Crystal Story Meh...
I am a huge RPG fan, I have played one of atleast every type of RPG and RPG series out there.
The reason I didnt like this so much, even though it is a great game is because... of unoriginality.
Battle system, level system, item system, and character designs aswell as names are all stolen prettty much or tweaked barely.
Level system- Dragon Quest. Its almost exactly like it, some name changes and instead of stat increases you give buff spells. It even has omnislash for some characters.
Character Designs- Tristam looks like goku, and has his outfit just recolored oraneg n red instead of blue n orange. he has similar hair n face expressions and movements except wields a katana.
Kaeli looks EXACTLY Like Tifa in her redone look in Advent Children Cinema. The only differense is one again re colors, make everything black and vwala. also she wilds a bow.
Phoebe is Ramona from Scott Pilgrims twin, even wields a hamemr and has a weapon names ramona. just recolor and take goggles off.
And finally Reuben... he actually looks very uinique actually... but very bland he wears a t shirt with a long sleeve under adn ahoody he lets down like a samurai coat when he fights... im so so for him.
fighting is just like final fantasys/ dragon quests. But thats not a biggy since thast teh genre so. but allot of attacks are names the same.
Some animations are lazy and when ever someone uses a melee skill or spell they so the same animation, even like frost strike and the frost spell stuff like that they looks exactly the saem just different attack variable.
Even though this is a recurring problem in every video game, you use alot of over used monsters even stole some like slimes. skeletons and other such monsters are to corny but thats not your fault. I only blame you for takine monsts like slime and even having slime king and such.
Walkign around looks really lame how it has oen sprite animation.
I do however love the random dungeon and i like the random weapon stats. it is a well balanced game and its fun but.. i think htat because you took so many elements from other games, which every big game developers so now... I want to see something original for once. Newgroudns opens up a new door to endless possibilities to do that and i was hoping for more.
Anyway in conclusion, this game is fun, and i keep playing but its onlyu good because of others ideas... not yours... you seriously just pieced popular video game rpg mechanics into it.
My suggestion is, REDO your character designs, when you change weaposn the weapon actually changes, make spells and attacks of the saem element and power level so different animations, have them do a unique animation for spells attacks and skills, like when Tristam uses his flam strike he does a kamehameha stance and somehow the enemies slashed then fire spurts out. Make that a sword swing animation but different from the attack one.
If it was your truest attention to mimic final fantasy, dragon quest, star ocean etc then thats sad if not thats uncanny but i doubt u didnt. im sorry if i seem to rough with my criticism but that my opinion. It IS a good game though. Obviously many people like it so be proud but I implore you, please be mroe unique and put in diffferent character designs etc.
If you would like I will provide character designs for you that are unique and not from major manga/anime/video games.