PlayStation 2
Dark Cloud
| Graphics: Sound: Gameplay: Overall: |
7.62 8.02 8.08 8.09 |
| Votes: | 85 |
| Reviews: | 1 |
Rate this game
Review this game
| Reviewer: Austin | Date: Dec 26, 2022 |
| Dark Cloud; An early 2000's JRPG for the PlayStation 2. Originally intended to be a launch title yet not releasing in the US until 2001. Developed by level-5. Though this game doesn't stand out as groundbreaking in any way, it has garnered a bit of a cult following (myself included). It was also ported to PlayStation 4, and continues to be playable on the PS5.
Graphics: 5 Though I feel inclined to rate the graphics as below average, there is something to be said about the overall charm of the game. When compared to classic titles of a similar release (think Metal Gear solid 2, Kingdom hearts) Dark Cloud has lower polygons and simpler environments. That being said, the models are lovable, even if a bit quirky at times. Sound: 9 The sound design also isn't setting any new records in terms of audio quality but it keeps pace with titles of its time. The soundtrack however is well made. It does a very good job at bringing thought-out instrumentals and passionate music to the table. Many of the moments in the series are made to be impactful when accompanied by music that really makes you feel something. Some tracks on the Ost are pretty average, But there are plenty of gems that will keep you videogame music fans coming back for more. Gameplay: 7 Dark Cloud is a bit of an interesting twist of a city builder and action RPG. In some ways, the basic combat leaves something to be desired, as the standard gameplay loop gets a bit repetitive. It sort of feels dungeon crawly but there are quite a few engaging mechanics outside of the normal gameplay loop. The boss fights bring a level of difficulty that will keep you going. In some ways, this is a game where you must lose to win; Similar to Darksouls in the sense that the first few times you fight a boss you are really just getting a feeling for patterns. Outside of that, the game has a weapon development tree for each weapon, boasting several augments and paths that cater toward which stats you build on each weapon. Additionally, a character hot swap system brings variety in gameplay with each character bringing different movesets and unique weapons and equipment. The game also has a quicktime system that is admittedly a bit underwhelming, nonetheless watching the events can be fun and often brings a level of intrigue to the story when needed. As for the city building, you must repair former cities. Materials used to restore buildings and landmarks are dropped in the dungeon portion of the game. With certain milestones of development progress come nice rewards such as loot, new mechanics, and in world depth. The building system is freeform, So you restore villages in your image. It is unlikely that you would have a clone of any other person's village builds, though some villagers have requests in the way you design the world so completionists have comparable landmarks in order to fulfill those requests. Overall: 9 Overall Dark cloud has many lovable mechanics, though its age does show. The story and worldbuilding isn't incredibly complex, but still brings to the table an endearing tale loved by many. The game isn't overly ambitious nor is it groundbreaking for its time in any way, but the charm and memorability is what builds its reputation as a bit of a cult classic. The core gameplay is simple but fun. There is a large sense of nostalgia from those who have played the game. In fact, when I ask someone if they have ever played the game I have only ever gotten two responses. Those being "omg I love that game" and "I have never heard of that". I recommend Dark Cloud to anyone who hasn't had the chance to play it. It's one of those things where you can really only say "you would have had to been there to know". Coming from a logical perspective, I really have no reason to call this game anything but average for its time. Yet something about Dark Cloud has kept me coming back for 15 years, each time with a new insight and reason to love it. On an end note; everything about this game is objectively unremarkable. Even so, Those who have played it hold a special place for it in their hearts. Though in many ways the storytelling is childish, it has charm. So much so that it has brought a tear to my cheek many times. |
|