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 [A special guest appears! Friend of the site and Poke-maniac Louis Taylor takes a look at Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness]
Chunsoft does it again! Featuring a breakthrough combat system, compelling dialog, epic music and animation quality graphics, wait wait, sorry, wrong game. Nah, this is just more of the same (read: stolen and unoriginal) stuff we're used to playing. Chunsoft released two more mystery dungeon last week, each as lackluster and tired as the two released in 2006.
Story: You wake on a beach a human transported into a Pokemon's body. After being found by a friendly Pokemon, or in my case, a stupid Piplup, you are recruited into an adventuring guild and embark on quests for items and money or you can semi bounty hunt and capture rogue Pokemon. Along the way you find out that there are time gears that hold the delicate balance of the world together, much like the crystals of the Final Fantasy series. Later after mundane, unrewarding questing, you learn that the time gears have been stolen, and that time has stopped in that area. Later you learn of another out of place Pokemon in the world and the rest is a rally of guilds to stop evil and save the world. I know what you are thinking, awfully simplistic review, but really, have you played the game? Starting Pokemon: Explorers of Time/Darkness - I was really excited! I am a fan of the Poketrainer based games, and that Bulbasaur is my homeboy. Yes, this game is a marked improvement of the previous Mystery Dungeon titles.
The system of collecting items, storing items, and getting new rare items through a system of trades does feel very natural. The Wifi and multiplayer abilities of the DS give the games only glimmer of shine. I truly enjoy the dungeon crawler experience! Searching for treasure, helping nearby residents with quest, and level grinding are actually fun for me. Aside from that Pokemon: Mystery of Time/Darkness feels exactly Chocobo Dungeon. Shiroma and Croma have been replaced by Wigglytuff and Chatot, story, menu, actions, throwing items all are direct rip offs as well. I never ever doubt Nintendo titles, I buy them, play them, love them and then share them. This one, not so much, its definitely the bastard child of good intentions meant to increase the loyalty of Pokemon fans with the good intentions to bring back some good straight up old school gaming. I say skip it, and if you want a good dungeon crawler, hunt down Izuna: The Legend of the Unemployed Ninja, and then preorder the sequel coming out on July 22nd!
Presentation/ Graphics: There isn't really much to say here, aside from the main load screen with random photos of Pokemon stealing treasure, it looks like every other pokemon game. The in-game graphics aren't much to see: ember, bubble, vacuum-cut, flamethrower - all moves from the game are shown in the most simple and mundane graphic.
Music: Again, not a strong point for Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness, very repetitive, and you may even tune it out without realizing it, it even lacks the fun battle theme most Pokemaniac's have some to expect.
DS Gameplay: I was intrigued by the start of the game. After a short series of questions, you are prompted to place your finger on the touch screen to "read your aura." Now I know that its just for fun, but I felt it was a cute and almost quirky use of the screen. Unfortunately, its pretty much all you will use the touch screen for, aside from a short minigame. Explorers of Time/Darkness is sorely lacking puzzles, and/or challenge. Even after defeat, you don't lose your progress, just your items and money, which is total babyfication if you've played any others.
Wireless Options: Friend rescue is this game's shining ability! Should you happen to fail a dungeon you can send a distress call and have your friend enter the area and rescue you to avoid losing your progress.
Wonder mail - Accept new jobs available from nearby wireless or Nintendo Wifi.
Trade items - both in-game with NPCs or via wireless communication.
Trade team data - fight friends, or random strangers teams by downloading data from Nintendo.
Final Thoughts: Pokemon is a great series with a great past and a bright future, so lets just forget this little blemish.
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