[b]My Playtime:[/b] 02:10:41 (based on the in-game clock, finished the game, last save before the ending)
[h1]Intro[/h1]
[b]Crown of Thorns[/b] is an exploration-based [i]RPG Maker[/i] game where you need to read scriptures and books to figure out how to proceed. It involves reading a lot of texts with some difficult words in them.
[b]Pros:[/b]
- Unique way to solve the puzzles in the form of reading walls of text
- Freedom in solving puzzles in any order that you want
[b]Cons:[/b]
- The reading section might discourage some people
[b]Specs[/b]
Intel Core i5-9300H 2.40GHz, 8GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
[h1]Should you buy this game?[/h1]
[b]Yes.[/b]
[i]If you don't mind reading walls of text that have some difficult words to solve puzzles, feel free to buy it at a sale.[/i]
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[h1]In-Depth Review[/h1]
[h3]Visuals[/h3]
The game mostly uses default RTP assets, with customized portraits for the characters. It takes place in a castle that has two different presentations: one is in ruins and the other is in a better condition. The castle uses the same layout in both versions, although the decorations will be different to cater to their conditions. However, some areas of the castle look empty and huge without any purpose except for making it looks big.
[h3]Story[/h3]
[b]Crown of Thorns[/b] starts by plunging you into a castle without any explanation. Upon closer inspection, it turns out that you have a key item that lets you know what you are doing there. Well, it still doesn't explain what happened to the castle, so you still need to explore the whole area to find more hints as to what's happening. Most mysteries will be uncovered as you play, although the sole question that was mentioned since the beginning of the game doesn't seem to be explained at all.
As a game that focuses on reading, you'll mostly read scriptures and books. You'll have to get yourself familiarized with the concept of the in-game gods and their purpose in the world. Reading scripture after scripture with riddles and verses will be what you'll be doing most of the time, with books adding more information by giving you a bunch of summaries in a wall of text. To be honest, I had issues when I read them for the first time since I wasn't familiar with all of the vocabulary. The walls of text also irk me to some extent since I kept on getting shoved with book after book to read.
[h3]The Game[/h3]
[b]Gameplay[/b]
The gameplay is unique in the sense that you need to read to progress with the game. Puzzles are scattered through the areas and the hint to solve them is hidden beneath the scriptures that you need to read. Although some hints are straightforward, others are told in riddles where you need to decipher the intention. Luckily, they are still easy to figure out once you know what to do. Most puzzles tend to have the same pattern where you either need to input a code or use a certain item to proceed. Moreover, the scriptures explain these things in detail, making them easy to filter.
However, I found reexamining all texts to be painful. You need to browse through the codex, a collection of all important texts you found during the game, and select them one by one to read them. Finding the line that you need can take a while to do, especially since you need to redo the process from the beginning after checking each text. I wish that the codex was made into something like a quest journal, in a sense where you can navigate through the text by pressing the up and down buttons instead of selecting them one by one.
Ignoring the texts aside, I like how the game is not linear. You are allowed to explore the castle in any order that you want, although you might need to do some optimization to prevent backtracking. The castle can be very vast, and it can be painful to go back and forth every time you find something new. That being said, this also makes the game to be unfit to be played in short sessions - you need to remember where everything is, especially the codex, to finish the game quickly.
[b]Length and Difficulty[/b]
I played the game blind, and the in-game clock says that I reached the end game at 02:10:41. The game is easy as long as you are willing to read the texts, although the task alone might be daunting to some people. Sometimes, you are forced to interact with some objects, although most of them are noticeable if you are keen enough. If all else fails, the developer already made a guide [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2910914904]here[/url].
[b]Issues[/b]
The game doesn't list one scripture (Daru 12:5) in the codex. I had to reread every text in the codex one by one to find that scripture to no avail.
[h1]Conclusion[/h1]
[b]Crown of Thorns[/b] is a game that requires you to read to advance. It's certainly not a game that can be enjoyed by everyone, even if they like playing [i]RPG Maker[/i] games. Reading all the texts might not be preferable to some people, but you can always revisit every text from the menu after remembering the key points or risk checking everything.
The game will show its charm once you got past that process of reading texts, where you can apply all of those scriptures into actual puzzles. I ended up enjoying the game at the end, although as I said before, it's not for everyone. Moreover, the playtime can be too short compared to its asking price, so I suggest buying it on a sale instead.
[quote]This game was reviewed with a key provided by the developer for free through Curator Connect.[/quote]
[quote]Follow our curator page: [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32732116-IndieGems/]IndieGems[/url] if you like and want to see more reviews like this one.[/quote]
