Home » CRYMELIGHT (Preview)

We had the opportunity to do a short demo run of CRYMELIGHT during our time at PAX West. It’s the next entry to the CRY series that looks beautiful but does carry some hurdles.

Follow the White Rabbit

The latest CRY entry uses action-rougelike gameplay where you’ll travel through a dark version of the Alice in Wonderland world. One of the best features CRYMELIGHT offers is the visual presentation. It looks beautiful from the level design to the characters. Each illustrated character has that soft, delicate appeal that draws you in, that soft, delicate appeal that makes you feel drawn in.

Each level is detailed, though they carry similar layouts that make exploring fascinating. Players can also toggle the user interface to see a clearer visual of the level design or adjust the camera from a close-up or a wide overhead view. At times I found myself struggling to see my character perform behind obstacles that made it vulnerable to enemy attacks.

Tackle and defeat all enemies on the battlefield before moving on to the next stage by actively approaching them or dodging their attacks. Perform special skills to end battles quicker. The last battle in the demo proved challenging, and saving up heavy-attack special attacks could have won the battle in my favor.

Each level you complete, you’ll earn a skill card. Collect up to five cards to form a poker-style set where combined cards can create strong effects. Something I wished I knew before entering the game was that the choices I make can cause an effect that I could have used before the last boss in the demo.

In-between battles, you’ll navigate between levels in a map-like world. Each floating island has a dedicated path to another, so you won’t be able to move backwards and only forward. Choose your path wisely, as you can end up doing more battles than originally planned.

Despite the challenges of understanding the game’s full mechanics and level design, we found ourselves enjoying the overall experience and looking forward to what the full game will offer.

CRYMELIGHT is set to launch on November 5, 2026 for the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and PC (Steam). Fans can visit the game’s official website for additional information and purchasing options. We appreciate the Ukiyo Studios team for giving us the opportunity to test out their game at PAX West.