Dark Cloud 2 Appreciation/Discussion thread

Matthew

Hey! After playing Rogue Galaxy for awhile I got thinking about this game again. I remember playing this game day and night back when I first got it, and when I first started really understanding all you could do in it.

THINGS I LIKED.
Customizing your weapons (Man! Monica's got a lot of ultimate swords)

Customizing your RidePod. (Mine was Sun and Moon body, Hover foot, and Machine gun Arm IV)

Building new towns over the continent.

I loved the weird future settings yuo could transport to, and how you can change little bits in the past to
affect the future.

I love how the main characters weapon is a wrench.

Some of the villains were very entertaining, especially Flotsam and his circus, I was disapointed that he didn't show up more.

Spheda (frustrating ("What do you mean they have to be OPPOSITE color?") but rewarding (level up powder, ridepod fuel, gems, medals to save up for Monica's Jungle outfit.)

Scoops (frustrating too, but I had to get them all, I wouldn't have gotten my favorite out fit for Max, the Jungle explorer one. Put it together with Monica's jungle outfit, and you have a theme!)

I really loved the item creation function of this game, what with Max's Inventions and all.

Basically the game was alot of fun to play, I believe it was the first action RPG I ever played.. I can safely say that I would have probably never have gotten into Kingdom Hearts if I hadn't played this first. What's you guys take on this?

MA17

I loved me some DC2 back before I loaned it out like four years ago and never got it back, a fact which probably further proves its goodness. Even the commercial for it was awesome.

LockeCole

I never got very far, I bought a used copy of it, and on the 4th floor of the first dungeon, my PS2 would *alway* lock up. Perhaps I should look into procuring another copy.

etoychest

The game was a glowing testament to Level 5's strengths and weaknesses as a developer, and is still probably the company's crowning achievement.

kaz67

I thought it was pretty fun but the ending was kind of a let down for me.

Magus`

Fun, if repetitive at times. I had to force myself to use Max, though.

Bantry

Awesome game.

That 8th chapter is an absolute bitch though.

Jensen

I loved this game

DeVryGuy

I dug this game... except for the dungeons which always threw a big wrench in my enjoyment to the point where I didn't want to play anymore.

Metalbourne

LockeCole wrote: »

I never got very far, I bought a used copy of it, and on the 4th floor of the first dungeon, my PS2 would *alway* lock up. Perhaps I should look into procuring another copy.

Mine would do the same thing, but it didn't seem to with Max's default clothes. Of course, I didn't do enough testing to see if that was the case.

Wren

it was alright

The Wolfman

Metalbourne wrote: »

LockeCole wrote: »

I never got very far, I bought a used copy of it, and on the 4th floor of the first dungeon, my PS2 would *alway* lock up. Perhaps I should look into procuring another copy.

Mine would do the same thing, but it didn't seem to with Max's default clothes. Of course, I didn't do enough testing to see if that was the case.

It was a known glitch. I believe it had something to do with leaving the dungeon before the 4th floor. If you did that, it would lock up. The solution was to go through the 3rd floor again, and go on to the 4th without stopping. After that, you'd never have the problem again. Just a small hiccup in an otherwise fine game.

The only thing I didn't care for was the geo building aspect. I could get all the aspects needed for the unlocking stuff, but man, did I have no sense of style. My towns always looked like 1 part crazy DaVinci and 3 parts retard with legos. I felt bad for the blacksmith who had the entire allotment of trees all surrounding his house, or the church who's door would open right into a cliff.

Metalbourne

The Wolfman wrote: »

Metalbourne wrote: »

LockeCole wrote: »

I never got very far, I bought a used copy of it, and on the 4th floor of the first dungeon, my PS2 would *alway* lock up. Perhaps I should look into procuring another copy.

Mine would do the same thing, but it didn't seem to with Max's default clothes. Of course, I didn't do enough testing to see if that was the case.

It was a known glitch. I believe it had something to do with leaving the dungeon before the 4th floor. If you did that, it would lock up. The solution was to go through the 3rd floor again, and go on to the 4th without stopping. After that, you'd never have the problem again. Just a small hiccup in an otherwise fine game.

Heh, I was way off.

Hylianbunny

Dark Cloud 2...

Good game, or best game?

My vote's for the latter. >_>

Pajama_Man

Got sorta far into the game but the level grind just got too much...especialy on some levels where you can't use Max's robot ride thingy (forgot the name) and limited to Monica and her transformations; which sucks cus you have to spend time leveling them.

Matthew

Pajama_Man wrote: »

Got sorta far into the game but the level grind just got too much...especialy on some levels where you can't use Max's robot ride thingy (forgot the name) and limited to Monica and her transformations; which sucks cus you have to spend time leveling them.

You know you can break those "seals" by defeating all the enemies on those levels?

Captain Uglyhead

I still have a save of this game where I got up to what I HOPE is the final dungeon, saw that it was about a zillion rooms long, and turned off the console. Fighting through maze after maze wore on me too much. Maybe I'll go back someday, though.

Also, I've left Monica's monster things severely unerleveled(meanwhile the ridepod is tricked out).

scootch

I love the big jump in quality between DC1 and DC2.. wow. talk about getting your act together.

Fiaryn

I really enjo-hated Dark Cloud 2. I really lovathed the gameplay.

So yeah, mixed feelings. Rebuilding the future was neat as hell, I loved the Ridepod, I LOAHTED Monica's transformations, and the dungeon crawling made me want to pry out my eyeballs with a rusty spoon. The grinding bothered me some, but not TOO much. Such a mixed bag for me.

Zhou

I bought this for $7 (what) in the Wal-Mart Bargain bin about 2 years ago.

Then traded it in at EB for $13 (yay profit) a few months later when I was strapped for cash and wanted something new.

I need to find it again.

taliosfalcon

i loved dark cloud 2's gameplay..but i hate playing by following FAQS step by step, and in this i'd be trying to make something i really wanted, and be unable, then check a faq for parts i'd already cleared and see i missed a one time only photo..then i said fuck it, after it happened numerous times and shelved the game permanently..

Caswynben

The invention system could have been brilliant, but it really fell short with the lack of things to invent. I sat there trying different cool combinations, but never actually discovered anything cool from my ideas.

Bantry

To actually invent good stuff you have to talk to NPCs (and usually you have to guess the third item).

Or you could just use a FAQ and get awesome stuff.

Does anyone ever actually bother with the monster transformations? I mean, you start off with such a crap monster and the method to get more monster coins was just so longwinded.

Steev

I really liked the game, although I didn't enjoy the story too much. I made it to chapter 8, but I really didn't feel like playing any further at that point.

Nartwak

No Bantry, because the only thing that sucks worse than the Monster Transformations is Spheda.

SageinaRage

I enjoyed this game, though it did get damn repetitive near the end. I played it right after Kingdom hearts, and I thought the combat was loads better. I just wish you gained more different abilities, instead of just getting stronger.

I didn't even bother going through the 8th dungeon, and I don't think I will either. After like...80+ hours to finish the main game, I think I've had enough.

FireWeasel

I'll be honest: I wish Rogue Galaxy was more like DC2. Man oh man, I loved that game.

ArugulaZ

There was almost TOO much game in Dark Cloud 2 for its own good. It was quite entertaining for a dungeon crawler, but then it threw so much content at me that clouded the main objective. Making weapons, making mechs, making houses, making entire cities... geez, where does it all end? I loved nearly every minute of the game but just became exhausted with it after around thirty hours. I think I would have stayed with it longer if it hadn't forced all that Sim City-lite territorial development on me.

DeVryGuy

ArugulaZ wrote: »

There was almost TOO much game in Dark Cloud 2 for its own good. It was quite entertaining for a dungeon crawler, but then it threw so much content at me that clouded the main objective. Making weapons, making mechs, making houses, making entire cities... geez, where does it all end? I loved nearly every minute of the game but just became exhausted with it after around thirty hours. I think I would have stayed with it longer if it hadn't forced all that Sim City-lite territorial development on me.

You thought the dungeons were the fun part? o_O

I think that's actually the first time I heard someone say that.

Bantry

Nartwak wrote: »

No Bantry, because the only thing that sucks worse than the Monster Transformations is Spheda.

Sheda was awesome when it glitched up and stuck the ball like a foot from the hole and gave you 12 shots.

Other than that, yeah it was pretty stupid in every level except the castle one without the gaps on either side of the corridors.

wateyad

I didn't really mind any of the stuff in this game taken individually or the amount of stuff there was to do but I didn't get very far with it because I absolutely HATED how I had to do everything when the game wanted me to do it rather than when I felt like doing it. It made it feel to much like work because there was all this stuff that I had to be paying attention to at once. It would be one of my favorite games if it would let me just concentrate on one bit at a time.

Witchsight

Im about 30hrs in right now, and im playing about an hour a night. I have to say its pretty baddass, but im having trouble selling the plot and gameplay to my friends. It keeps me entertained anyway!

I find it really impressive that Lvl-5 managed to add so many aspects that have been seen in other games, and blended them all together like this. Most everything is really polished too, with nice little touches or details that you wouldnt expect from a game outside of say, Zelda or something. Fishing is fun, Georama is (usually) a blast, spheda could have been great but its a bit under par...And you know what? The dungeon crawling ISNT BAD.

I mean, theres so much to do when youre in the dungeons that it doesnt seem like a chore to me, its more an oppotunity. I mean, you can take pictures, grind your weapons and all that, but even then youre getting all kinds of georama parts to help you out in the other aspects of the game.

Other than that, i have a few qualms. I dont like how on the analysis of your Georama checkpoints it leaves everything as ????. Id rather know what to do and just not have the ability yet, it makes you feel like you messed up somehow. I dont ever use monster tranformation, as i doubt it could compare to my sexy ridepod. And i wish it would tell me exactly how many points were needed to level up my weapons to the next build. Going 1 point at a time is an inconvenience.

Nartwak

Don't worry, the ???? become clear as you get more geostones.

hoodie13

So this was a game where the combat/gameplay was fun. Really fun. But the plot? Yeah, I tuned out as soon as the story began, every time. I don't even know what was going on in the end.

Witchsight

Nartwak wrote: »

Don't worry, the ???? become clear as you get more geostones.

I know, but i find it strange you can clear up all the ??? in the second area before you can in the first. The Last thing on my analysis list is still blocked, and ive gotten all the geostones it will give me in Sindain (other than taking the branching dungeon path, which it wont let me). Thats another thing i dont get, the Sun/moon forks. It never tells you when you can or cant take them

Magic Pink

LOVED this game. One of the best on the PS2, easily. I loved the dungeon crawling, loved the weapons upgrading, Spheda was good but not really my cup of tea. Invention system, combat system, photos, georama, it all rocked.

Except Monica's Monster Transformations. Ridiculously weak, a HUGE grind and not worth the prize at the end anyway.

Rogue Galaxy was a definite step down from DC2, sadly.

Magic Pink

Witchsight wrote: »

Nartwak wrote: »

Don't worry, the ???? become clear as you get more geostones.

I know, but i find it strange you can clear up all the ??? in the second area before you can in the first. The Last thing on my analysis list is still blocked, and ive gotten all the geostones it will give me in Sindain (other than taking the branching dungeon path, which it wont let me). Thats another thing i dont get, the Sun/moon forks. It never tells you when you can or cant take them

It's all story based. It'll be revealed when you get there.

DeVryGuy

I think I probably would have been okay going through the Dungeon Grind if I could have gotten to the point where I got to create cities. The whole creation aspect sounded really interesting, but I cleared one long dungeon, started another one with like 20 levels and never really went back.

Maybe I'll pop it in this weekend and give it another chance. I really dug the plot of the game for as far in as I was.

Magic Pink

DeVryGuy wrote: »

I think I probably would have been okay going through the Dungeon Grind if I could have gotten to the point where I got to create cities. The whole creation aspect sounded really interesting, but I cleared one long dungeon, started another one with like 20 levels and never really went back.

Maybe I'll pop it in this weekend and give it another chance. I really dug the plot of the game for as far in as I was.

So.... you gave up after the first level?

FO' SHAME