Crystal Story: Dawn of Dusk

About

"Crystal Story: Dawn of Dusk" is the second game in the series, where players control Mina, a young adventurer from the Dawnside, on a quest to rescue her kidnapped brother from the demon Termina in the perilous Duskside. Mina uses fire-elemental Arts to battle enemies and solve puzzles in this hybrid retro-modern-styled adventure. Explore a challenging world with fast-paced action and turn-based battles, inspired by 16-bit classics.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 56 reviews

story12 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game features stunning pixel art and a captivating soundtrack that evoke nostalgia for classic RPGs like Zelda and Earthbound.
Gameplay strikes a satisfying balance between puzzle-solving and action, with engaging mechanics that include unique mini-games during boss fights.
The world is charming and immersive, filled with fun characters and a promising story that leaves players eager for future content.

The game is relatively short, with many players feeling it lacks sufficient content for its price, often completing it in under four hours.
Numerous bugs and janky controls can disrupt gameplay, including issues with collision detection and unintuitive mechanics.
The linear progression and misleading level design can lead to frustration, as players may feel restricted despite the appearance of an open world.

story
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
64%
7%
The story of "Crystal Story: Dawn of Dusk" is described as intriguing and charming, with well-developed characters that evoke humor and nostalgia reminiscent of classic RPGs. However, some players feel that the narrative progression is too rapid and lacks clarity, particularly for those unfamiliar with the prologue. Overall, while the game sets up a promising adventure and hints at future expansions, many reviewers express a desire for a more substantial storyline to justify its current content.
- “A cute, if brief, little adventure, that definitely feels like a prologue to a bigger story.”
- “The story is very intriguing and the characters are so good; some of them gave me a good chuckle!”
- “Crystal Story is a short but sweet game with eye-catching art and a nostalgic air to it that reminds you of all your favorite 8-bit RPG adventure games from the past like Zelda and EarthBound.”
- “The game isn't that good at telling the story, especially in the beginning.”
- “I didn't play the prologue, crystal story: awakening, so I don't know if it's the culprit or not, but things just progressed too fast without making any sense.”
- “I know that it tries to make it mysterious, but it doesn't help when the game makes it seem as if everyone already knows about the story and I had to deduce everything that happened by then.”
gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
59%
9%
The gameplay is praised for its unique blend of puzzle-solving, point-and-click adventure, and turn-based RPG mechanics, providing a satisfying and varied experience. Players enjoy the beautiful visuals and engaging soundtrack, though some express a desire for more content and improvements in gameplay depth. Overall, the game offers fun mechanics and enjoyable boss fights, but its short length has raised concerns about value for money.
- “The art is absolutely gorgeous, the music is all a certified bop, and the gameplay is a lot of fun!”
- “The gameplay has elements of puzzle-solving, point-and-click adventure, and turn-based RPG mechanics for plenty of variety while you explore numerous, whimsical environments and get immersed in the charming plot and characters of the Crystal Story universe.”
- “The gameplay is divided into two sections: 1) a top-down view where you have to explore the world and solve puzzles with your abilities and 2) a turn-based battle system with a minigame in the format of the first section where you have to do a certain objective.”
- “It has unique gameplay and beautiful visuals, although sadly, it was way too short for its asking price.”
- “But those updates will need to come with massive gameplay improvements.”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
90%
10%
The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy and nostalgic quality, reminiscent of classic titles from the Game Boy Color era, particularly in the style of Earthbound. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as both enjoyable and integral to the overall experience, complementing the game's beautiful pixel art and engaging gameplay. Overall, the music is considered a significant asset, enhancing the game's charm and appeal.
- “The art is absolutely gorgeous, the music is all a certified bop, and the gameplay is a lot of fun!”
- “It's a really stunning game with fantastic art direction and music in the style of EarthBound, while being a really innovative Zelda-like in its own right.”
- “Found this game a few years ago on accident, this game has an insane OST and is pretty fun, feels like Celeste, Undertale, LOZ, and EarthBound in one.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The game's graphics are characterized by a retro, pixelated style that some players find beautiful and varied. While the visuals are praised, they are often overshadowed by criticisms of the game's overall execution and length, leaving players feeling that the graphics are one of the few redeeming qualities.
- “It has unique gameplay and beautiful visuals, although sadly, it was way too short for its asking price.”
- “The graphics and music are both wonderful, but that's about the only thing this game has to offer.”
- “The visuals in the game are varied, but they are mostly pixelated.”
- “Graphics: retro”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for its numerous bugs, with users noting that it feels unstable and incomplete. Additionally, some players feel that the game's short length does not justify its price, further detracting from the overall experience.
- “The game is very buggy.”
- “A little buggy and for the price, it's pretty short.”