What would you do if you woke up in a world that looked like a fairy tale, only to discover that you couldn't remember who you were or why you were there? That's the unsettling premise behind Crymelight, a dark action roguelike developed by FuRyu, the studio behind Crystar and Crymachina.

Combining fast-paced combat with a card-based progression system, Crymelight takes players into a twisted version of Wonderland where the souls of the dead are forced to confront the sins of their past. Its colorful anime-inspired character designs might initially suggest a lighter adventure, but there's a much darker and more emotional story underneath. While its presentation and narrative give it plenty of personality, repetitive environments and uneven combat prevent the experience from reaching its full potential.

The Story

The story takes place in Wonderland, but this isn't the whimsical world most people might expect. Instead, this version of Wonderland serves as a prison in the afterlife, where the souls of the dead are forced to face the sins and painful memories they carried during their lives.

You play as a girl with no memories, given the name Alice by her guide, the White Rabbit. According to him, the only way for her to return to her own world is to defeat the Queen. During her journey, Alice meets a mysterious girl named Mary, and the two begin pushing through the Queen's royal army together.

As they progress, they encounter other lost sinners, each carrying memories of their own suffering and regret. These encounters give the story much of its emotional weight, allowing Alice to share in their experiences while gradually uncovering the truth behind the prison and why it exists.

The narrative is one of the game's strongest elements. Its themes of guilt, trauma, and redemption give the adventure a darker identity than its fairy-tale setting initially suggests. Each encounter adds another piece to the larger story, creating enough curiosity to make you want to continue pushing forward, even after a difficult run.

The Presentation

One of the biggest strengths of Crymelight is its visual presentation. While FuRyu's previous games have used 3D graphics, this project takes a different direction with hand-drawn 2D artwork. The change was made to preserve the cute, beautiful, and slightly unsettling character designs created by artist YOGISYA, and it works well.

The cast is filled with expressive characters who fit the game's dark anime aesthetic. Their designs help establish the contrast between the seemingly charming appearance of Wonderland and the painful stories taking place within it. The environments also reflect this twisted fairy-tale atmosphere, although some areas begin to look similar during longer sessions.

On PlayStation 5, the game runs smoothly, handling its fast combat and flashy card effects without major issues. It isn't trying to compete with large-scale graphical showcases, but its artistic direction gives it a distinct identity. The gothic menus and gloomy interface also complement the overall atmosphere.

One particularly memorable feature is the Repentance System, which fills the screen with the final cries and tears of the sinners you defeat. It's an unusual visual detail that reinforces the game's themes and adds another layer of darkness to the experience.

The audio is equally effective. Composer Sakuzyo delivers a soundtrack that combines eerie melodies with stronger beats during combat. The Japanese voice acting also helps bring the characters to life, capturing their fear and sorrow during both intense encounters and quieter tea party scenes.

Overall, the presentation does an excellent job establishing the world and emotional tone of Crymelight. The hand-drawn artwork, gothic interface, music, and voice performances work together to create an atmosphere that is difficult to forget.

The Gameplay

At its core, Crymelight is a fast-paced 2D action roguelike that combines real-time combat with a card-based progression system. You control Alice as she fights through the Queen's army and the twisted creatures inhabiting this afterlife prison.

Combat requires good timing and smart dodging, particularly when facing bosses. However, the biggest gameplay twist is the Crime Card system. Rather than relying entirely on random weapons or abilities, you collect cards throughout each run to build your character's power.

These cards offer different advantages, including stat boosts, status effects, and special moves. Some also introduce risky trade-offs, giving you additional decisions to consider when developing your build. Since your deck changes as you progress, different combinations can create different approaches to combat. Finding a combination that works particularly well can be one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.

Each attempt takes you deeper into the prison, and defeating enemies provides resources and unlocks that contribute to your overall progression. This means that even when a run ends in failure, you're still making some progress. That helps soften the frustration of losing and gives you a reason to try again.

Between battles, tea party scenes introduce other sinners and provide opportunities to learn more about their burdens. These conversations connect the gameplay to the narrative, while the choices and cleansing system reinforce the emotional themes surrounding guilt and redemption.

The combination of real-time action, deck building, and character-driven storytelling gives Crymelight a solid foundation. Its card system encourages experimentation, while its progression mechanics make repeated runs feel worthwhile. However, the combat itself doesn't always deliver the same level of excitement as the ideas surrounding it.

The Flaws

Unfortunately, Crymelight has several problems that become more noticeable the longer you play. The biggest issue is repetition. After spending a few hours in the game, the arenas begin to feel familiar, and the limited enemy roster struggles to keep longer runs interesting.

Combat balance is another concern. Some hitboxes feel inconsistent, which can make certain attacks seem unfair rather than challenging. There are also occasional bugs and sudden difficulty spikes that can interrupt an otherwise enjoyable run.

The combat could also benefit from greater impact and variety. While the Crime Card system provides interesting opportunities to experiment with different builds, the actual fighting doesn't always feel as satisfying as it should. Combined with the limited weapon variety, this makes the action less engaging over time.

The game's emotional tone is another consideration. Its story focuses heavily on guilt, trauma, and painful memories. That approach gives the narrative its identity, but the constant weight of these themes may become exhausting for players looking for something lighter.

These issues don't completely undermine the experience, but they do prevent Crymelight from delivering the consistently polished roguelike adventure its strongest ideas deserve.

The Verdict

Crymelight is a gripping and emotional action roguelike with a distinctive visual identity and an interesting card-based combat system. Its hand-drawn dark anime artwork is gorgeous, the soundtrack does an excellent job establishing the atmosphere, and the story gives players a compelling reason to keep exploring its twisted version of Wonderland.

The Crime Card system is another highlight, encouraging experimentation and making each run feel like an opportunity to discover new combinations. Unfortunately, repetitive environments, a limited enemy roster, uneven combat balance, and a lack of weapon variety hold the experience back.

There's a lot to appreciate here, particularly for players who enjoy dark storytelling and experimenting with different character builds. However, those looking for deep, polished combat and consistently varied encounters may find themselves wanting more.

Despite its rough edges, Crymelight has enough personality and emotional storytelling to make its journey worthwhile. It's an enjoyable roguelike with some genuinely strong ideas, even if its gameplay doesn't always live up to them.

The Gamer Section Score

3 OUT OF 5

Pros

• Beautiful hand-drawn dark anime artwork.

• Emotional story with interesting characters.

• Excellent soundtrack and Japanese voice acting.

• Crime Card system encourages different builds.

• Progression rewards make failed runs feel worthwhile.

Cons

• Repetitive arenas and limited enemy variety.

• Some inconsistent hitboxes and combat balance issues.

• Occasional bugs and sudden difficulty spikes.

• Combat could feel more impactful.

• Limited weapon variety and a tiring emotional tone for some players.

Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 5