E3: Dark Cloud impressions

[05.13.00] » Yet another mediocre PS2 action-RPG.

   Along with the announcement that Dark Cloud would be released in the U.S., Sony had a playable version of the game at the show. While still early in the development process (the game is around 30% completed), the initial impressions were not very good ones.

    Graphically, the game was very lackluster. Palettes were muted, and the polygon models for the characters were very basic, and lacked any real flair. Backgrounds were nicely done, but given the grandeur and epicness of other PS2 games like Evergrace, they were far from the best that have been seen on the system. The Georama modes, where you are able to build your own towns, were very nicely done and animated, although the actual buildings that you place blended horribly with the ground that they are placed on, making for a town that truly does look like it was just thrown together.

   The battle system was rather poor. The game uses a lock-on system like Zelda: OOT, and this proves to be very necessary, as enemies are nearly impossible to hit when they are not locked. The camera is very poorly handled, which only makes the battles that much harder, as you are forced to run away from the enemies, rotate the camera (which causes you to stand still), and then get a few more hits in before repeating the process again.

   The Georama system could have promise, but in the version that was playable, seemed more like a simple SimCity that you could explore after you've built, but a SimCity that lacked the depth that it needed. It was rather interesting that you could actually collect Georama buildings in the dungeons to place later on in your cities.

   Although only a very early version of the game, Dark Cloud needs quite a bit of work before it can rise above the growing pool of mediocre PS2 action-RPGs.