Common Sense Media Review
By David Wolinsky
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Slick, fast-paced, violent arena game is tag with monsters.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Crawl
What's It About?
CRAWL really has no story. It's meant to hearken back to old-school arcade games or even console games such as Gauntlet, where a band of adventurers set out across the land and into dungeons hoping to survive. The twist in Crawl, though, is you know you won't. You know when you die sooner or later you'll get another chance to be the human hero, though you don't know whether you'll be the one to vanquish the end boss of each area and thus secure your humanity.
Is It Any Good?
This action game might seem simple, but the fast-paced action will keep you and your friends playing round after round for a long time. Although the game is exceedingly straightforward, there's a great tutorial to teach you the basics (how special moves work, how ghosts can possess traps and summon monsters). From there, you're off to the races maybe a minute or two after you've started and are enjoying the madcap goofy fun of the game. With only two buttons you need to worry about, the game never gets complicated or confusing. But it does remain hectic -- in a good way.
It's hard to find fault with Crawl, as the game has wisely kept its scope and ambitions in check. Which isn't at all to imply it's a simplistic or mindless game -- it's just that it does what it wants to do very well and knows better than to add any fat. With each session typically lasting 30 or 40 minutes, it's the perfect game to scratch an itch and (if you so choose) sink an afternoon or evening on. It's like good playground fun, played indoors and with your friends (or bots, if you so choose).
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in video games. Is one of the most violent acts imaginable OK in a playful context? Certainly you've heard about people being upset about violent video games; what do you think? When is violence OK, and when is it not? Why?
Is it more fun to play games like this against humans you know than artificial intelligence bots taking on those same roles? What about playing against humans you know versus strangers online? Why?
Game Details
- Platforms : Mac , PlayStation 4 , Windows , Xbox One
- Pricing structure : Paid
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : Powerhoof
- Release date : April 11, 2017
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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