What the heck is an Exile-like? Presumably it’s a reference to the inspiration from the Path of Exile series, at least maybe in tone instead of full-on game design, but perhaps ARPG fans should judge for themselves: Say hello to Crystalfall, a free-to-play solo and multiplayer game (Steam lists it as an MMO) from Swedish publisher and developer CRG Studio.
In Crystalfall, players take on the role of an escaped convict that has to survive the ravages of a steampunk world ruined by a mysterious asteroid. The game promises a “loot-driven Exile-like” experience in its announcement trailer, along with lootable skills that have their own random skill trees, a promised “endless endgame,” classless character progression by way of a massive talent tree, and seasonal content.
The MMO entered into early access just today and already it is running afoul of online launch woes, with server disconnections and login issues due to a high influx of players, which in turn has transformed into gamer rancor that’s being expressed with negative Steam user reviews. So, you know, a typical start for our genre. Maybe wait a few weeks until the backend gremlins are all killed, but you can check out the trailer below if you’re still curious.

