Crystal Skull, The Download (1996 Role playing Game)

While The Crystal Skull is an interesting game, it lacks any excitement. Moving a cursor, pointing, and then clicking is about all you do. Graphically, the playing screen only covers about 2/3 of the monitor's screen. Characters are all live-action, though some of them have been manipulated in appearance. The characters are placed over a computer-generated background. Movements of the characters sometimes look strange but, overall, the picture quality is very good.

Controls are certainly easy. Moving the cursor off of the video screen allows access to a small menu. Here you can select from your inventory and save games. Saving games can be done at any time. You never know where death can occur so saving often is a good idea. However, before beginning play, an option of allowing your character to come back from an instant death is provided. This does not always mean you can get out of a situation though. If you are missing a key item, then you are doomed to a constantly repeating death.

Also, before beginning play, the option of using the Shaman is given. He has questions and answers to every important aspect of the game. It is a good idea to choose to bring him along for the adventure even if you don't want to cheat. It is very likely that a dead end will arise. The Shaman also gives you powers such as morphing and a map that allows you to go right to a building without walking in circles. Morphing is one of the coolest features of the game.

With the Shaman, the quest is extremely easy. Though it may seem like cheating, using the Shaman is the best way to keep from getting too frustrated. If your computer is slow, then each screen will inevitably take a lot of time to load. The map provided by the Shaman will keep the game moving much faster in the beginning. His clues will also keep you from having to constantly backtrack.

Unfortunately, The Crystal Skull is not a lot of fun. Pointing and clicking becomes repetitive, as is listening to an enormous amount of dialog. Interacting with characters is sometimes entertaining as you are given some comedic responses. There is also some educational content as historical information on the Aztecs and Mayans can be accessed from the menu.

Graphics: Characters and backgrounds are nicely detailed.

Sound: Background noises add the atmosphere.

Enjoyment: Some of the death scenes are entertaining but the game is not a lot of fun.

Replay Value: Lacks excitement so you won't be going back often.

Back in the glory days of the Aztecs, the emperor has a bad dream. He learns that white men are coming to destroy him, and the only way to stop them is to have a man named Quetzal find a crystal skull. In this adventure game, you bring Quetzal through the Aztec empire in his quest to find the crystal skull and save his empire.

How to run this game on modern Windows PC?

People who downloaded Crystal Skull, The have also downloaded:
Crusaders of Might and Magic, Clans, Buichi Terasawa's Takeru: Letter of the Law, Cthulhu Saves the World, Daemonsgate, Call for Heroes: Pompolic Wars, Chosen, The: Well of Souls, Chaos Strikes Back