Dark Rift is a 1997 3D fighting video game for the Nintendo 64 and Microsoft Windows, developed by Kronos Digital Entertainment and published by Vic Tokai.
The crystal (the acquisition of which is the main motivation of the characters of Criticom) turns out to be the Core Prime Element of a Master Key, one which holds the power to all the secrets in the universe.
[23][2][21] Doug Perry of IGN, for example, concluded that "Kronos has overcome its Criticom syndrome: the level of character detail is there, the many chained combos, the feel of the game, the variety of fighters and fighting styles are all good.
However, he and his three co-reviewers further commented that the game is weak in every other respect,[14] and Jeff Gerstmann of GameSpot said that it "feels like a Virtua Fighter-inspired mishmash of monsters, demons, and guys with guns.
[14][2] Edge criticized Dark Rift for lacking original features, calling it an average fighting game that "fails to produce a single surprise or elicit one impressive moment of action.
"[13] GamePro found the combos too difficult to perform, but nonetheless deemed Dark Rift "a fast, fun, polygon-based 3D fighting game that's imaginative with its use of graphics, and may break ground for other poly-fighters like Tekken on the N64.