THIS is a Dark Cloud 2 review:
..I never played the first Dark Cloud, if not because of all the bad things I heard about it, because of how unappealing it seemed to me. Long dungeons, uninteresting characters, sub par story, all these things I heard about it scared me off. But the main reason, persay, is probably because there were so many other great RPG's out there to play besides Dark Cloud...better games in general, really...
I played a very small portion of Dark Cloud 2 in Best Buy, and even though I never got in a battle, I liked everything about it from the beginning. The graphics had a whole new makeover; which go along with the cel shaded trend we see so much of now a days...I digged the character design, I liked Max a whole lot better than that Toan guy or whatever his name was.
But one lonely day at the beginning of summer, when Xenosaga was sold out, and I didn't feel like running around a world map for 45 minutes in a random direction, button mashing, hoping to find my next destination and undergo the frustaration of battles that also came with Wild Arms 3, I finally came to a conclusion; Dark Cloud 2. And after playing it for about an hour, I was hooked. And amazed, mainly because, in that single hour, DC 2 managed to sway my idea of what was the best RPG of the current time, Xenosaga, and change it to the very game I type of right at this moment..
Max lives in the secluded town of Palm Brinks, in a mansion with his rich father. His mother left the town long ago, and since 15 years ago, the towns gates have been closed, and no one has been allowed to enter, or leave the mining town...Max doesn't like the nights he spends in the mansion, and usually stays in a kindly old man's workshop, by the name of Cedric to pass the time.
It just spins off from there, and for the most part, gets better and better, before finally hitting a plateau. But it's set pretty high, at least in my opinion.
The innovative "building a city" trademark of the series is still here, and oh is it used effectivly. You can't even continue the game until you accomplish certain tasks in the present, that will make the future brighter. You can see how it affects everything by time traveling later on in the game. The time traveling option I daresay really adds to everything. You can look into the future, and see if your little town flourishes, or turns out to be a bust. An option unavailable in the games predecessor.
The music is near perfect, and highly enjoyable. I adore the Palm Brinks theme, and the battle theme. In my opinion, whoever made this soundtrack does it with the same skill and enchanting talent that Nobou Uematsu (of FF fame, for those who don't about him) shared in FF7. It was a welcome change from Xenosaga's disappointing lack of music...Lunar knows what I speak of..
The dungeon trekking can get boring, every level's randomly generated, and you have to find a "Key" Item which differs with every dungeon to open the "Gate" to the next level. So sometimes you can find the Gate and the Key right next to your starting point, and other times you'll have to go out of your way. Defeating monsters in hopes that they'll drop the Key. Speaking of the monsters, they're not too hard if you take care of your weapons well enough..
Ah..the weapons system, I forgotl. Dark Cloud 2 experience system, is unique, in the sense that your characters don't gain in levels, but your weapons do. There's also items you can synthetize with the "Experience" your weapon gains, and add to the weapon. When certain requirements are fulfilled, the weapon can change into a better weapon, if you choose to do so. Many times, you have to choose from two different paths, and decide which weapon you prefer..
The games brimming with other unique and enjoyable funtions. Max can take pictures of certain items, and make inventions out of them if he puts three of them together. You can also take pictures of bosses and monsters to add to your Scoop's, and gain rewards for your efforts..
Dark Cloud 2 is a must have; don't miss it..