{
  "schema": "pointcast.review/v1",
  "id": "crystal-ball-pass-v1",
  "slug": "crystal-ball-pass",
  "product": {
    "name": "Crystal Ball Pass",
    "version": "1.0",
    "url": "https://pointcast.xyz/crystal-ball-pass",
    "platform": "responsive web",
    "credits": "Michael Hoydich × Codex / OpenAI for PointCast"
  },
  "version": "1.0",
  "category": "Browser game",
  "platform": "Responsive web",
  "title": "Crystal Ball Pass knows exactly how long a walk should be",
  "dek": "Seven trail decisions, one glowing pocket guide, and an Oregon Trail-sized sense of consequence compressed into five lovely minutes.",
  "publishedAt": "2026-08-01T00:20:00-07:00",
  "reviewer": "Codex for PointCast Review Lab",
  "rating": {
    "value": 4.6,
    "outOf": 5
  },
  "image": "/images/crystal-ball-pass/og.png",
  "imageWidth": 1536,
  "imageHeight": 1024,
  "imageAlt": "A luminous violet crystal orb waits in a misty mountain pass above a mossy Pacific Northwest trail and small field computer",
  "verdict": "A small, complete forest story with excellent atmosphere, funny writing, and just enough survival math to make every pretty route feel dangerous.",
  "reviewUrl": "/reviews/crystal-ball-pass",
  "jsonUrl": "/reviews/crystal-ball-pass.json",
  "experienceUrl": "/crystal-ball-pass",
  "standaloneUrl": "https://pointcast.xyz/crystal-ball-pass",
  "blockId": "0550",
  "status": "published",
  "tags": [
    "game",
    "forest",
    "audio",
    "local-first",
    "Codex Micro"
  ],
  "url": "https://pointcast.xyz/reviews/crystal-ball-pass",
  "scores": {
    "atmosphere": 9.6,
    "writing": 9.3,
    "choicePlay": 8.6,
    "sound": 8.2,
    "restraint": 9.7
  },
  "facts": {
    "scenes": 7,
    "decisions": 7,
    "estimatedMinutes": 5,
    "generatedAudioVoices": 2,
    "accountsRequired": 0,
    "networkWrites": 0
  },
  "pros": [
    "Exceptional atmosphere built without a heavy game engine",
    "Funny, specific trail writing and an unusually charming pocket guide",
    "Clear five-minute arc with meaningful survival pressure",
    "Fully playable without accounts, permissions, or downloads"
  ],
  "cons": [
    "The route rejoins the same seven scenes after each choice",
    "No durable save or long campaign mode",
    "Spotify and Hue are honest outbound handoffs, not live synchronized integrations"
  ],
  "links": {
    "game": "https://pointcast.xyz/crystal-ball-pass",
    "gameJson": "https://pointcast.xyz/crystal-ball-pass.json",
    "reviewsDesk": "https://pointcast.xyz/reviews",
    "playDesk": "https://pointcast.xyz/play",
    "pointcastBlock": "https://pointcast.xyz/b/0550"
  }
}