Epic Quest of the 4 Crystals

About

"Epic Quest of the 4 Crystals" is a retro-style action RPG. Traverse through diverse landscapes, battling monsters and bosses to collect the four crystals and save the world. Features include pixel art graphics, procedural generation, and permadeath, offering a challenging and engaging experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

55%

Audience ScoreBased on 44 reviews

story12 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features enjoyable turn-based RPG combat with a good spread of character abilities and strategic elements.
The graphics and music are well-received, contributing to a pleasant overall experience.
Some players found the quirky characters and plot twists to be engaging, making it worth a try for fans of the genre.

The writing is often criticized for being juvenile and lacking depth, with a directionless story that can lead to frustrating gameplay.
Many players noted the game suffers from a lack of content and variety, making it feel repetitive and boring over time.
The use of RPG Maker assets has led to a perception of low quality, with poor level design and minimal interaction in the game world.

story
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
47%
13%
The story of "Epic Quest of the 4 Crystals" is criticized for being generic and poorly written, often resembling a low-effort fan fiction with unoriginal plot points and lackluster character development. While some players noted a few surprising twists and emotional moments, the overall narrative fails to engage, leaving many feeling that it does not justify its price given the abundance of higher-quality free games available. Despite its attempts at parody and humor, the story's directionlessness detracts from the experience, making it a mixed bag for fans of retro RPGs.
- “The characterisation of your party is clear, there are a couple of emotional moments that worked, and there was one plot point that genuinely surprised me.”
- “There are some really nice plot twists along the whole adventure.”
- “It is a fun and interesting game with a very interesting storyline that has a very abrupt twist halfway into the story!!”
- “The plot is painfully generic, the writing awful, but it is accompanied by some completely godawful 'baby's first Wacom tablet' artwork that would have had whoever came up with it banned from DeviantArt for life... it's just that bad.”
- “I get that it's a parody of other RPGs, but the directionless story allowed me to immediately wander out of the town and die.”
- “The banter is not really funny, the story is lacking, the characters aren't that interesting, and the equipment is too basic.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
50%
38%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing it for being tedious and unoriginal, while others note that it is generally well executed despite its low-quality visuals. The combat mechanics are likened to those in Final Fantasy XI, requiring strategy rather than brute force, but overall, many find the experience becomes a chore over time.
- “It's a cheap game where the core gameplay is, if not especially original, generally well executed.”
- “Like most RPG Maker shovelware and asset flips, the game features extremely low quality copy-pasted 2D retro pixel art, looks awful, and has even worse gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is my main issue as eventually it gets bothersome, making it a chore to finish the game.”
- “The combat mechanics remind me of FFXI because you cannot just win by brute force.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as inconsistent, with some players finding it juvenile and overly reliant on fourth-wall breaks, while others appreciate the underlying dark humor present in the dialogue. Overall, the banter and character interactions are seen as lacking depth, contributing to a less engaging experience for those seeking a more serious narrative.
- “There is a humor flowing under everything.”
- “The dialogue has a dark humor to it so far (especially Mary).”
- “The banter is not really funny, the story is lacking, the characters aren't that interesting, and the equipment is too basic.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with users finding it relaxing and enjoyable, contributing positively to the overall experience. While some describe it as "good," others note that it complements the art effectively.
- “The art is fine, the music is good, and the writing... well, we'll come back to that.”
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- “Music is okay so far.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The graphics have received mixed reviews, with some users criticizing the artwork as amateurish and poorly executed, likening it to "baby's first wacom tablet" creations. Additionally, the limitations of the RPG Maker engine result in subpar fullscreen display and lack of HD support, which detracts from the experience for modern gamers. However, there are also users who appreciate the graphics, noting they are an improvement over standard RPG Maker assets.
- “I enjoy the graphics (thankfully not 'basic' RTP RPG Maker graphics').”
- “As with all RPG Maker games, the poor quality engine displays badly in fullscreen and doesn't have full HD support or any graphics tweaking options, making this unacceptable for any dedicated modern PC gamer.”
- “The plot is painfully generic, the writing awful, but it is accompanied by some completely godawful 'baby's first Wacom tablet' artwork that would have had whoever came up with it banned from DeviantArt for life... it's just that bad.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players note that while grinding is necessary, it is more strategic and engaging compared to typical hack-and-slash RPGs. The encounters require players to learn and adapt, making the grinding feel purposeful rather than mindless.
- “I found myself needing to do a fair bit of grinding, and I realized I knew how to deal with every encounter before I had finished.”
- “This is not the typical mindless hack-and-slash RPG that I am used to playing, where I win by either brute force or excessive grinding.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features well-defined characterizations that contribute to several impactful emotional moments, alongside a surprising plot twist that enhances the overall emotional engagement.
- “The characterization of your party is clear, there are a couple of emotional moments that worked, and there was one plot point that genuinely surprised me.”