Azrora’s Crystals Review by IM Dave Angel

At completexbox we are very much community driven, and welcome guest articles, opinion pieces and reviews. This Review of Azrora’s Crystals, developed by Cranky Alien, written by the very talented IM Dave Angel, played on Xbox Series S.

They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery and Azrora’s crystals is a title that wears its inspirations boldly on its sleeve for all to see. Those that enjoy fantastical locations, interesting enemies and a robust crafting system them Azrora’s crystals could be right up your street. However, it does not hold a candle to the titles that it tries to imitate. Lack of polish in various parts of the game, with some strange collision detection and some strange design choices take could have been a great indie title to something shines somewhat less than a diamond.

The game is set in a mystical world called Arcalis, which is rich with ancient magics, alchemy and mythical creatures. The world is split into various biomes, covering everything from molten lava to snowy mountains, with all the tropes associated with this sort of game (Do not say Zelda…. Zelda). In the world is Azrora’s Crystals you play as a young sorceress who discovers she can control the powerful of crystals of Arcalis. These crystals are coveted by dark forces looking to exploit their power for nefarious purposes… So begins your journey into a world of crystals, herbs, spices, runes and puzzles that lead you through the levels in a very linear fashion.

You have two companions that go with you on your trip through Arcalis. Thoren is a skilled warrior and loyal friend. Elara is a wise, ancient spirit who guides Azrora on her journey.

The minions of the Dark Sorcerer relentlessly chase you throughout your journey. These creatures consist of various dark creatures as well as corrupted beings that hinder Azrora’s progress. However, a swipe with your axe or hammer (of which there is a selection to choose from at various points in the campaign) will dispatch with a shower of particles.

One of the problems I found with Azrora and her many items (you end up with so many hammers and pick axes you need a toolbox!) is that your impacts in both mining and combat have no weight to them. There is a tiny audio cue when you impact, but there is no controller vibration to herald your progress. A simple vibration, sound, or a combination of both would have helped to increase the feeling of impact.

At any time that you are in trouble, press the Left trigger and your crosshair will lock onto the nearest enemy. You can then swing your weapon of choice with right trigger for a single strike. Each hit requires you to release and repress Right trigger, but an accessibility option to have auto-repeat on the right trigger would have been most welcome (You will use the Right trigger a LOT!)

During your travels through Arcalis there are treasures hidden in little alcoves, secret passages and some hidden behind puzzles (which are straightforward, compelling you to push forward).

Your abilities are based on the use of different crystals, which allow you to augment your attack, protect yourself with a shield or heal. You summon them in battle by pressing LB, choosing the correct summon as shown in the bottom left corner of the screen with your left stick and Press A (Yes, it is a bit fiddly, but you get used to it). Their effects last around 20 seconds but give you enough time to defeat the tricky enemy or get past the difficult problem.

Having no to wish to spoil the ending for everyone, but the game does have the hook necessary to allow the creation of a sequel. Let us just hope that Cranky Alien are able to address the issues that have arisen from this game.