Crisol: Theater of Idols Reviews
Crisol: Theater of Idols is a bold proposal with a strong identity and an aesthetic and mechanical coherence that’s rare in today’s landscape. Its blood-as-life-and-ammo system heightens the tension, its reinterpreted religious imagery gives it a distinctive personality, and its theatricality embraces excess without hesitation. It isn’t perfect, but it is deeply honest. And when a work takes risks, moves you, and genuinely feels different, its impact goes far beyond the score.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Crisol: Theater of Idols isn't a perfect survival horror game, but it's one of the most interesting ones in recent years. It has brilliant ideas, an original combat system and a memorable setting. Technical flaws and some unpolished mechanics prevent it from achieving absolute excellence, but the experience remains solid and enjoyable. A successful return to the kind of video games that can be completed in a few hours and are most memorable.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Crisol: Theater of Idols is recommended because it is a solid debut that manages to combine horror, action, and exploration in a very original way. It offers a memorable experience with its own unique identity. Except for minor performance issues and its artificial intelligence, it has enough potential to become a benchmark in survival horror.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Accomplished storytelling intertwined with satisfying gunplay and a truly tremendous island to explore, Crisol stands tall as an excellent AA horror title in a year where the genre will see some big hitters. Aside from a couple of over complicated, puzzles I sincerely hope this isn’t the last horror shooter we see from Vermila.
Crisol looks like it is covered in atmosphere. The streets are wet from the rain, and there are gothic churches, spooky caves, and baroque buildings all around. The way the lights are set up is especially good. Without using cheap jump scares, flickering shadows, and dark halls, people feel more stressed out on their own. The island, however, feels lived in. Small things in the environment, like posters about bullfights and history, show that you care about and understand other cultures.
Crisol: Theater of Idols is an engrossing, if slightly unpolished, horror experience that offers a world that is dripping in atmosphere and a combat loop that keeps you on your toes. It might not always terrify you in the way it intends to - especially where Dolores is concerned - but between the grotesque enemy designs and the constant tension of the Blood Bullet mechanic, there is plenty here to enjoy. If you’re a fan of survival horror (and don’t mind a little bit of indie jank), this trip to Tormentosa is well worth the low price of admission.
Crisol: Theater of Idols is an ambitious game with moments of creativity and style, but its execution consistently holds it back. The story fails to engage, combat is frustrating, and the character design often breaks immersion. At the same time, it offers one of the more compelling first-person horror settings in recent years, and its environmental and thematic work are impressive. It’s a game with strong ideas that never fully coalesce into a consistently satisfying experience, making it interesting but flawed overall.
Crisol: Theatre of Idols is a steadfast horror survival game. While its inherent inspirations are worn proudly on its sleeve, Crisol rarely steps outside of its comfort zone. I like the idea of sacrificing health for ammo, but it needs substance to really sell the idea. Enemies might hit hard, but enemies rarely outpace themselves, and it becomes easy to guess where enemies will come from and how fast they'll lunge at you. The sense of tension in the world's empty streets and earlier sections is genuinely impressive, though.
Players looking for frenetic action may find the pace unusual, but those who value tension, identity, and art direction will find one of the most interesting surprises of the year here.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Debut title from Vermila Studios, Crisol: Theater of Idols brings together excellent ideas from major horror and action projects in a cinematic, powerful, and extremely fun adventure.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Crisol: Theater of Idols is a horror FPS that stands out for focusing on action and combat rather than a slow-paced atmosphere. This, combined with an aesthetic that is strongly tied to the studio’s origins, makes the game a major highlight within the genre, even if it isn’t the scariest one.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Crisol: Theater of Idols is an immense collection of great ideas, good intentions, tons of sources of inspiration, and an interesting setting, but hampered by trying to bite way more than it could chew. I loved its setting and atmosphere, but it’s not scary enough to be called a fully-fledged horror game, it’s not action-packed enough to be considered a first-person shooter, nor is it explorable or full of gameplay elements like an immersive sim. The game sits right in the middle of all these elements, clearly showcasing its sources of inspiration, and having enough ideas to make it stand out as something unique, but never being more than just that: a good, well-intentioned, creepy, but flawed game.
Crisol: Theater of Idols is a good game that makes excellent use of the main characteristics of survival horror to deliver an experience that stands out within the genre.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Crisol: Theater of Idols whisks us away to a world where story and mechanics are perfectly balanced, offering an original tale alongside superb puzzles. It may pull its punches slightly when it comes to difficulty, but it executes its vision brilliantly. It is a satisfying experience and a must-play title for any collection.
Review in Spanish | Read full review