There’s always an air of caution when a new publisher arrives on the scene and promises the world. Take Embracer Group, for instance: a conglomerate that has had more negative headlines than successful games. Blumhouse Games had a different plan. It aimed to replicate the success of its older sibling, movie powerhouse Blumhouse Productions, by identifying original ideas that don’t break the bank. Low risk, potentially high reward.
As promised, Blumhouse Games revealed its first slate of titles at Summer Games Fest in 2024, spanning an array of genres from co-op tabletop-styled RPGs to pixel-art farming sims. All from indie developers across the globe, all manageable in scope and scale.
Most of the lineup had my attention, but Crisol: Theater of Idols was the one that stuck with me. Spanish developer Vermila Studios’ debut game looked surprisingly high-budget, and the similarities to Bioshock made it an easy one to wishlist. It was even easier to purchase when I found out the game cost only £14.99 / $17.99 / €17.99. A wise move, considering the imminent release of Resident Evil: Requiem, and one that I hope has paid off.
Crisol takes place on the island of Tormentosa, Hispania. As a devotee of the Sun God, you find yourself on an island controlled by worshippers of the Sea God. As you can imagine, these two don’t really get along. I’ll keep story details to a minimum, but the conflict between the Sun and the Sea is often secondary to the struggles of Hispanian inhabitants on both sides of the divide. As you explore, you discover echoes of the past – small glimpses into life on the island before you arrived – and there are some unexpectedly touching moments.
Tormentosa is steeped in Spanish folklore and tinged with Gothic influences. While certain areas may evoke memories of Resident Evil 4’s village, it remains a thoroughly unique setting for a video game, and one that Crisol’s team knows best. In an interview with The Gamer, Vermila CEO David Carrasco explained, “It takes a lot of art and cultural elements from Spain in our own way, in a twisted, dark way… we’ve taken architecture, art, even the day-to-day culture, the flooring, and some of the dishes that you may find.”
The result is an island that feels lived in, even when you’re scurrying through abandoned buildings or hiding from Dolores. Even an everyday item as mundane as a bathroom tap has its own flair. Many studios have tried (and failed) to mimic Bioshock’s aesthetics; none of them have crafted a location with as cohesive a vision as Tormentosa.
As you’d expect in a narrative FPS game, there’s a lot of chatting in Crisol. The voice acting is solid for the most part, although one prominent character feels jarringly out of place. It ended up working for me in a weird way, but if you’re looking for a darker experience, I’d recommend the Spanish dub as a strong alternative.
I mentioned earlier that comparisons to Bioshock are unavoidable, and those similarities continue into the gameplay. Each district is explorable, complete with Metroidvania-style backtracking, items hidden for progression, and upgradable weapons. There are even a few elements of Survival Horror mixed in for good measure. In fact, two of those flourishes are what sold me on the game: Crisol’s puzzles and its inventory management.
Every puzzle is well thought out and cryptic enough that you can solve them, even if it takes a wee minute to search the area and reflect on some of the notes you’ve picked up along the way. The map is clear and easy to navigate, which you’d think is a given, but I’ve played full-priced AAA games with brutally clunky UI.
When I mention inventory management, you may assume balancing key items with healing supplies and stacks of ammo—not quite. In Crisol, your blood is ammunition. Every bullet comes at the cost of some of your health. While this results in some elaborate reload animations, it isn’t just style over substance. The trade-off between ammo and health elevates every encounter, and I’m surprised this mechanic hasn’t been done to death in Survival Horror games already. I often found myself venturing forth knowing I either had to make every shot count or defeat all enemies without getting hit. Creating that tension is half the battle in a game like this, and Crisol nails it.
Contrary to the infamous DarkSydePhil, who quit the game after three hours and complained about the lack of weapon variety (yet refused to backtrack for the shotgun), the combat is well-paced. There’s enough breathing space between encounters that they never feel tedious. Admittedly, the combat itself is fairly by-the-numbers. The statues that come to life aren’t threatening on their own but can quickly swarm you, and there is a stalker enemy, though it doesn’t overstay its welcome. Weapon handling and aiming aren’t the best, but if I’m used to playing Call of Duty Zombies and can adapt to slightly jankier controls, anyone can. There’s certainly a solid enough foundation here for Vermila to build upon in future games.
Vermila Studios has grand plans for the world of Crisol. The game is a “cornerstone that will support the foundations of our future… more than a game, the inception of a universe born from our inner fire.” A bold statement, sure, but with the world-building on display, it’s hard to see a future where the studio doesn’t capitalise on the world of Hispania and beyond. For a debut game, it feels like a statement of intent; an invitation into a world, rather than a desperate plea for players to engage with a corporate-approved transmedia universe.
I want to reiterate that this game only costs FIFTEEN Great British Pounds. That is an absolute steal for a 10-12 hour first-person shooter horror adventure. When publishers are pushing price points to new extremes (take the £139.99 version of WWE 2K26, for example), I’d be championing this even if the game didn’t deliver – it just so happens that Crisol is worth the cost of admission and then some. If you’re a fan of Bioshock and can’t be bothered waiting twenty years for Judas or Bioshock 4, Crisol is a must-play. Every shot hit, every vein drained, every gallon of blood absorbed… it all makes for a truly horrific spectacle. The sun may set on Torementosa, but I have a feeling Vermila Studios and Blumhouse Games are only getting started. Get on deck while you can.
