Pretty enjoyable
User Rating: 7.9 | Crystal Quest X360
The fact that Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved is such an amazing game seems to have resulted in many similar games getting poor ratings rather unfairly. While Crystal Quest follows the same basic premise of Geometry Wars in that it is a dual stick shooter, the addition of crystal gathering and mines adds a layer of strategy that sets the game apart from its competition. To some extents simply defining the game as a shooter is inaccurate while shooting does ensue, much of the game is spent collecting various random formations of crystals which often times feels a lot like a puzzle game. The game looks fairly attractive, and while it doesn't have the same chaotic beauty that Geometry Wars manages to pull off, Crystal Quest still looks manages to look fairly impressive for a $5 game. Sound wise the inclusion of some funky techno style background music and decent effects makes the game the best sounding of the dual stick shooters, but after a few hours it might be a better bet to just turn your stereo up and rock out to your own tunes. All in all, while Crystal Quest is hardly a Geometry Wars killer it offers enough of a variation to the standard formula to make it a game that is easy to recommend to arcade fans.
