"Tao's Adventure: Curse of the Demon Seal"

The game is addictive and interesting. It is the sequel to Azure Dream, an interesting GBA Colour Game, which had many followers. Interestingly, game magazines and websites junked this game but the game received excellent reviews from many of the GB DS players. It should be given a more fair review from the magazines and websites. Perhaps the magazines and websites did not explore the game sufficiently or the reviewers are not avid RPG fans who play such genre of games.

One of other advantage as well as the drawback of the game is the lengthy and addictive game play. Once you start, it is hard for you to stop playing the game. The semi A-RPG game also has a lot of items for the hero to find and use. Some of the special weapons e.g. Death Sword (high % of one hit one kill), Orichalcon (Replenish hp from hit rate) could be found in special places and using certain interesting methods.

Going to and fro the tower, solving puzzles, searching for monster eggs, training the monsters, watching the monsters evolve are definitely very addictive. The new way of game play by using the stylus to cast spell by drawing "magical" symbols as well as learning new spells as the game progresses is definitely a refreshing change from the old way RPG games are played. My impression of this aspect of the game is that it resembles the Final Fantasy Adventure of different weapons and magical spell as well as Pokemon for the wide range of monsters that you can capture and train. However as the monsters have their own AI and could not be asked to perform their special attack as and when you like, it is more difficult and of a higher level than Pokemon. As all monsters have their own unique special abilities (killing move.., my favourite is Killazak, it's special "Hack 'n' Slash" move resembles a beserker mad attack...)

One suggestion for the maker of the game. Definitely, they need to do a market research on the players for a suitable name for the game. The makers of the game denied Azure Dreams long time followers by changing the name to "Tao's Adventure - Curse of the Demon Seal". This name lack impact and recognition among the players and bring ill-will to the game.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/14/06