Crypt Killer
| Crypt Killer Henry Explorers (Japan) | |
|---|---|
 North American arcade flyer | |
| Developer(s) | Konami Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo (Home Consoles) |
| Publisher(s) | Konami |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, Saturn, PlayStation, PC |
| Release date(s) | Arcade
|
| Genre(s) | Light gun shooter |
| Mode(s) | Up to 3 players simultaneously (Arcade) Up to 2 players simultaneously (Console) |
Crypt Killer (known as Henry Explorers in Japan) (ヘンリーエクスプローラーズ Henrī Ekusupurōrāzu) is an arcade video game produced by Konami. It was then released in 1997 for the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation home consoles. The game was also released in Japan for the PC. The Saturn version made use of Sega's virtua gun which was developed for the Virtua Cop series of games. It was also compatible with the many lightguns produced for the PlayStation, namely the Konami Justifier. Scenery visuals and characters were all in 3D, while most of the enemies were in "flat" 2D sprites. Despite its horror theme the game doesn't take the theme seriously at all, relying on extensive gameplay instead due to its difficulty.
Plot
The players are "crypt raiders" guided by Galazon, the spirit of travels, who resembles a floating head to travel through variously themed caves, temples and crypts in search of the "Eyes of Guidance" which would open the doors of fate. On their journey they are armed with a shotgun to fend off many mythical enemies, such as mummies, skeletons, fish-men, Gargoyles, and an array of other monsters.
Gameplay
One, two or three players simultaneous travel through levels "on tracks" in a similar way to Virtua Cop. At certain points on each level the players choose their path by selecting to go one of two different ways. This helps to keep the game varied for each time played. The opening screen allows one to select the order in which the six levels are played. There are three areas (besides the boss area) per level. At the end of each area, Galazon lets you choose two chained doors, shooting which will take you to the next area. At the end of each level, the player encounters a large boss monster - each guarding the "Eyes of Guidance" to defeat in order to progress. Such bosses include Medusa, a large Pharaoh's head, a flying Sphinx, a multi-armed Hindu God statue, a giant fire-breathing rock gargoyle and a Hydra. As well as being armed with a shotgun, the player can temporally upgrade their weapon by finding concealed more powerful guns such as a Gatling gun, grenade launcher, a more powerful shotgun, and even an Automatic hidden behind breakable objects. In the console versions, for each life the player has three bombs which can destroy all enemies on screen. There is also a bonus where a player receives a maximum of 9 lives and bombs
Endings
Every time the player has found the two Eyes of Guidance, an ending is revealed, although Galazon tells you to keep playing until you clear all six levels. All endings start with placing the Eyes of Guidance in the statue. The eye obtained is either red or blue depending on the path chosen at the end of Act 2 in each level. The left path always yields a red eye and the right path always yields a blue eye. The boss combinations that are possible based on the possible paths are below.
1. Medusa (left path) (or) Hindu God (right path) [stages 1 and 6]
2. Pharaoh Head (left path) (or) Female Sphinx (right path) [stages 3 and 5]
3. Winged Stone Guardian (left path) (or) Sea Monster (right path) [stages 2 and 4]
Depending on the color combination of the first and second eyes that are obtained, the endings are:
- Normal/Good Ending: The player finds the real treasure. He finds out that the monsters he encounters are simply traps and have seen them before. This ending is unlocked if the first eye is blue and the other is red.
- Behind-The-Scenes Ending: The player directs a movie based from the game. It is revealed that the monsters (skeletons, fish-men, gargoyles etc.) are stunt men and actors. In the end, the player took a picture of the monsters (including the bosses in the game) and even got a chance to smile in the camera. This ending is unlocked if both eyes are blue.
- Bad Ending: The player finds many treasure chests in a river which turned out to be fake. Then he is surrounded by all the bosses in the game. The player tries to escape but fails, in the end he is killed by the bosses. This ending is unlocked if both eyes are red.
- Legendary Sword Ending: The player finds a legendary sword. He activates its powers, consequently becoming its wielder. This ending is unlocked if the first eye is red and the other is blue.
See also
- Evil Night - Another Horror Light Gun game by Konami, released in 1998.
External links
- Crypt Killer at Arcade-History
- Crypt Killer at MobyGames