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<< PREV 14. Crystal Story II NEXT >>
There is little that is original about Crystal Story I and II. Nearly every standard JRPG convention is covered. That said, there are few JRPGs that are as immersive or as bald-faced addictive as Crystal Story II. What makes CS II’s intense playability so mind blowing is that the title was created by the one-man team of Emmanual Salva Cruz. From the perspective of a one man team, CS II is a revelation—revealing in livid detail what a lone developer can accomplish these days. Much larger than the first Crystal Story, which began life as browser game, CS II hosts a large and detailed world map, hundreds of enemies and mini-bosses as well as a bunch a fun mini games. What’s more amazing about CS II is how well everything holds together. Yes, the story is as canned as they come, but it’s also well-crafted and amusing enough to keep you in your seat. The production values are simple and Spartan yet at the same time they sport a pleasingly sparse aesthetic. The combat, about what you’d expect in a JRPG, is smartly rendered Final Fantasy–light that’s tightly balanced and a lot of fun, which could aptly describe the entire game, except for this somewhat more inexplicable aspect: the game is exceedingly addictive to play. If you have even a passing interest in playing or trying out a JRPG on your mobile device, pick this title up.
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