The Red Crystal: The Seven Secrets of Life

The Red Crystal: The Seven Secrets of Life is a role-playing video game for MS-DOS developed and published by Quantum Quality Productions in 1994.

The Red Crystal: The Seven Secrets of Life
Developer(s)Quantum Quality Productions
Publisher(s)Quantum Quality Productions
Platform(s)MS-DOS
Release1994
Genre(s)Role-playing

Gameplay

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Reception

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Computer Gaming World in March 1994 described The Red Crystal as "Gauntlet gone amuck".[4] A longer review in April 1994 criticized the game's many "pointless" random encounters, necessity to reroll for "demi-godlike" attributes and use "cowardly hit-and-run" combat tactics to survive, poor documentation, abruptly unwinnable moments, and other flaws. The magazine concluded "we can't believe that it says QQP on this game's box".[5] Reviewing the game for PC Gamer US, Neil Randall wrote, "Despite some clumsy interface elements, Red Crystal is worthwhile. It's fast, fun, and refuses to take itself too seriously."[1] PC Zone offered a negative review, concluding, "Don't ask your friends to play this if you want to keep them."[2] Jörg Langer of Germany's PC Player summarized The Red Crystal as "a very bad game" and a "tragedy". He criticized its sound and found it "disappointing" from a technical angle, calling the collision detection and mouse control "amateurly programmed". Langer argued, "After no more than five minutes, an immense boredom sets in."[3]

In 1996, Computer Gaming World named The Red Crystal the 22nd worst game ever made. The editors called it "deadly proof that QQP should have stuck to strategy/wargames."[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b Randall, Neil (May 1994). "Red Crystal". PC Gamer US (1): 68.
  2. ^ a b Staff (August 1995). "Buyers' Guide". PC Zone (29): 123.
  3. ^ a b Langer, Jörg [in German] (July 1994). "Red Crystal". PC Player (18): 60.
  4. ^ "Taking A Peek". Computer Gaming World. March 1994. pp. 174–180.
  5. ^ Emrich, Alan; Schlunk, Petra (April 1994). "The Red Crystal Shattered: Imprisoned No More By QQP's Quartz". Computer Gaming World. pp. 66, 68.
  6. ^ "150 Best Games of All Time". Computer Gaming World. November 1996. pp. 64–80. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
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