Reviews  •  Latest Reviews  •  Top Games  •  Forums  •  Screenshots  •  Hot Deals! PS3  •  Wii  •  PC  •  PS2  •  PSP  •  Xbox  •  Xbox 360  •  GameCube
Dark Cloud for PlayStation 2 Videos >>
Dark Cloud for PlayStation 2
View Screen Shots >>
Upload Screen Shots >>

Dark Cloud for PlayStation 2
109 reviews   4.15 of 5

Product Description

Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.

Summary

It is about time that this game was released, after several months of delays.

Anyway, this is a darn good title. It may be a rip off of zelda, but this game is actually better then Zelda.

Actually, there are things that Zelda doesn’t have. Unlike Zelda, Dark Cloud has an editable town. Sure, you start with nothing to edit, but as you play the game, you get more and more things to edit. This is a nice feature, because you can make a beautiful town with rivers the way you want it to go, and you can place trees and other stuff around.

Besides that, it has randomly designed dungeons to explore. Zelda doesn’t. That means that Dark Cloud has this feature to add replay value to it.

By the way, that is what you are supposed to do. The genie has taken away all the things away, and sealed them up. So, therefore, you must explore each and every dungeon floor to get all the pieces of the towns back.

So, here are the pros and cons of this game.

PROS:
1: This game has far better graphics then Zelda. Nice crisp graphics without jagged edges.
2: This game has a lot of customizable options and towns. This makes way for added replay value.
3: The controls are decent! It may take a short time to learn, but once you do, you will enjoy this game. Besides, Gameplay weighs the most when it comes to rating games.
4: The sound is decent. Perhaps, it has better sound then Zelda.
5: Ran out of items when you can escape? Then, you can get some basic items at the chief's house to get you started again. You get healed up again when you go back in to the dungeon.

CONS:
1: It was released for the Playstation 2 for god sakes! I think that Sony should of gone third party and release this game later on for the Gamecube. Besides, releasing this game for the PS2 would actually hurt sales because people who don't trust Sony anymore because that 95 percent of the titles (except this one) sucks.

2: This game, although it was great is one of the only few games that were decent. Dark Cloud (this title), Timesplitters, Tekken Tag Tournament, Street fighters and about 2 or 3 others may be good, but the rest of the titles for the PS2 SUCKS! Look at the hardware review. You should see why this game may be good, but consider that about 95% of the other titles suck. I still would advice you to just wait until the Gamecube comes out. Perhaps Sony would become a third party developer and make this game for that system instead.

Bottom line: This game may be an excellent game, but this is one of the only few decent titles out there for the PS2.

Still, people who still have a PS2 at home (I heard that thousands of people are returning the PS2s to their retailers, because of lacking quality titles) may make this a great title to buy, but if you don't have a PS2 yet, please don't spend 350 bucks just for this game. Just wait till the Gamecube comes out. I am sure you will find lots of games just as good as this title on the Gamecube. Besides, who would want a system with a game library that 95% of the games suck? I wouldn't.

--------------------------------------------------
>> OVERALL: 20/20 (Approximately 5/5) [This may be a great game, perhaps better then Zelda on the N64, but the problem is, this is one of the few only great titles on the PS2. If Sony wants to make money, then Sony needs to keep it up and makes games just as great as this one is.]

-Gameplay: 5/5 >This game has easy to use controls, just as easy as Zelda. Yet, it has new twists to the controls, since you need to also watch your weapon condition and your thirst.
(Counts twice to the overall)

-Graphics: 5/5 >The great graphics makes Zelda, a great game look blurred, muddy, and blocky

-Sound: 5/5 >Nice sound compared to Zelda. Sounds are also more realistic.

ADVICE: If you already have a PS2, then this game may be great to get. But if you don't have a PS2, then you may just want to still stay away from the PS2 until they release better games. Still, I'd go with the Gamecube as the next system to purchase. Excellent game, but this is one in just a few decent games on the PS2.


Sound

This game perhaps has better sounds then Zelda did. The music is great and the hyahhs that Toan makes when striking is even less annoying then what Link makes. Also, the fire torches inside the dungeons sounds better then the dungeons in Zelda. Why did they use jingle-bells as the sound of the fire in Zelda? This time, it sounds more like fire in this game. Overall, the graphics and sound are better then Zelda on the N64.

Gameplay

This game has better-then-Zelda controls. It has easy to use controls. Also, it has an easy to read instruction manual, to help you learn the controls of the game. You use combos by pressing the attack button multiple times. It also has more things to watch out for, including the thirst meter. When the thirst meter runs low, you need water. So, you will need to find a drinking pool somewhere in the dungeon floor, or a water jug would help you to quench your thirst. It has an easy to use customizable feature to easily edit the towns the way you like it to be. Games with so much editable stuff makes this replay value high.
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.

Sound

Again , as with graphics and gameplay, the sound is a step above everything on the PS2. The sound always fits the environment youre in along with the mood that is in the atmosphere of the game. Everything from the swish of your sword to the cry of the enemies perishing is all fluid and realistic. The sound always will fit the upbeat parts of the games to a tee and vice versa with the more dark parts of the game. Nothing could be done to improve the sound, it is perfect and it all makes for a great adventure!

Gameplay

Yeah , i know , this game will get backlash for "copying" the zelda inspired gameplay but hey it works. The gameplay is simply incredible. It has the same lock on feature as zelda which is very easy to manage for even the most amatuer game player. The game is really smooth with absolutely no chopping ever no matter how many enemies, items or whatever is on the screen. The whole Norune level building system is very user friendly as you just basically press x wherever you want to place a house, river, road, windmill, etc. and you can rotate the objects, move them later or do whatever you want , you always have complete control over everything you do in this game which is one of the many reasons why i enjoy it so much. Youd think that with a mix of so many complex genres the end product would be a little sloppy ( L.o.M ) but it seamlessly merges all genres with what seems like great ease.
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.

Summary

Ready, Set, Hut 1...Hut 2...Hut 3...snap!!!! I got my ps2 on Oct. 26 2000, I didn't get my first game until Oct 30. Why? Because there was not anything to choose from. I mean Madden 2001, but I own a Dreamcast and NFL 2k1 was holding me over. I waited 4 whole days (watching DVD of corse). I went back to the store, look over the launch titles and well ended up with Madden anyway. But what made me not give up on my $300+ investment was the Summer 2001, Fall 2001, and Winter 2001/2002 titles. And one is Dark Cloud. But what good is a game with no hype behind it.....very good. I remember Nov. 24 1998 when I first played the greatest game ever (Zelda 64). I couldn't go to sleep the night before. But when I played it I felt like it was worth the $10 pre-order fee, It was wroth to wait, and I felt not cheated. Well when I played Dark Cloud it felt the same without the $10 fee.
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.

Sound

The sound effects and background music in the game are exactly what you would expect of an RPG. The music is melodic in town and while exploring the dungeons has a hint of danger to it. When a monster comes into your vicinity, the music ramp up in tempo and volume-letting you know something evil is just around the next turn. The only dissapointing aspect of this games sound is the fact that there are no character voice-overs. Other than that, the game sounds great!

Gameplay

I wanted to play this game for at least ten hours before making a review on it so that it would adequately reflect how the game plays. And I can say that after ten hours-I am as hooked now as the first five minutes! Controls are easy (especially to Zelda-Ocarina Of Time gamers) to master and control. You can pan the camera left or right with two of the shoulder buttons and there is a button for first person view. You can lock onto an enemy with the "O" button and charge up for a special attack with the "square" button. Things can become difficult early on because your weapons break down rapidly, but you will quickly learn to pay attention to this degredation and repair them before they are destroyed. One minor annoyance is the fact that if you have a negative status like Poison or Curse, you cannot change weapons. So, if you have no repair powder, you are stuck either running away or fighting and possibly destroying a weapon you spent so long leveling up.
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.

Sound

Sound is good too but theres no voices. Music is good but gets a bit repetitive. Overall its good but not great. Variety is missing here, voices would have been kind of nice but they werent truly needed.

Gameplay

Very good. The dungeon crawling is fast and fun and you must strategize accordingly for each quick battle. You have various weapons which you may find which each have their own special attributes. The problem is that they BREAK! When they break, you lose them FOREVER! AGH! This is mighty annoying since you must use repair powders to restore them (and there are few to find in each dungeon) Nonetheless, with a little strategizing and thinking, you can get the hang of switching weapons when needed since you can carry quite a few when you find them. You have a water meter which you must also watch, so keep plenty of water on hand. The town building aspect is awesome! Put your found houses anywhere and set them up as you please! Great fun!
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.

Summary

Gee I hate to be the first person to give this a less than perfect score, but I honestly don't see why this game has received such high ratings. I bought this game purely based on the amount of press it was getting prior to release. My opinion will likely not be shared by most, but as it has been said (edited version): opinions are like rectums, everyone's got one and most of them stink. Keep in mind I have only played it for 7 hours, so I have only completed about 1/10 of the game. But, I did not give up immediately. I kept playing for several hours just to give it a chance. Still, I have decided that there is nothing more that compells me to continue further with this game. I can find lots of games more fun than this to widdle away the free time of my younger years.

Not since Shenmue have I been so bored playing a game. The game is not bad, but it does get quite repetative. And the story... well, it seems like a bunch of different ideas just randomly thrown together. Overall, the story is very cartoonish and cutsie and doesn't hold much appeal for anyone over the age of 12.

The best part of the game is that it still has high trade in value when I go into EB to use it towards purchase on another game.

Sound

Very kid-like music. I haven't heard any spoken dialogue yet, I sure hope they have some later in the game. Toan sounds like a complete wuss when he fights.

Gameplay

Dancing, fairy kings, and a prissy lead character ... it has all the makings of a kid's game. Yep, the story plot is quite juvenile (no, not "back that thing up" kind of Juvenile). The beginning part of the plot is very rushed. Within several minutes a castrophee happens and it is decided that the fate of the world will rest on a young boy. It's not that this is a bad premise for a game, rather the way it is played out is completely unbelievable. We know nothing about this boy (and neither does the fairy King), but we are supposed to beleive that he has what it takes to be a hero? Also, there is not enough background information as to the "bad guys" and this evil source that they unleash. Another point, if the fairies/spirits are so powerful, then why do they need a whimpy little boy to fight for them. Oh, and the fairy king is able to seal the town in Atla just before destruction, but the Atla just happen to be scattered to various places over the world, in dungeons in fact. Huh? The way in which the story tries to integrate with the "georama" part of the gameplay is just confusing and non-intuitive. I understand the need for suspense-of-disbelief, but the plot just does not match up well at all.

Well, even if the plot made more sense, the repetative gameplay doesn't save it. Like I said, the repetative nature of the gameplay cannot counter the confusing plot. And, likewise, the way in which the gameplay just repeats itself over and over and over, just simply cannot make up for the confusing plot......... Get the idea? ...... That's what it feels like going into dungeon after dungeon and seeing/fighting the exact same things. Every level: fight monsters, get items, collect Atla. Then return to the surface and place your recaptured peices of your town. When you complete a building and all its parts, you get to see an new scenario/dialogue. Then repeat until bored. Why should I care to continue? What is there to look forward to? Another goofy looking character that I don't care about but I have to go back to the dungeon so I can get his lamp or fence back. Get it yourself... what do I look like, your gopher? Perhaps there is more intersting stuff further in the game, but the first 7 hours I've played it have not given me anough interest to continue. Even if the game had an amazing ending, it is not worth getting there.

The fighting ain't that great. The lock-on doesn't work till you get pretty close. This becomes a problem when up against multiple enemies. You'll need to lock-on before you can block, and if you cannot lock-on till very close to the enemy you may not be fast enough to block their attacks. Likewise the camera is rather close behind Toan, so you won't be able to see your enemies behind you. And since block only works for the enemy that you are locked-on, you have to switch the lock-on to that enemy then block... which is hard to do since you cannot see enemies behind you very well.

Another point, there seems to be no strategy to keeping your sorry ass alive. Apparently, you don't die, you are "nearly destroyed" and then transported back to the surface by the fairy king. Then you receive back full health. And, if you are "nearly destroyed" you get to keep you atla. You'll need to go back to the dungeon to get the key back and collect the remaining atla, but do not fear... if you are "nearly destroyed" again, the fairy king saves you again. (Pretty pathetic to have a fairy save you each time.) Repeat repeat repeat. Out of an upgrade powder or poison antidote? No sweat, just leave the dungeon, visit the mayer (who for some reason did survive the destruction of the village) and he will just give you replacements at no cost. And apparently this Mayer has a good deal with his supplier, because the his items are unlimited. And what's the deal with the escape powder. Appartenly you cannot get out of a dungeon until you 1) kill all the monsters (which allows you to "mind connect" with the fairy king to transport you to the surface) or 2) use an escape powder(the remaining monsters will block your mind connection, so you'll have to use a powder). But hey, don't worry about using your escape powder, becuase you know who has an unlimited supply to give you for free? That's right, your Mayer buddy. ???? What's the freakin point of staying alive and trying to use my items wisely if I can simply go back to the surface and get free replacements. At least the game should limit your escape powders to add some element of strategy. And who came up with these concepts of "mind connect" and escape powder? There's another powder people use to escape reality, it's called cocaine... and that's what these designers were snorting when they came up with these ideas.

Is the georama really that intersting? Well, let me just tell you about all the fascinating things you can do with your town: You get to walk around and look at things! Wow! You can also talk to people! Amazing! And maybe you can find an item from a chest! That's right, a real live chest! Oh, and you can turn and move the houses/buildings! And, apparently, later in the game, you can have Toan fish. Man, that's what I always wanted in a RPG, a fishing mini-game!!! Hey, maybe for some people that's fun, but I just did not see the excitement.

There are some positives to the game:

The weapon upgrading system is really cool and unique... allowing you to really customize the attributes of your weapons. Likewise, the add-ons to the weapons can be removed and replaced depending what you need to fight the enemy. I like the elemental based enemies and status effects which add strategy to the fighting.
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.

Summary

First of all, I don't see how someone could give this game a bad rating. This game has many aspects to it and a good story line. The game is a bit cartoony, the plot of a genie destroying the world is far-fetched but at least the game has a plot. The game keeps you coming back to find more weapons and attachments, to find the right attachments to build you weapon into another weapon. Much time is spent collecting homes, roads and rivers etc. and then rebuilding them and asking folks what else do you want with your house etc. It is fun to me, plus you are rewarded by the homeowner once you complete the house with a gift. The best thing is when you build the item shop up, then this game shines. You get what you put into it. I also enjoy the fishing, yes you can fish it isn't Pro Bass or anything but again it adds another twist. In combat your get things like worms, carrots, etc. to fish with and you can gain FP and trade it in on hard to find attachments, well worth your time finding bait. Also you have allies you can find that you can also play in the dungeons. They all use different weapons. I have played 11 hours and have only completely rebuilt one town and have started on the second town. This game is not repetitive, the dungeons change each time you go in, the locations of treasure chests, enemies etc. change. The monsters change from town to town. This game has many aspects, not an ordinary RPG, there is more to it, you have a main task plus you rebuild these towns on the way. Its well worth your money GO GET IT.

Sound

Sound is also excellent, sound is in surround you can walk towards something and hear the sound grow stronger and as you walk away the sound lessons. If you walk to the left, the sound remains in the right speaker, so on and so forth. When you walk on bridges the sound of walking on wood comes through the speakers. It is very realistic and helps bring you into the game more... excellent.

Gameplay

As discussed in the Summary gameplay consist of roaming through dungeons looking for these spheres that when unlocked release parts of the town which you use to rebuild the town. You just walk up and hack the baddies, but there are many different methods you can attack them or use items to kill them. You rebuild the town and discuss with people the where they want there house etc. there is a graph which grades how much you have completed 0-100%. You fish to gain certain items. You have to complete peoples houses to gain items. You have to think through this game it isn't random hack and slash it takes though. Gameplay is good
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.

Sound

The sounds are god-awful. I HATE the repetative music. It only has two musics in this game, and they play over and over again and again. They are also annoying, and you can't turn them off. At least at night the town music turns off, but then it comes back on during the morning. Very annoying music, both in the cave, and then in the town.

Why does Toun that boy has a girl's voice? He has an annoying voice! Would somebody do surgery on that boy's vocal cords? AARGH! The other SFXs are god-awful too!

I repeat, just stay away from this game and get Breath of Fire instead. That game is much better.

Gameplay

I hate the repetative gameplay. All you do is you go to the dungeon, open a few chests, and then plop them down to the village. You go to the dungeon again to do some more. You plop some more to the village. You do it over and over and over and over... Ugh. This is just a terrable game to get. I always miss the enemy when I swing. I tell you, this is a worst then a rip-off of Zelda. Please do your self a favor and get Breath of Fire instead.
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Would you like to Comment?
Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.