Not coming up with a clever title is quite a crisis

Third Crisis' review

• Developer: Anduo Games

• Genre: Tactical RPG

• Store: Steam, Itch.io, SpicyGaming, GOG, Newgrounds (Older versions only)

• Reviewed version: 0.34

• Censored: No

• Patch Needed: No

• OS: Windows, Android

• Language: English

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More often than not, the first thing that pops into anyone’s mind when they think about adult games is visual novels, games made in RPG Maker, or cheap shovelware trash. Third Crisis differentiates itself from the rest by including erotic content in a tactical RPG, and it’s a good one to boot.

Pros

• Well-written story with multiple routes

• Solid gameplay

• Beautiful art

• Loads of content

• The devs update the game periodically

Cons

• It takes quite a bit to start up.

• Some scenes use placeholder art

Story

Third Crisis follows Jenna “Vibe” Wright, an AIRSHIP agent who is on a mission to rescue her girlfriend, Karen, from the clutches of Peitho. The mission goes awry, and she ends up in the lust-ridden town of Carceburg. Now she’s forced to adapt to her new circumstances, or else she might succumb to lust.

Frankly speaking, the story is excellent. Not only the concept itself is good, but also its execution is top-notch. It also keeps a perfect balance between a serious tone and silly moments that act as comedy relief. Furthermore, the writing of the cast is on par with the quality of the plot. They are very likable, and their motivations, as well as their backstories, give them more depth.

Like in most games with corruption elements, there are different routes one can follow depending on the main character’s perversion levels. Besides, some of them require you to perform specific tasks to unlock them. By the way, I liked how subtly the protagonist's personality changes in some routes. It's barely noticeable at first, but then she becomes a completely different person.

You should be aware it features some scenes with degradation and humiliation, so avoid the optional events in the town hall and the dark alley (or stick to the pure route, just to be safe) if you are too sensitive to this.

Gameplay

Third Crisis’ combat system is similar to most Tactical RPGs out there. You pick a unit, move it on the map, attack the enemy, or use any skills at your disposal. The main difference between your everyday TRPG and Third Crisis is the lack of a level system. I like this a lot because it forces the player to carefully plan their strategies instead of brute-forcing their way to victory, especially in boss battles.

Not everything is fighting and kicking your foes’ asses, though. The game includes some well-implemented stealth segments where you’ll have to sneak past guards or infiltrate enemy buildings as if you were Solid Snake himself (the clap of your butt cheeks isn’t going to alert the guards, though =P). Occasionally, getting caught means game over, but usually, it has consequences for Jenna.

Additionally, you’ll be available to play some minigames in the course of the game. Some of them are erotic, as everyone would expect, but others aren’t. The former consist of controlling Jenna’s movements during different sexual actions, be it deepthroat, having sex through a glory hole, or a spitroast, while the latter consists of a drink mixing game and a rhythm game. Most of the minigames are entertaining, with the rhythm one being my favorite, but the deepthroat minigame is a tad troublesome due to how hard it is to control Jenna’s movements.

Art

If I had to describe the game’s art in one word, it’d be gorgeous. The characters and the interface’s design are stunning. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s an impressive amount of spicy content available: about 150 unlockable pinups and over 90 scenes, of which half of them are animated.

That said, a few scenes use placeholder art. By itself, this is not a bad thing since the game is in early access, and it’s very likely the devs will replace it as soon as the final art is ready, but you should keep this in mind before playing it.

Indeed, Jenna

Soundtrack

The soundtrack is good. Each of the songs fits with the setting and the mood of the scenes. My only gripe is the use of the same track for normal and boss fights. I have no problems with the song itself, but giving boss battles a different one would make said fights more impactful.

Bugs & Issues

Most games in Early Access have some problems, and this one is no exception. While there are no game-breaking bugs, you may find some overlapping art or a typo here and there. The worst I found is how long it takes to initialize. I timed it, and it takes about 30 seconds to load the main menu when the game is installed on a traditional HDD. Loading it from an SDD speeds up the process a bit, taking 20 seconds instead of 30, but it's still far from ideal.

On the bright side, the game is far from being abandoned. The devs are actively working on it, fixing any bugs they find and releasing new versions every month with new content. Furthermore, they added a console in the game that is very useful in the rare case something unexpected happens, and you get soft-locked.

Verdict: Outstanding

The game is a bit rough around the edges, but its overall quality far outweighs its problems. If a Tactical RPG with a great story, solid game mechanics, and stunning art is what you’re looking for, give this one a chance. You won’t regret it.