If we look back at that horrible mess called the Sega CD, it seems that only one title managed to rise above all the crap and stand on its own as a first-rate effort: Konami's Lethal Enforcers. The game's flat yet photo-realistic graphics proved it the best-looking title on this ill-fated platform. And with the addition of Konami's "Justifier" light gun, playing the game became a truly unique thrill in an era of side-scrolling Sonic knockoffs. With all of the technology available today (not to mention the Konami's arcade heritage and history), it seemed reasonable to assume that Konami's newest title would put all others, including the excellent Lethal Enforcers, to shame. Unfortunately, with its latest game Crypt Killer (the home translation of the coin-op), Konami has done an about-face, producing a game unfit to shine Lethal Enforcer's shotgun.
Aside from the ridiculous storyline (something about ancient ruins and lost mythical jewels), Crypt Killer's basic premise is this: Move (on rails, of course) through a series of catacombs, tombs, tunnels, rivers, and outdoor areas while shooting the enemies (skeletons, ghouls, piranha, zombies, etc.) that appear before you. There are six stages in all, with multiple sub-areas in each. Once you find the "Eye of Guidance" crystal, it's off to the next level.
When you get right down to it, there's nothing fun about this game - the levels are boring, the enemies are cliched, and the weapons are standard. The graphics, you ask? Words cannot describe how wretched this game looks (but I'm going to try anyway). The monsters are flat, the sprites are grainy (certainly not the "high-resolution polygons" the Konami press release touts), and the frame rate is horrifically low. To top it off, using just about any gun peripheral results in frustrating inaccuracy.
Despite its ghoulish overtones and enemies straight from "Clash of the Titans," there is nothing remotely scary about Crypt Killer - except the thought of spending money on this abomination. Steer clear.
