• ID = PS0155
• STYLE = Third-Person 3D Action RPG
• DEV. = Level-5
• PUB. = Sony CEA, Inc.
• R-DATE = Jun-01-2001
• ESRB = T / For Teen
• PLAYERS = 1 player
• LIST PRICE = $29.99
  

The threat of world destruction lurks in almost all role-playing games as the inevitable consequence should the hero fail in his quest. In DarkCloud, however, the world is destroyed by a malevolent genie in the very beginning, and it's your job to put it back together. This action/RPG will require you to battle your way through dungeons to collect vital artifacts with which you'll rebuild the game's world in real-time 3-D. From there, you can view the world from above, zoom in, revolve 360 degrees around it, and, of course, explore it for more artifacts to build other parts of the world.

Features:
• Action and role-playing game.
• Rebuild a world destroyed by a malevolent genie.
• Real-time 3-D world-building engine lets players rotate, zoom into, and explore new worlds.
• Dungeons created randomly each time.
• Battle monsters and collect precious artifacts.

Amazon.com Review
Mixing a wide variety of genres, Dark Cloud gives fans of role-playing games between 30 and 50 hours of quality gameplay. Gamers control Toan and his motley crew as they attempt to reconstruct the world and vanquish the dark genie. In addition to hours of dungeon trekking, the game also contains elements found in simulation, puzzle, fishing, and rhythm games.

The combat system is nearly identical to the one used in Legend of Zelda games for the N64. Players choose a target to lock on, and then whale away. Between rounds of slaying monsters, players will have to strategically rebuild cities to advance. Successful fishing trips will lead to valuable weapon upgrades. Some battles test your rhythm, requiring you to match button commands, similar to such games as Um Jammer Lammy and PaRappa the Rapper. Weapon management is a vital part of the game--weapons can break if not cared for properly, but you can also transform them into powerful objects of destruction by shrewdly managing upgrades.

The multifaceted game contains an excellent tutorial to help you learn its many aspects. While it has its imperfections, Dark Cloud is the best PlayStation2 RPG to date. It's perfect for the angling adventurer that likes to dabble in urban planning. --Raymond M. Padilla

Pros:
Successfully mixes a wide variety of genres
A deep and compelling weapon management system
Great character design

Cons:
Subpar graphics
Some unoriginal and outright goofy opponents
Dungeon trolling can get tedious