Computer Gaming World in March 1994 described The Red Crystal as "Gauntlet gone amuck".[4] A longer review in April 1994 criticized the game's many "pointless" random encounters, necessity to reroll for "demi-godlike" attributes and use "cowardly hit-and-run" combat tactics to survive, poor documentation, abruptly unwinnable moments, and other flaws. The magazine concluded "we can't believe that it says QQP on this game's box".[5] Reviewing the game for PC Gamer US, Neil Randall wrote, "Despite some clumsy interface elements, Red Crystal is worthwhile. It's fast, fun, and refuses to take itself too seriously."[1] PC Zone offered a negative review, concluding, "Don't ask your friends to play this if you want to keep them."[2] Jörg Langer of Germany's PC Player summarized The Red Crystal as "a very bad game" and a "tragedy". He criticized its sound and found it "disappointing" from a technical angle, calling the collision detection and mouse control "amateurly programmed". Langer argued, "After no more than five minutes, an immense boredom sets in."[3]
In 1996, Computer Gaming World named The Red Crystal the 22nd worst game ever made. The editors called it "deadly proof that QQP should have stuck to strategy/wargames."[6]
