Completed with all animal companions gathered and all Apples of Life collected. Frequently compared favourably with the gold standard of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Crusader of Centy is a Mega Drive exclusive overhead perspective action RPG. As a huge fan of the Zelda franchise, I've been putting off playing this for far too long! However, while I had a definitely had a good time with Crusader of Centy, I feel that it falls somewhat short of A Link to the Past's yardstick.
Rather than abilities coming from the collection of items, here the protagonist's skillset is extended by gathering animal companions, two of which can be 'equipped' at once. However, their effect is typically somewhat passive, primarily serving to alter/enhance existing core skills rather than provide an entirely different form of interaction; for example, one of the primary abilities - and puzzle-solving mechanics - is sword throwing, and an animal might extend the range, allow in-flight control of the sword's path or make it ricochet off walls. Overall the result is that the range of puzzle design that's available is quite limited, as are the available approaches to combat The inclusion of jumping as a core ability is great, though, frequently used to good effect to make navigation in itself a little more puzzle-like.
The story here is worth a mention, and while I'll avoid specifics that could be spoilers, the overall direction is fairly original. In particular, that it starts to explore ethical issues centred around the relationship between humans and monsters in parts of its closing stages is commendable for its time. Absent the comparison to A Link to the Past, Crusader of Centy stands up to this day as a very enjoyable and worthwhile addition to the exclusive catalogue for the Mega Drive, arguably a 'hidden gem' that more people ought to make time for.
Rather than abilities coming from the collection of items, here the protagonist's skillset is extended by gathering animal companions, two of which can be 'equipped' at once. However, their effect is typically somewhat passive, primarily serving to alter/enhance existing core skills rather than provide an entirely different form of interaction; for example, one of the primary abilities - and puzzle-solving mechanics - is sword throwing, and an animal might extend the range, allow in-flight control of the sword's path or make it ricochet off walls. Overall the result is that the range of puzzle design that's available is quite limited, as are the available approaches to combat The inclusion of jumping as a core ability is great, though, frequently used to good effect to make navigation in itself a little more puzzle-like.
The story here is worth a mention, and while I'll avoid specifics that could be spoilers, the overall direction is fairly original. In particular, that it starts to explore ethical issues centred around the relationship between humans and monsters in parts of its closing stages is commendable for its time. Absent the comparison to A Link to the Past, Crusader of Centy stands up to this day as a very enjoyable and worthwhile addition to the exclusive catalogue for the Mega Drive, arguably a 'hidden gem' that more people ought to make time for.