Crystal of Atlan’s Gameplay Has One Major Asterisk Attached

Gamers across the globe might have heard of Crystal of Atlan, as it has a pretty persistent online presence on YouTube and website banner ads recently. The game is yet another spin at the free-to-play (F2P) Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Game (MMORPG) for multiple platforms like mobile, PC, and PlayStation 5. There’s a lot that the average MMORPG enthusiast will like about this game, like its diverse class system, various ability combos, a PvP system, and most importantly, a skip button for long stretches of in-game dialogue. However, these positive features might be overshadowed by one polarizing feature built into Crystal of Atlan’s gameplay.

Crystal of Atlan is officially classified as a “Magicpunk” MMO Action RPG, which likely refers to its aesthetics that combine gritty steampunk and whimsical high-fantasy elements. Such a style can be seen in games and shows like League of Legends and its TV series Arcane, Bioshock, and Final Fantasy. Its developer, Nuverse, is known for its hit cross-platform games based on existing media, like the CCG Marvel Snap. Crystal of Atlan was initially released two years ago in China, and it was only launched globally on May 28, 2025. Audiences and critics enjoy the game’s smooth action gameplay, which requires players to pay attention to their air and ground combos while dodging enemy attacks. Though it has received some criticism for one of its major features.

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Crystal of Atlan’s Energy System is a Polarizing Feature Among Fans

When players progress through Crystal of Atlan’s adventure mode or farm equipment, they may notice that their account consumes a number next to different-colored battery icons. These are Character and Account Energy, which are limited resources that the game replenishes to their maximum level every day at 6:00 UTC+8. Here’s what each one does:

Character Energy: This is a resource that players use to enter Crystal of Atlan‘s dungeons during quests and for farming equipment. One consumes five energy when challenging a dungeon.
Account Energy: This resource is unlocked at level 60, and it’s essentially a tally of the energy that an account has across all its characters. Players can tap into this after depleting their Character Energy to farm for EXP in dungeons, but they won’t be able to gain Legendary rewards.

Why Some Players Dislike Crystal of Atlan’s Energy System

When players run out of account and character energy, they won’t be able to challenge any dungeons to farm for EXP and equipment. They can replenish their Character Energy by using Batteries, which one can acquire through rewards or by purchasing Resource Packs with real money. Buying the premium Phantasium Pass also rewards players with a +20 Character Energy cap and +120 Account Energy cap.

This is a bummer for some, as there are players who are willing to put in the time to grind for their levels and farm for their ideal pieces. The Energy system feels like a restriction to these types of players. Plus, dungeons are part of Crystal of Atlan’s story progression. This limits the core experience of a role-playing game and prevents fans from playing the game the way they want, which may cause some of them to turn away.

Why Some Fans Prefer Having Limited Energy in Crystal of Atlan

The other side of the COA Energy debate prefers having a limited resource for various reasons. However, the most significant one would probably be a better game-life balance. Players who have trouble balancing their gaming with their everyday life duties may benefit from having this restriction. They can hop in, do their farming and leveling, and log out to do more important things once their energy is depleted. Preventing long hours of farming and grinding could also lessen the burnout that some hardcore MMO players often get.

Crystal of Atlan’s Energy System is part of a trend of stamina-powered gameplay across different online games. The game could use a higher cap, and it should untether Energy from the main storyline, similar to Honkai: Star Rail‘s Trailblaze Power system. This way, players can pace the game’s main quest however they want while also limiting burnout from level and equipment farming.