Review: Crystal Cave Classic
by Staff Writer
September 22, 2009
Overview
The creators of Archibald’s Adventures have a brand new game, Crystal Cave Classic. Become an archaeologist/treasure hunter and dive into caves, temples, and pyramids. Your goal is to collect gemstones from varying locations, with tons of obstacles in your way. This is a logic based game, requiring you to think first, and act second. There are tons and tons of levels included all having their own traps with boulders, glass blocks, and acid containers. You have to use what is around you to unlock the gems in each level.
Features
This game feels like Chip’s Challenge, but adds more to that simple gameplay mechanic. In every level you’re given objects that you will need to put in the right places to uncover the gems. Also in some levels there are monsters floating about. The best feature is that there are 170 levels as you travel to tombs from Egypt, Japan, the Aztecs, and India. The best aspect is that you can skip around between any of the levels, and areas. If you ever are completely stumped on a level you can go to the developer’s walkthroughs for all levels.
The Good
The gameplay is the main selling point, and the focus of the game. Every single level presents a different challenge, and on most you will have to retry a few times. You have to take in the whole level, and analyze all of the pieces at your disposal to unlock the gems. As you progress the levels take longer and longer to complete requiring precise actions in a certain order. You’re given boulders, eight balls, joker tiles, elevators, and transporters all of which you will need to use together. Most levels require a boulder falling from a certain distance to unlock the gem, and this can only be done if you place certain tiles before hand so the boulders don't get stuck on the edge.
In terms of time spent with this title, it will take a super long time making it through 170 supremely difficult levels. The first fifty aren’t too bad, but after that, look out.
The level design is outstanding from the varying backgrounds behind the play area to the ornate aspect inside the play area. Whether you’re in Egypt, Japan or India you will easily now based on the design. The character, gems, and monsters aren't anything special though.
There is a very nice adventurous theme in the background that isn’t too quick of hectic blending in nicely with the thinking of the game. Also the sound effects are well done from the scratching of a moving boulder to digging through dirt.
The Bad
The game feels more like trial and error than true logic. As you progress, if you know the steps to beat a level, and you push a boulder one way on accident it can mess up everything. Then you have to restart the level doing everything in order again.
This game is extremely challenging, and can become very frustrating because of it. If you don’t like challenges, you can bow out now. This game is only about completing with no score, not even on number of moves.
Overall the game is interesting, and challenging, but is seems to be lacking in the fun department. It gets boring, and despite having 170 levels, it’s not engaging enough to want get through all of them. Another weird element to the game is that your character doesn’t obey the laws of gravity, but everything else does.
