Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Duel Stories

"This game failed to please. Now for the PENALTY GAME: Bad Review!"

I love Yu-Gi-Oh! I love the anime (sorta), the manga, and the CCG, but the video games were sadly disappointing. I find it ironic that a video game based on a game based on a story about games can be this horrible. Don't blame the franchise, blame the guys that tried to cash out on this franchise by using one of the worst selling strategies out there: to make a popular yet horrible game, make minor adjustments over time while keeping it different, and make millions on the crap alone.

Graphics: 5/10
The characters look great, but many of the cards lost their visual appeal... and some of those were only good for visual appeal.

Sound: 4/10
I liked hearing some of the great tunes from Forbidden Memories, but the GBC's limited ability makes it sound... well, actually it still sounds good. Too bad that there wasn't a good original tune for this game though. All of the good music is borrowed, and the other music isn't very noticeable.

Story: 1/10
This game does have a story, but it's basically nonexistent, and the dialogue in there is just plain ridiculous. Usually it's the same bragging attitude, then they say ''You beat me five times!'' and somehow that unlocks duels against different characters. Lame.

Gameplay: 1/10
Horrible. Just horrible. Also addicting. Therefore: Horribly addicting, and addictingly horrible. There is almost no strategy in this game. There's something similar to strategy, but once you think about it, it becomes trial-and-error. Once again, the main focus in this Yu-Gi-Oh! game is on summoning your strongest monsters, accompanying them with magic. Most of the time, you'll be using magic cards to equip your monsters with and make them stronger. The new rituals in this game are often not worth it, because you have to sacrifice specific monsters that have to be on the field already... and you have to sacrifice 3 of them. Trap cards have one space on the field for them, and are immediately destroyed at the end of you opponent's next turn regardless of if it's used or not; this takes away a lot of strategy elements. However, there is some strategy, but it's really cheap; the monsters each have different signs, and superior signs destroy opposing monsters even if they are weaker. Like I said, this is really cheap and annoying, and the CPU likes to use Devine-status monsters that have no weakness. BTW, the CPU likes to cheat A LOT... for example, you have certain restrictions as to how many powerful magic/trap cards you can have (only one Raigeki, one Change of Heart), but the CPU can use three of them, and likes doing it often. Sometimes, even when it's completely meaningless. This means that even the cheating CPU knows there's little strategy / sense in this game. Gameplay is where it's supposed to count, and it failed miserably. But some might keep playing to bring up Deck Capacity levels and collect cards, but to me it's all meaningless fake replay value.

Replay: 7/10
There's plenty to do that well require lots of replay... but it gets repetitive after a few weeks, and by then you'll realize you've wasted actual days of your time doing something you no longer care about. Only the most hardcore freaks and clueless children will actual go through with it.

Neither rent nor buy this game; instead, buy something worth your while. If you like Yu-Gi-Oh!, then go out and buy a Game Boy Advance first, then get Eternal Duelist Soul. Not only does it look better, but you get more cards per battle, you can use trap cards whenever you want to after setting it (the way it's supposed to be), you actually have permanent magic cards (!), and can use monster effects the way they wee meant to be. Much like a real duel. In fact, you should go out and learn the real card game instead of buying this game, because real duels have a certain feeling you get that can't be replicated by a video game.

Overall Grade: 1/10, because the game isn't worth it when there are superior games and the actual card game. Almost no strategy and a cheating opponent, this game will get on your nerves, and the replay value makes you realize you no longer care.

Reviewer's Score: 1/10, Originally Posted: 02/14/03, Updated 02/14/03