Crystal Key 2
{{Short description|2004 video game}}
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{About|the adventure game released as Evany in Europe|the multiplayer strategy game|Evony}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Crystal Key 2
| image= Crystal Key 2 box shot.png
| developer = Earthlight Productions, Kheops Studio
| publisher = The Adventure Company
| designer =
| engine =
| released = {{vgrelease|NA|17 March 2004{{cite web | author=Calvert, Justin | date=17 March 2004 | url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/crystal-key-ii-ships/1100-6091608/ | title=Crystal Key II [sic] ships | website=GameSpot | publisher=Fandom | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050129132832/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/crystalkey2/news_6091608.html | archive-date=29 January 2005 | url-status=live | access-date=27 November 2024}}|EU|24 September 2004{{cite web | author=Bramwell, Tom | date=24 September 2004 | url=https://www.eurogamer.net/whatsnew-240904 | title=What's New? [date mislabeled as "June 10, 2005"] | website=Eurogamer | publisher=Gamer Network | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041019040322/http://eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=56700 | archive-date=19 October 2004 | url-status=live | access-date=November 27, 2024}}}}
| genre = Graphic adventure
| modes = Single-player
| platforms = Windows
}}
Crystal Key 2, known in Europe as Evany: Key to a Distant Land, is a 2004 graphic adventure game developed by Canadian studio Earthlight Productions, together with Kheops Studio. It was published by The Adventure Company, and is the sequel to the 1999 title The Crystal Key.
Gameplay and plot
Development
The game was revealed by DreamCatcher Interactive's Adventure Company label in April 2003, at first under the name Crystal Key II: The Far Realm.{{cite web | author=Calvert, Justin | date=30 April 2003 | url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/crystal-key-ii-announced/1100-6026016/ | title=Crystal Key II [sic] announced | website=GameSpot | publisher=Fandom | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050227125106/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/crystalkey2/news_6026016.html | archive-date=27 February 2005 | url-status=live | access-date=27 November 2024}} It was among a slew of announcements in preparation for the 2003 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3),{{cite web | author=Calvert, Justin | date=30 April 2003 | url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-adventure-company-e3-lineup/1100-6026014/ | title=The Adventure Company E3 lineup | website=GameSpot | publisher=Fandom | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041012161138/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/news/news_6026014.html | archive-date=12 October 2004 | url-status=live | access-date=28 November 2024}} and Marek Bronstring of Adventure Gamers called it one of the publisher's "top titles premiering at the show", alongside Traitors Gate II: Cypher.{{cite web | author=Bronstring, Marek | date=29 April 2003 | url=http://www.adventuregamers.com/newsitem.php?id=478 | title=Crystal Key 2 and Traitors Gate 2 at E3 | website=Adventure Gamers | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030510012835/http://www.adventuregamers.com/newsitem.php?id=478 | archive-date=10 May 2003 | url-status=dead}} Earthlight Productions developed the game with Virtools and V-Ray. It was designed to feature spherical 360° panoramas, unlike its predecessor's more limited viewing areas. According to John Matheson, Earthlight sought to overcome the problems that had affected The Crystal Key{{'}}s production pipeline and give its art team more room "to be as creative as possible".
Initially developed by Earthlight and set for a late-2003 release,{{cite web | date=May 2003 | url=http://adventurecompanygames.com/tac/press/releases/e3_2003.html | title=The Adventure Company to Showcase Exciting Line-up at the Electronic Entertainment Expo | website=The Adventure Company | location=Toronto | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060325170304/http://adventurecompanygames.com/tac/press/releases/e3_2003.html | archive-date=March 25, 2006 | url-status=usurped}} the game underwent "many years" of production and took longer than The Adventure Company had wanted, Benoît Hozjan of Kheops Studio later remarked. As a result, Kheops was hired to co-develop the game late in production, which Hozjan said included "the programming and the integration, hand in hand with John Matheson."{{cite web | author=Waxman, Becky | year=2007 | url=http://www.gameboomers.com/interviews/BenoitHozjaninterview.htm | title=GameBoomers Talks to Benoit Hozjan of Kheops Studio | website=GameBoomers | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071028220323/http://www.gameboomers.com/interviews/BenoitHozjaninterview.htm | archive-date=28 October 2007 | url-status=live}} In July 2003, Matheson estimated the game as 75% complete and on track for December,{{cite web | author=Callaham, John | date=22 July 2003 | url=http://www.homelanfed.com/index.php?id=15713 | title=The Crystal Key II [sic] Interview | website=HomeLan Fed | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030810044604/http://www.homelanfed.com/index.php?id=15713 | archive-date=10 August 2003 | url-status=dead}} but it ultimately launched in the U.S. in March 2004.
{{clear}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| MC = 59/100{{cite web | url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/crystal-key-2-the-far-realm/ | title=Crystal Key 2: The Far Realm | website=Metacritic | publisher=Fandom | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240213110546/https://www.metacritic.com/game/crystal-key-2-the-far-realm/ | archive-date=13 February 2024 | url-status=live | access-date=28 November 2024}}
| 4P = 72%{{cite web | author=Naser, Bodo | date=20 June 2004 | url=https://www.4p.de/test/evany_-_schluessel_zur_freiheit/2807 | title=Test: Evany - Schlüssel zur Freiheit | language=de | website=4Players | publisher=4Players GmbH | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120120201/https://www.4players.de/4players.php/dispbericht/PC-CDROM/Test/4350/2807/0/Evany_-_Schluessel_zur_Freiheit.html | archive-date=20 November 2021 | url-status=live | access-date=28 November 2024}}
| CGW = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite magazine | author=Scott, Ryan | url=https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_241.pdf | title=Crystal Key 2: The Far Realm | magazine=Computer Gaming World | publisher=Ziff Davis | issue=241 | date=August 2004 | page=82 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213100433/https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_241.pdf | archive-date=13 February 2023 | url-status=live | access-date=28 November 2024}}
| Gamekult = 3/10{{cite web | author=Fouquet, Gaël | date=3 August 2004 | url=https://www.gamekult.com/jeux/evany-la-cle-des-7-mondes-52040/test.html | title=Test : Evany ou la clé des songes | language=fr | website=Gamekult | publisher=TF1 Group | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430183706/https://www.gamekult.com/jeux/evany-la-cle-des-7-mondes-52040/test.html | archive-date=30 April 2021 | url-status=live | access-date=28 November 2024}}
| GSpy = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web | author=Harker, Carla | date=23 April 2004 | url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/crystal-key-ii-the-far-realm/506911p1.html | title=GameSpy: Crystal Key 2 | website=GameSpy | publisher=IGN Entertainment | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080312010910/http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/crystal-key-ii-the-far-realm/506911p1.html | archive-date=12 March 2008 | url-status=live | access-date=28 November 2024}}
| IGN = 5.9/10{{cite web | author=Castro, Juan | date=9 April 2004 | url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/04/10/crystal-key-2-review | title=Crystal Key 2 Review | website=IGN | publisher=Ziff Davis | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127235907/https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/04/10/crystal-key-2-review | archive-date=27 November 2024 | url-status=live | access-date=28 November 2024}}
| JXV = 6/20{{cite web | author=Jihem | date=2 July 2004 | url=https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0000/00004378_test.htm | title=Test: Evany: La Clé des 7 Mondes | language=fr | website=Jeuxvideo.com | publisher=Webedia | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712093014/https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0000/00004378_test.htm | archive-date=12 July 2021 | url-status=live | access-date=28 November 2024}}
| PCGUS = 42%{{cite magazine | title=Crystal Key 2 | magazine=PC Gamer | publisher=Future US | volume=11 | issue=7 | date=July 2004 | page=65}}
}}
The game received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.
{{clear}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{mobygames|id=/12621/crystal-key-ii-the-far-realm/}}
{{Kheops Studio}}
Category:The Adventure Company games
Category:DreamCatcher Interactive games
Category:First-person adventure games
Category:Single-player video games
Category:Video games developed in Canada