CRYSTAR

Rei enters Purgatory to save her younger sister. There, she battles corrupted souls and encounters other girls whose stories and pasts are tied to the afterlife.

Explore dungeon-like stages and fight with light and heavy attacks, dodges, skills, and a summoned Guardian. You can switch among four playable characters, each with different attacks and abilities; tears and grief can strengthen attacks and equipment.

Between expeditions, return to Rei’s room to manage character growth and equipment, read, and pet her dog. Progress through the story, uncover character memories, and develop skills and gear as you face Torments and follow the narrative through its routes.

In the supplied reviews, recurring praise goes to the character art, soundtrack, voice acting, and the emotional premise and cast; some players find the story especially affecting. Many reviewers, however, describe the combat and dungeon exploration as repetitive, and repeated story routes add to that fatigue. Opinions on the writing and how much the story compensates for the gameplay vary.