In turn, this means the field of exploration and movement becomes a much larger concern than in a traditional Pokémon game. But rather than the skirmishes be completely commanded through a menu screen, Explorers of Darkness, allows real-time tile-based decision-making and planning. The bonus emphasises on the elemental/physical types of the Pokémon scuffing it out once again also comes into the equation. There’s still the curious politeness of waiting your turn to strike. While it’s a far cry from Chunsoft’s prior unapologetically difficult Mystery Dungeon games of over the past decade or so, Explorers of Darkness offers a viable learning experience for the non-roguelike youth of today.īattles, arguably the largest staple of the Pokémon franchise are all too familiar, yet all too different in Explorers of Darkness. When it comes down to the game’s proverbial main course of dungeon exploration and real-time battling gameplay, Explorers of Darkness is as hardened as they come - well, as ‘hardened’ as something aimed at the average ten-year-old, anyway. That said, potential players are well-advised not to be (completely) fooled by Explorers of Darkness’ superficial designs. Likewise, the game’s plot is as bizarre as it is negligible, with an underground syndicate of Pokémon plundering dungeons worldwide, all in the name of a non-descript Wigglytuff.
The sound effects and music, while gratingly jaunty at times, would make even the surliest PALGN forum member crack a smile. The art and animation, sometimes overly bright, colourful and definitely far from indicative of what DS hardware is capable of, is nevertheless endearing. As saccharinely cheerful as they’ve ever been, the personable aesthetic design of a typical Pokémon title is overflowing here. Unlike the heck-filled dankness of Blizzard’s looting LSD, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness has an undeniable charm on its side. Think along the lines of NetHack, or, to a more popularised extent, the Diablo series.
Of course, the main difference here, as anyone who has played 2006’s Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and/or Red Rescue Team would be quick to point out, is that the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games: a) cast you in the role of a human turned Pokémon overnight, thereby b) do not include your human trainings, gym badges, and “to be the very best like no one ever was”, meaning c) Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games are instead heavily based on the roguelike genre of videogames, albeit under a different franchise flavour.
After all, the ‘main’ series of Pokémon games has its fair share of mind-numbing dungeon-esque sections.
Then again, plopping the pocket critters into maze-like environments and seeing what padded playtime sticks isn’t a new trick for the aging franchise. Indeed, who would’ve thought that washing up on the shores of a mysterious Pokémon-ridden land, teaming up with a mysterious Pokémon partner, and heading out on not so mysterious Pokémon dungeon expeditions would be so… so… boring? If Chunsoft’s Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness is to be believed, Nintendo’s pocket monsters inhabit a cute civil war-torn world, filled with randomised, yet repetitious surroundings, explored through stilted movements and combat. It’s apparently a stark kind of reality, living the life of a Pokémon. When we played the first Mystery Dungeon game, we thought that we had seen everything Pokemon could give.