Crystar arrived as a distinctive entry in the action-RPG space with an emphasis on grief, redemption, and anime aesthetics.
Developed by Gemdrops, Crystar launched in 2018 and was later made available on Nintendo Switch alongside previous platform releases, bringing its combat-focused exploration and melancholic narrative to Switch players via retail and the eShop.
From the outset, Crystar establishes tone with a bombastic anime trailer and a succinct premise: players assume the role of Rei, a teenage girl dragged into Purgatory alongside her younger sister.
After her sister is killed, two demons offer Rei a brutal bargain — collect crystals known as "Idea" and they will help revive her sibling.
That opening sets up the game's central loop of fighting, absorbing pain, and converting suffering into the resources needed to progress.
Journalistically recasting notable scenes: the game quickly shifts from spectacle to intimate moments as Rei walks through the first area and encounters butterflies that represent dying human souls; each butterfly triggers a short voice moment conveying a last thought — relief for some, terror for others, occasional manic laughter — which underscores the title's exploration of death's emotional breadth.
Crystar's combat pits Rei and later allies against corrupted beings labeled Revenants and Spectres.
When those enemies are defeated, the player absorbs their pain; at the end of maps the protagonist must "cry" to release that accumulated anguish, producing the Idea crystals required by the demons.
The mechanics are straightforward, with accessible controls, clear on-screen instructions, and a focus on fast-paced, hack-and-slash encounters that scale into more demanding boss fights.
The game's presentation consistently draws praise: a detailed anime art style dresses floating, crumbling environments and character designs, while an atmospheric soundtrack supports the somber themes.
Narrative beats are delivered through regularly placed cutscenes that often reveal how the overseeing demons manipulate souls and occasionally introduce new combat abilities or spells.
As the story progresses, players acquire allies with distinct combat styles and can swap between characters to vary approach and pacing.
The narrative grows more complex across chapters, sometimes shifting between realities and raising questions of trust among companions.
For Nintendo Switch owners seeking a character-driven action RPG with a strong visual identity and an emotional core, Crystar remains a notable, if sometimes challenging, experience available on the eShop and physical formats.
Developed by Gemdrops, Crystar launched in 2018 and was later made available on Nintendo Switch alongside previous platform releases, bringing its combat-focused exploration and melancholic narrative to Switch players via retail and the eShop.
From the outset, Crystar establishes tone with a bombastic anime trailer and a succinct premise: players assume the role of Rei, a teenage girl dragged into Purgatory alongside her younger sister.
After her sister is killed, two demons offer Rei a brutal bargain — collect crystals known as "Idea" and they will help revive her sibling.
That opening sets up the game's central loop of fighting, absorbing pain, and converting suffering into the resources needed to progress.
Journalistically recasting notable scenes: the game quickly shifts from spectacle to intimate moments as Rei walks through the first area and encounters butterflies that represent dying human souls; each butterfly triggers a short voice moment conveying a last thought — relief for some, terror for others, occasional manic laughter — which underscores the title's exploration of death's emotional breadth.
Crystar's combat pits Rei and later allies against corrupted beings labeled Revenants and Spectres.
When those enemies are defeated, the player absorbs their pain; at the end of maps the protagonist must "cry" to release that accumulated anguish, producing the Idea crystals required by the demons.
The mechanics are straightforward, with accessible controls, clear on-screen instructions, and a focus on fast-paced, hack-and-slash encounters that scale into more demanding boss fights.
The game's presentation consistently draws praise: a detailed anime art style dresses floating, crumbling environments and character designs, while an atmospheric soundtrack supports the somber themes.
Narrative beats are delivered through regularly placed cutscenes that often reveal how the overseeing demons manipulate souls and occasionally introduce new combat abilities or spells.
As the story progresses, players acquire allies with distinct combat styles and can swap between characters to vary approach and pacing.
The narrative grows more complex across chapters, sometimes shifting between realities and raising questions of trust among companions.
For Nintendo Switch owners seeking a character-driven action RPG with a strong visual identity and an emotional core, Crystar remains a notable, if sometimes challenging, experience available on the eShop and physical formats.