Review: Crisol Theater of Idols Is A Solid Horror Story Wrapped In A Familiar (But Visually Rich) Package

The horror genre is an interesting one in gaming. Thanks to the natural immersive qualities of the medium, it’s a genre that can work tremendously well. However, poor game design and lackluster world-building can turn a potentially scary experience into a forgettable distraction. That’s why it’s so impressive when it works out, as with Crisol: Theater of Idols. A short but sweet scary story set in a nightmarish version of Spain, developer Vermila Studios and publisher Blumhouse Games have delivered a game that blends familiar gameplay mechanics and fantastical art design to feel wholly unique.

While it pulls plenty of elements from other action-horror games like the Resident Evil series, there’s an authenticity to the game’s reimagining of Spanish folklore to help it stand out. Alongside some clever gameplay tweaks and memorable monsters, the result is a horror game that feels genuinely scary while also being a visual treat. While some minor problems keep it from reaching perfection, there’s a lot to love about Crisol: Theater of Idols.

REVIEW SCORE: 4/5

Pros:	Cons:
Terrific art and sound design create a vivid setting for players to explore.	Relatively short run-time might disappoint some players.
Clever tweaks on the central action-horror mechanics add tension to otherwise familiar gameplay.	Occasional glitches can throw off immersion.
Solid story and mastery of tone create a memorably haunting atmosphere.	A sense of repetition can steadily creep in due to similar level design and enemy encounters.

Let The Sun Shine In

Crisol: Theater of Idols is a well-designed and haunting experience that benefits from a strong central story and visual elements. The game plays akin to something like BioShock, with an emphasis on natural world-building as the player explores the decrepit setting. The game takes place in a nightmarish version of known as Tormentosa, where players take on the role of Gabriel Escudero. A captain of the Order of the Sun, Gabriel has been sent to investigate mysterious happenings. Taking cues from games like Resident Evil 4, Crisol is a grim setting that adds a bit of vivid color to the scenario through the use of flickering lights, pouring rain, and unblinking wooden automatons as enemies.

The religious imagery of the enemies, especially the demented cherubs that fly around the environment, gives it all a unique vibe compared to the more traditional undead enemies of horror games like this, even if they do eventually tend to repeat themselves. That sense of repetition is hard to avoid when players are forced to flee through the overly large but relatively empty city streets, but the vivid art design ensures that it never feels boring.

There’s an emphasis on creating an authentically Spanish setting, reflecting the developer’s country of origin. It’s a uniquely culturally inspired take on the horror genre, giving it a certain flavor that separates it from other entries in the genre. Overall, the visual and sound design are top-notch, although some occasional glitches can throw off the immersion. It helps that the central mystery is compelling, especially as Gabriel’s own past actions come to light. It’s a great example of worldbuilding, even if the shaggier elements of the design lack the polish of other titles.

Resident Evil Meets BioShock Infinite In Crisol’s Clever Gameplay

The central gameplay of Crisol: Theater of Idols is a good riff on the kind of action/horror approach that the Resident Evil and BioShock franchises codified in the 21st century, with enough unique elements that play into the tension to help elevate it among its peers. As Gabriel explores the island, he is forced to solve plenty of puzzles and gun down lots of enemies. However, the holy weapons come with a unique mechanic where reloads require players to deplete their own health. It puts an increased importance on every shot fired and emphasizes the tension as players start running low on both bullets and health amid enemy encounters.

The controls are tight, and the gun selection — while somewhat limited — feels fitting for the setting and story. The exploration of the map sets the stage for plenty of environment puzzles, some of which have to be solved while also contending with enemies and the hulking Dolores stalking you. The result is a tense experience that benefits from an overall art design that complements the underlying gameplay and sense of tension throughout. There are plenty of secrets hidden across the map to uncover, which unlock discounts on weapons or reveal more about the lore of the world. It’s a solid horror game that feels like a real adventure — even the occasional glitch, while frustrating, doesn’t detract from the overall experience too much.

An Engrossing And Nightmarish Experience That Horror Fans Will Love

With a run-time that can go between 3 and 12 hours, depending on the player’s skills and the selected difficulty level, some horror fans might be disappointed in the relatively short run-time of Crisol: Theater of Idols. However, I’d argue that it is more of a feature than a bug, giving the game a clearer thematic throughline while avoiding the type of bloat that might have undercut some of the tension and thrills. Crisol: Theater of Idols instead comes across as a mean and lean package, with a specific story about faith and guilt that only becomes more compelling as it goes on.

The strong overall art design does a lot of the heavy lifting, establishing a world that is quickly engrossing and always frightening. While the game does suffer from minor gameplay hiccups like glitches and repetition, the overall experience proved more than compelling enough to keep a player locked in. That short run-time is somewhat more agreeable given the relatively low price of the game.

Crisol: Theater of Idols is a great showcase for what developer Vermila Studios and publisher Blumhouse Games are capable of, especially when it focuses on singular experiences. The tight package is bolstered by strong artistic intentions and solid gameplay mechanics, with an appropriate balance of growing challenge and enhanced abilities. While the shaggier elements may keep it from supplanting the best-ever entries in the genre, there’s a lot to love about this trip to Tormentosa. Crisol: Theater of Idols is a short and sweet nightmare that is a must-play for horror fans.

A PS5 copy of Crisol: Theater of Idols was provided to ComicBook for the purposes of this review.