Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness

"A game with so many addicting qualities"

GAMEPLAY: 8/10
You spend much of the game exploring perilous multi-level dungeons, battling feral Pokemon (and bosses too), and finding treasure. This is actually all fun except for the way the battles are carried out. Every move you make counts as a "turn" and makes the battle (and even walking/running) feel a little choppy (However, a single battle rarely lasts over ten seconds so it's not a big issue.) The dungeons are randomly generated which adds a lot more unpredictability and fun to the game; you never know where the stairs to the next floor might be. (Of course, starting in the same room as the stairs is always convenient.)

GRAPHICS: 8/10
The artwork for the game is pretty good, but nothing to write home about. It all looks pleasing to the eyes and the characters' expressions are always readable.

SOUND: 10/10
The soundtrack for this game is essentially flawless; it enhances what you are seeing rather than making you turn the sound off and listening to your iPod instead. The opening melody is apparent during the more dramatic scenes and every dungeon has their own music, making them seem much more than a random collection of rooms and halls. You'll want to wear headphones to get more out of it though, it makes it more present.

STORY/CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: 9/10
This is probably the first game I've ever played where the story was entirely unpredictable and almost nothing goes the way you expect it to, and that's what made this game so addicting. It starts off pretty basic with your partner wanting to form an exploration team and it soon develops into an epic adventure with more twists and surprises than you could count. This is also probably the first game I've played where I've truly empathized with the main characters; they get pulled into so many horrible situations and can't avoid them. It also had a real sense of emotion which helped me connect to the game and its characters. Despite all this, the dialogue needed a lot of work. Characters in games/movies/ and TV need to sound more interesting and smarter than people in real life do because we're boring and the main characters sound like us: very boring. I expected a little more wittiness and even sarcasm from the main characters at times; I think I've read the words “We need to be brave.” and “We can't give up.” too many times.

OVERALL: 8.5/10 (which rounds up to 9/10)
The meat of this game lies mostly in its fantastic story, awesome soundtrack, sense of emotion, and unpredictable levels. I STRONGLY advise that you try not to spoil the story because that would be ruining the game and the many surprises it has in store. Other than the imperfect battling style and everyday dialogue, this is an excellent game that you need to try out, even if you're not a fan of Pokemon and want to get into a big adventure.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/14/08

Game Release: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness (US, 04/20/08)