Is it just me, or does the notion of “oppressing evil forever” sound kind of, well, oxymoronic? Oppression isn’t usually the sort of behavior I associate with champions of justice. Aw, but what do I know. I guess that’s just part of the delicious contradiction that is Crystalis! The game that was called “Godslayer” in Japan, even though you never actually kill God in it. Tiger dudes? By the dozen. Giant bugs that are totally rip-offs of Hayao Miyazaki’s Ohmu? You bet. Deranged super-computers? Definitely. But no gods. Or God. It is a mystery.
Anyway, another of GameSpite Quarterly 6‘s NES issue holdover articles. Exciting! Also exciting: I’ll be submitting GSQ7 for a press proof by week’s end. How does he do it, folks? (The answer: having no social life whatsoever.)
Next you’re going to tell me that God Eater is a Monster Hunter clone rather than a Cooking Mama styled minigame collection where you have to prepare various deities in a multitude of culinary dishes.
God Slayer is the name of the ultimate sword (which in the American version is named Crystalis, of course). It’s presumably just so powerful that it COULD kill a god.
Oh, I know what the name refers to. I just feel like it’s kind of false advertising, given the direction that later JRPG plots took.
One of my personal faves, I actually didn’t discover it until right around the GBC version was announced. It took time to track an NES version down here so I ended up playing both more or less at the same time.
For some reason I got stuck on the NES one yet in the same part on the GBC I was able to finish it.
I really hope the GBC one sees a 3DS VC release.
This was my favorite NES action-RPG for the longest time, and it probably still is, depending on which day you ask me.
I remember being super-excited finding the game on clearance in Walmart back in the day, as I’d already read so much about the game in Nintendo Power. I knew this was one that was worth having, and it definitely delivered.
The real unfortunate thing about it, though, is that it required level-grinding to get past a lot of bosses. Much like Ys, you could go into a boss battle unprepared and not even be able to damage the boss. At least you could save almost anywhere, though.
The real disappointment that I had was that a sequel to the game was oft-rumored for the Neo Geo, but it never happened, as SNK seemed content to try to chase Capcom’s tournament-fighting crown almost exclusively. Too bad, as SNK up to that point had shown an ability to make games other than fighters quite well.
Speaking of SNK, the Neo Geo and fighters – I don’t know why they didn’t just go all the way and make it with a six button controller.
I never played Crystalis but I had always wanted to. But based on what I’ve heard and seen in some Let’s Plays about the grinding and other things I don’t think I would enjoy it now.
Also, maybe it’s for the best that you weren’t able to slay a god or gods in Godslayer/Crystalis. If you can’t chainsaw them in the face, then why even bother?
My favorite NES game. I was one of those rare kids who was never interested in the Legend of Zelda, but owned Crystalis and was kind of annoyed that other kids claimed Link to the Past was great. I felt Crystalis never got much cred for doing a lot of innovative things that LttP “copped”, however now I can be satisfied that both a great games.
Also, oppressing evil goes hand in hand with fighting for everlasting peace.
The “oppress evil forever” line is foreshadowing, as it hints that the Tower is too powerful a weapon to be used for any purpose but conquest. This is shown to be true by the game’s end.
Crystalis is the only true literature that video games can offer the world.
Well… when you’re right, you’re right.