Crystareino Review

The price may have gone up, but I bought the game through in-game purchasing (it starts out free, then you can buy the full game whenever) for 4 dollars. I think the original price is about 8$, either way, totally worth it.

Crystareino - Gameplay

This game is so in-depth in its gameplay and game mechanics that I am going to write you all a book about it. Characterizing each part into separate categories.

Controls

The controls in this game vary. You can either play it with a stylus, or you can play it as a controller... or both. You can switch between the two methods at any time, including during battle. The directional buttons are annoying, as they usually take two steps at a time, which may cause you to completely miss your target altogether... numerous times. This is especially annoying when trying to get through a small door, open a treasure chest or enter a place on the world map

Teammates

You get both temporary teammates, as well as more permanent teammates. Although all are basically temporary, some play a more crucial role in the plotline, and thereby you are able to change their classes and set their skills. Temporary teammates (basically just mercenaries you choose to fight with) cannot have their equipment changed, cannot change their skills or classes, and cannot level up.

Class Change

This game would be MUCH harder without the Class Change ability. Part way through the game you can meet up with the reverend for a class-change ability, or not, your choice. But if you change your class, you get unique abilities you would not otherwise get. Your characters can be black mages, knights, fighters, bandits, or a thouma... thaumatigu-A white mage.

My main character, the Hero, is a Holy Knight. You can make a few other characters different classes as well. You can create a combination of every class, or you can just pick one and stick with it. The choices are up to you. Once you complete a certain combination of classes, either more powerful classes will open up, or a specified class will open. Advanced Dark Mage and Advanced White Mage opens up the class for Sage, for instance.

Battle

This game is a turn-based RPG not unlike its predecessor's Breath of Fire and Chrono Trigger. The enemies in the game are pretty generic (wolf, goblin, elemental), but they can be a pretty decent challenge. In battle, you can speed up the battle clock in case you are too impatient with the current speed. You can also auto-attack your enemies and switch between the two at a whim.

Formation

Formation is usually just a subcategory of battling. And this is certainly no exception. You have two slots for front-row and back-row battlers, and while the front row are more prone to attacks, some enemies target the back row. But this comes with a twist. Like any good RPG, changing the formation of the battlers can change the formation of the character you play as. You control the Hero by default but can also control any of your party members as well. A trait seen often in the, you guessed it, Final Fantasy and Breath of Fire series.

CRP Points

CRP points, or Crystareino Points, are a form of special currency you can purchase or earn in-game to buy special items you cannot get elsewhere. You can purchase 100 CRP for about 1$, or you can defeat enemies as you naturally progress in the game. Five enemies = 1 CRP. You can purchase stat-enhancing items, full panacea items, or accessories that double the amount of money, experience, or class experience you earn per battle.

Misc

This game comes complete with a World Map, storyline recorder (in case you get lost), and even the ability to leave an area without having to track all the way through the level, like in most RPGs.

Crystareino - Story

The story is pretty bland. You are a Silent Protagonist with a destiny to fulfill, you get warped to another world to help defeat an evil being called the Demon King. You try to find your way back home but learn the only way to do so is by defeating the demon king. I would say “spoiler alert,” but I just described every RPG in existence.

There is more to the storyline than that, but the sub-stories have little to nothing to do with the actual plot and seem to just be there in order to be filler material. But I guess that does not differ too much from most other RPGs, but this one just makes it seem obvious.

Crystareino - Audio/graphics

The music is actually pretty good. Of course, it's a typical kind of music you would hear from a typical RPG, but the music in and of itself is not bad. The graphics are also pretty decent as well, going retro to the early days of Chrono Trigger and the battle system of Breath of Fire 2 and Final Fantasy 4. Just 100 times better.

The Verdict

All-in-all it's an excellent game. 

TechRaptor reviewed Crystareino on Android. It is also available on 3DS and iOS. This review was originally published on 10-10-2014. While care has been taken to update the piece to reflect our modern style guidelines, some of the information may be out of date. We've left pieces like this as they were to reflect the original authors' opinions, and for historical context.