Developer: Onipunks Publisher: Onipunks Release: 08/07/25 Genre: Action
Those of us who grew up during the 8-bit era have a certain grit when it comes to difficulty. We had to contend with games that were completely unbalanced and sometimes even broken. We did not know any better so we soldiered on in the quest to see the ending of games like Bionic Commando, Ninja Gaiden, and, ugh, Ghosts ‘n Goblins. That fortitude allowed us to appreciate classics like Shatterhand and Power Blade, games that learned from the mistakes of the past and were legit awesome. Indie games now are taking their cues from those games without making their mistakes and Crystal Gaiden Origins is one of them. At times brutally hard but never completely unfair, do not let this under the radar gem pass you by.
In the future the Chu Empire rules the Earth. One day however the sky opened and crystal spores began to spawn, ruining cities around the world. The humans who came in contact with these spores became possessed. The Chu Empire held out as long as possible but eventually fell to darkness in the ensuing war. In the chaos a rebellion arises, and the leaders of the Chu empire begin harvesting rebel souls to fight the invaders. General Kuyali found out the truth and as punishment is used to fuel the soul engine. Enraged, General Chi’lang vows to bring down the empire to save Kuyali.
This game is a homage to NES-era action platformers like Vice Project Doom and Ninja Gaiden—but with its own spin. While it lacks the cutscenes of the former there are echo fragments that reveal more of the history and machinations of the world. I do wish there were more as the elaborate intro is well done and the world has so much to tell but I digress.
Right from the start it is obvious that titles like Shatterhand are the inspiration for Crystal Gaiden Origins. Chi’lang has a knife as his primary attack which makes this a melee focused action platformer. The range is short however you can find a power-up that lets you throw your knife a short distance. Unfortunately taking a hit takes it away and this will happen a lot. There are a variety of secondary weapons with limited ammo, from boomerang style shuriken to straightforward gun shots. Probably the most crucial ability is the slide. While sliding you are invulnerable to almost any attack which is critical during boss battles. The berserk attack I found less useful. You can boost strength at the cost of your health and, considering the rough difficulty, is not a tradeoff I found worthwhile.
Crystal Gaiden Origins features solid level design as it moves from one scenario to the next. The levels are varied and the melee combat gives it a different feel from most retro action games. Every level presents new challenges capped off by an epic boss battle. The Jade Ruins feature zombified experiments that return as wraiths to plague you. And there are a lot of them. The 2nd level begins with an auto scrolling bike sequence before delving underground for its cool boss battle. Speaking of boss fights, these are magnificent and the high point of the game. All feature simple yet challenging patterns that seem impossible at first but are manageable with skill and timing. The game certainly has its highs but it also has its lows that keep it from reaching its potential.
Although the game is reminiscent of NES classics past it does lack their degree of polish. I have problems with the game’s hit detection which is important in a game like this. Hit detection is inconsistent; attacks frequently whiff and some enemies, especially bosses, have indeterminate invincibility frames. This is frustrating as hell and makes the game more difficult than it already is. The knife throw makes the game feel like it should as it helps avoid many of these problems and should have been the default. It does not break the game and would make some of the more annoying sections (6-2) tolerable. The developer used feedback from the demo to improve the final game, hopefully that support continues.
As this is patterned after the 8-bit classics it mirrors them in terms of difficulty. The game is accommodating on the normal setting as it gives thirty lives. You will need them as the game can be rough at times. The hit detection issues lead to cheap hits and I found some enemy placement near unavoidable. If you die during a boss battle you must proceed without a sub-weapon which sucks. These bastards can take punishment and it is not uncommon to die 8 or 9 times before nailing their pattern. But it feels satisfying when you do so, I must say. Especially the final boss. If for some god forsaken reason you crave a higher challenge hard and expert live up to their name. I no longer have it in me to tough it out for the love of the game. Have at it if you are hardcore.
In Closing
Crystal Gaiden Origins is a love letter to the NES action games we all know and love. It brings back their uncompromising spirit while updating it for modern players. It has its flaws but overall they nail the look and gameplay they were aiming for. While it can be punishing the normal setting is a bit forgiving while the higher difficulties provide the challenge veterans are looking for. For the price it is worth it.
