Citadel: Adventure of the Crystal Keep Summary
There are old games, and then there is Citadel: Adventure of the Crystal Keep.
First released in 1989, this game is more of an interface compared to the video games of today. Developed by Macintosh, this game saw the player selecting and inputting commands in the menu. Selecting options, and navigating a monochrome world. You create a part of six characters, ranging from warriors to wizards, to rogues, to navigate the dungeon. You can train and rest up at Hostels, and switch out characters if need be.
It is worth noting that while there is combat in this game, as expected when one of the classes is named fighter, it is not combat-heavy. Rather, the real danger comes from navigating the various tunnels and areas. Keep in mind, that you are normal humans in this game, not demigods who can run around nonstop without food or drink. To that end, you will also need to bring along various supplies like torches to keep the rooms alight. If you played Darkest Dungeon, you have a good idea of what to expect.
Citadel: Adventure of the Crystal Keep Premise
The plot is fairly simple, you have to rescue the Lady Synd from the titular citadel. The evil wizard Nequilar holds her captive, and it’s your job to save her. Or rather, the six of you. See, the ingame story is a bit simple, but the backstory is much more.
Lady Synd and her Blood Guard waged a battle in the Citadel and were overthrown. In the course of that battle, the Citadel sank into the earth, and the depths were infested with evil. Many adventurers have gone down into the depths. Your six characters are the latest band. Having been raised in a nursery (where you can modify their stats and class), before setting out to save Lady Synd. Hopefully, you won’t die!
Citadel: Adventure of the Crystal Keep Main Characters
- The Six Adventurers. The player characters. You can modify their stats and class, ranging from fighter, thief, wizard, or cleric, and control them in a first-person perspective when you enter the citadel. Some are better at fighting, others are better at navigating the dungeons, but all are needed.
- Lady Synd. She is currently being held captive by a wizard and has been for many years. May or may not be the first princess “Zelda” in games.
- Nequilar. The evil wizard, and the one holding Lady Synd captive. He rules over the Citadel, and all of the monsters within.
Citadel: Adventure of the Crystal Keep Titles of Video Games in the Series
This is the only game in the series.
- Citadel: Adventure of the Crystal Keep (1989).
Citadel: Adventure of the Crystal Keep Cheat Codes
Unfortunately, there are no cheat codes for this game. But, we can go over a few quick tips and tricks:
Have a balanced party when you start out. This should be obvious, but when just starting out, be sure to have a party that can fight, heal, steal, and cast spells as best you can. When you get the hang of the game, and figure out its various quirks, you can then specialize your team.
Save often. Dungeon crawlers like this are a bit unbalanced aren’t quite as robust as it is today. So be wary of everything you see.
Draw a map. Unlike today’s games, there are no in-game maps. If you want to know where you’re going, you need to break out the pen and paper and start practicing cartography.
Don’t be afraid to look up guides. While many players prefer to simply go through games blind, figuring out the process as you go, these types of games are a bit tricker. As in, the developers put in many puzzles and riddles that require unintuitive lines of thinking. As such, it never hurts to look up a guide when you’re stuck on a riddle or an impassable area.
Citadel: Adventure of the Crystal Keep Cheat Code FAQ
Does this game have an in-game map? Nope! You either have to make your own, or remember what routes to take.
Is this combat-heavy? To be honest, no. Out-and-out combat is rare, and you’re not going to be doing battle after battle. Puzzles and riddles are the name of the game here.
Where can I play it? You can generally find Citadel: Adventure of the Crystal Keep on old gaming websites. A quick Google search will likely reveal a few places you can download it.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Citadel screenshot.