and a sense of place that enhances gameplay.
- The game suffers from poor controls and movement mechanics, leading to frustration and motion sickness for some players.
- There are significant bugs and design flaws, including a one-hit kill mechanic and limited save points that hinder progress.
- The combat system is simplistic and unsatisfying, lacking RPG elements like leveling or inventory management, making it feel dull and repetitive.
- gameplay16 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a lack of tutorials and interruptions during play, leading to frustration. Combat mechanics are criticized for being unsatisfying and overly simplistic, with a confusing respawning system instead of a more traditional one-hit kill approach. While the game offers atmospheric immersion and some variety, many players feel it is still in an early prototype stage, requiring significant improvements to reach its potential as a dungeon crawler.
“Gameplay is enjoyable and creates an atmospheric experience.”
“There is a great deal of variety for the very simple mechanics.”
“Immersion is excellent; overall gameplay and fighting are reminiscent of an old 2D dungeon crawler.”
“The combat was lacking, the game mechanics interacting with objects was a hassle, and it just wasn't interesting.”
“Even if the game is in early access, it feels more like a good 'advanced prototype' with lots of fixing to do (mostly gameplay) but certainly not a polished game or even a beta.”
“Combat is not fun or satisfying, which is surprising since it is the game's only mechanic.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive a generally positive reception, with many users praising the detailed visuals and atmospheric design. However, there are criticisms regarding the interface and controls, which detract from the overall experience. While some find the graphics polished and impressive, others note inconsistencies and glitches that impact gameplay.
“Love the graphics, love the atmosphere, love the music - but it needs a little TLC.”
“Graphics look awesome for the type of game.”
“I think this is one of the most polished games available for Oculus at the moment, very nice and decent graphics.”
“The interface is horribly slow and the graphics are worse.”
“Graphically, the game is okay if you can put up with it.”
- story5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The story is described as having a compelling background reminiscent of classic games, though some find it amateurish and silly. While it features an interesting breadcrumb narrative, not all players are engaged with the story, preferring to focus on gameplay instead.
“Tells a great background story and is reminiscent of the old style games like Dungeon Master.”
“Interesting breadcrumb storyline.”
“The story is rather amateurish and silly.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its excellent soundtracks and atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall experience. However, some users noted that the transitions between tracks can be jarring, indicating a need for smoother integration.
“Excellent music.”
“Music is just right.”
“Music has hard cuts from room to room.”
“Love the graphics, love the atmosphere, love the music - but it needs a little TLC.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its graphics and music, effectively creating an immersive and occasionally spooky experience, particularly in its dungeon settings. However, some users feel it could benefit from additional refinement to enhance the overall experience.
“Love the graphics, love the atmosphere, love the music - but it needs a little TLC.”
“The game is quite atmospheric and it can get a bit spooky at times, so I give it that.”
“However, it still performs well in its task of creating an atmospheric dungeon.”
“The graphics and music are great, but the atmosphere feels lacking and needs some tender loving care.”
“While the visuals and sound are impressive, the overall atmosphere doesn't quite deliver the immersive experience I was hoping for.”
“The game has potential with its graphics and soundtrack, but the atmosphere feels flat and underdeveloped.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, users report significant stability issues, including unresponsive controls, misleading on-screen indicators for controllers instead of keyboards, and frequent menu glitches that hinder gameplay. While the graphics are praised, these technical problems detract from the overall experience.
“The graphics are amazing, don't get me wrong, but the controls feel squishy. My character dies in one hit, but I need to kill enemies with two or more hits. Realism isn't everything; I still want to know I'm playing a game. Additionally, the on-screen indicators are for a controller, not a keyboard, and the menu glitches often, preventing me from resuming the game.”
“The game frequently crashes, making it impossible to enjoy the experience. I lose progress every time it happens, which is incredibly frustrating.”
“I encountered numerous bugs that disrupted gameplay, including freezing and lagging during critical moments. It really detracts from the overall enjoyment.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional impact of the game is polarizing; while some players find it difficult to engage with due to its intense themes, others may appreciate its depth and emotional resonance.
“I can't say I liked the way it made me feel, but I know there are others out there with stronger stomachs who can handle it.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unengaging, characterized by monotonous dungeon crawls, uninspired puzzles, and lackluster combat.
“It is a tedious dungeon crawl with boring hopping puzzles, dull combat, and generally just sort of uninteresting.”
“The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“I find myself doing the same tasks over and over again, which makes the experience feel monotonous.”
Critic Reviews
Crystal Rift Review
Crystal Rift is far from an enjoyable experience, with cumbersome controls, lacklustre visuals, and poor enemy AI. The entire experience gets very tiresome very quickly, and with the ever increasing expectations for great quality games, this just doesn't cut it. This rift would be better left unexplored, unless you think you'd enjoy its torturously repetitive depths.
30%Crystal Rift Review - PSVR
A really bad experience that should be left in the Dungeon from once it came.
20%