The Crown Stones is a super tough metroidvania horror RPG adventure with Soulsian elements, in which you play an amnesiac protagonist who’s deliberately sent himself to Hell, but can’t remember why!
In The Crown Stones you take on the role of Rivail Kuth, a powerful warrior who has purposely travelled to Hell to carry out a mission. However due to the trauma encountered during the journey to Hell he finds himself with no memory – with no idea how he got there, how to escape and who he can trust.
Hell (perhaps unsurprisingly) is a very dangerous place to explore – there are some helpful souls you’ll encounter that may aid your progress, but on the whole it’s populated by all manner of gruesome monsters who are very keen to rip you to shreds. There’s a Soulsian element to the combat, with even the weakest of foe able to dispatch you if you’re complacent and you required to time your attacks and dodges while keeping an eye on your stamina bar.
Killing enemies will earn you Karma that you can use to purchase items from a friendly(ish) trader, as well as earning XP that will level up your attributes a little. You have a ‘rage’ attack too which does a little more damage than a traditional attack, but on the whole caution and timing are key when dispatching foes.
The Crown Stones is a very tough game, but much like Dark Souls, you’ll keep coming back to for more punishment. The gruesome pixel artwork is fantastic, and combined with the foreboding soundtrack, it really helps to build a dark, oppressive and captivating atmosphere as you delve deeper into the underbelly of Hell. Highly recommended.
Check Out a Gamepay Video Here
Download The Crown Stones Alpha Demo Here (Windows)