Every
so often a game comes along that's so well crafted, and downright enjoyable
that you just can't help but like it. Dark Cloud 2, the sequel to 2001's PS2
action RPG Dark Cloud, is such a game. The latest in the series improves on its
predecessor in nearly every way, as it tightly integrates the combat, world
building, and weapons management of the first game into a more cohesive,
enjoyable whole. Add together these elements, astounding visuals, superb music
and voice acting, and high production values and you have Dark Cloud 2, one of
the role-playing games for the Playstation 2.
According
to Gamefaqs.com, you play as Maximilian, Max, for short, a tech-minded whiz
kid with a knack for creating strange inventions. As the game unfolds, Max's
pendant, an object he inherited from his missing mother, is a time-travel
device, and after defending it from the attacks of a very demented clown, he
meets Monica. Monica is a princess from the future on a grave mission: She's
come to enlist Max's aid in thwarting an evil tyrant from the past who's
erasing the future by meddling with the present. In fact, this great villain
has already wiped out pretty much the entire world, save Max's village. Max and
Monica are determined to stop this madness by visiting key points around the
world and restoring the land, buildings, and people at those points to make the
future what it should be. The story is bearable, and while it still falls in
the typical Japanese role-playing game clichés, you will want to see whether
Max and Monica accomplish their mission.
The gameplay of Dark Cloud 2 is
superb and by far one of the game’s strongest assets. First of all, the weapon
system in Dark Cloud 2 is very complex and in-depth. You build up your weapons
by synthesizing them with other items such as crystals and gems. There are 10
areas that you can build up your weapons in: attack, durability, flame, chill,
lightning, cyclone, smash, exorcism, beast, and scale, and each will affect
your weapons differently. Both characters have two types of weapons, right
handed melee weapons and left handed projectile weapons. Monica can also
transform into different monsters in the game them with badges that you will
acquire and fight with them. For Max, he can hop in his robot called the
“Ridepod” and fight with it. You can upgrade the Ridepod throughout the game
and customize it however you want! Another cool element of Dark Cloud 2 was the
fact that you can invent weapons and other items using Max's camera. Max can
take pictures of various objects and monsters throughout the game and he can
use them as ideas for an invention. You can combine three ideas to make a new
invention! The more ideas you find, the more items you can make! The dungeons
are as good as ever! The idea is still basically the same: you progress through
each floor of the dungeon, killing monsters along the way, until you reach the
boss, but now there are places in the dungeons where certain events will
happen. The bosses are a little harder in this game, and there is certainly
more of them! The greatest part about the boss battles, and all of the battles
that you will partake in, is that you can switch to the other character at any
time you want. This can be helpful if one character is about to die, or if you
just want to use the other person for awhile. Georama mode is back and better
than ever! In Dark Cloud 2 you find “geostones” in the dungeons that let you
build different things out of your materials and place them in the lands that
you travel to in order to create a lively town and to restore the future. Yes,
you can travel to the future to see how your town developed! You can also paint
houses in the sequel, which lets you customize even more!
The graphics, sound, and control are
all top-notch with the cell-shaded graphics and the beautiful orchestra popping
out of the game to your full enjoyment.
Dark Cloud 2 is one of those games
that will truly make you question why all j-rpgs cannot play this splendidly. According
to vgchartz.com, Dark Cloud 2 has sold over 960,000 copies, which is
spectacular for a j-rpg. Hopefully, we can expect a Dark Cloud 3 in the future.
Link to image: http://salty.gibbering.net/Images/Articles/DarkCloud2/06.jpg
Other links:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/ps2/561438-dark-cloud-2
http://www.vgchartz.com/game/3050/dark-cloud-2/
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