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Pokemon Mystery Dungeon 2:Exploring the Time of Darkness or summat

Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-FedRegistered User regular
edited April 2008 in Games and Technology
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon was, arguably, one of the worst games ever on the DS.

And I loved it. <3

And now there's a sequal! Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness!

Here's some changes from the first which, if you're not aware from the title, was a Mystery Dungeon game with pokemon collecting all thrown in and mixed up.
The main gameplay mechanic is the Rescue Team. It initially consists of the main character and his or her partner. After a successful battle, other Pokémon have a chance of joining the rescue team. During a mission, the most a player can bring is three Pokémon; the fourth slot is reserved for an escort Pokémon or a fourth Pokémon that wants to join the team. Another factor is team size. Every Pokémon has a body size of one, two, or four. The maximum team size is six, including new recruits, so if the player has a size six team to begin with he or she cannot recruit any more members.

The game is mission-based with jobs. Jobs can be found on the bulletin board, requested by mail, or initiated through story events, and include rescuing Pokémon, delivering items, or escorting clients. If the player successfully completes a job, they are given a reward. They also earn Rescue Points, which can increase a team's rank. Each mission also comes with a Wonder Mail password. In the main menu, players can input passwords for other Wonder Mail missions, so players can trade Wonder Mail passwords online.

Obviously, there's much more; you have the pokemon move set mechanics and type balance brought over as well as held items, IQ (which affects AI as you only have control over one pokeman in your team) and terrain and status affects.

Now, the known changes:
There is a guild for beginners. It includes multiple rooms with new Pokémon on every floor. The town remains the same from the original Mystery Dungeon with some changes to the shop owners. Two examples of owner changes are Duskull replacing Persian at the Poké Bank, and Marowak replacing Makuhita with the Poké Gym.

All 491 officially revealed Pokémon will be included to be obtainable although some will require special Nintendo Wondermail to unlock the event. This game will also have more exploring in dungeons rather than rescuing. Most starting Pokémon from the first game will be reappearing in this game, though a few of them will be replaced by the current fourth generation starters (Piplup, Turtwig, and Chimchar). Most legendary Pokémon can be recruited like the first game but for some, a special item which is known as the Enigma Part or the ancient Stone Plate is required, or a wonder mail code will be required. Also each version will have its own exclusives which are Pokémon that are only available in that specific version, for example Celebi will only be in Explorers of Time and Mewtwo will only be in Explorers of Darkness. All exclusive Pokémon from both version can be unlocked in only one version by using Wonder Mail codes. However, both Celebi and Mewtwo can only be unlocked in only one version by using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

The story is promised to be even more developed than its predecessor, and the issue of the thinning of the relationship between the player and his or her partner will be taken into consideration. There are also species related items which only affect certain Pokémon.

They've also changed the recruitment procedure; while it still helps to use a highly effective attack on a much lower level Pokemon than you to increase the chances of them joining you, in PMD2 you can't lose the new member if they get killed. In PMD1, a new team member would join you if you had space in the party and then you had to make it out of the dungeon with them in one piece, a tricky thing to do as you'll know if you've ever played a Mystery Dungeon game. In the sequal, once they join, you're done. Even if they get beat, they'll just teleport back to your home base. And no more Friend Areas! Every Pokemon is recruitable right from the get go. Personally, I liked the system in 1.

As in the first game, this game starts with a human (you) waking up after turning into a pokemon. You take a deliciously goofy little personality test to determine which pokemon you turn into and then pick a partner that will stick with you through the entire game. After the main story is finished, you can change out all the pokemon and start evolving them.

Available pokemon to "turn into" are:

Bulbasaur
Charmander
Squirtle
Pikachu
Meowth
Chikorita
Cyndaquil
Totodile
Treecko
Torchic
Mudkip
Skitty
Turtwig
Chimchar
Piplup
Munchlax

One of those annoying "picture" movies from youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvHIVHNIG7Q
A translated movie of the opening of the game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4gkGPFWf64
The very goofy Japanese TV commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6dyGWnjYfA

Lots of fun info over at Seribii.net and Bulbapedia as well.

SO!

I was a Meowth with a Treecko on 1 because I kept getting high scores in quirky and sassy in the personality test. I'm hoping for a Totodile and Pikachu in number 2.

Magic Pink on
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Posts

  • PataPata Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    Yes.

    Pata on
    SRWWSig.pngEpisode 5: Mecha-World, Mecha-nisim, Mecha-beasts
  • Disco BanditDisco Bandit Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    man this game sucked, but I beat it twice

    definitely have to pick up the sequel

    Disco Bandit on
    Pokemon Diamond: 5412 9146 7564
  • Jam WarriorJam Warrior Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    I was Psyduck. I think that means I win straight out the gate.

    The basic dungeon crawliong and Poke recruiting was good fun but the extra dungeons (99 floors, with no checkpoints and limited food) got a bit ridiculous and then leveling recruited Pokes took too long for my patience to last long enough to Catch 'Em All.

    Makes me long for a proper random seeding nethack alike for the DS with equippable items, the one thing sorely missing from Pokemon Mystery Dungeon.

    Jam Warrior on
    MhCw7nZ.gif
  • BlueDestinyBlueDestiny Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    I was Psyduck. I think that means I win straight out the gate.

    The basic dungeon crawliong and Poke recruiting was good fun but the extra dungeons (99 floors, with no checkpoints and limited food) got a bit ridiculous and then leveling recruited Pokes took too long for my patience to last long enough to Catch 'Em All.

    Makes me long for a proper random seeding nethack alike for the DS with equippable items, the one thing sorely missing from Pokemon Mystery Dungeon.

    You wear the unidentified amulet.

    It was an amulet of Death!

    You are dead. Display score? [y/n]

    BlueDestiny on
  • CampionCampion Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    I'd have preferred it if the first game's story covered all of the extra dungeons. After the story was over I didn't feel any connection towards my character, or my partner.
    The DS could definitely use a nice looking roguelike with tons of weapons and armour and stuff.

    Campion on
    4484-7718-8470
  • Jam WarriorJam Warrior Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    I was Psyduck. I think that means I win straight out the gate.

    The basic dungeon crawliong and Poke recruiting was good fun but the extra dungeons (99 floors, with no checkpoints and limited food) got a bit ridiculous and then leveling recruited Pokes took too long for my patience to last long enough to Catch 'Em All.

    Makes me long for a proper random seeding nethack alike for the DS with equippable items, the one thing sorely missing from Pokemon Mystery Dungeon.

    You wear the unidentified amulet.

    It was an amulet of Death!

    You are dead. Display score? [y/n]

    Now that's what I'm talking about!

    Jam Warrior on
    MhCw7nZ.gif
  • DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    I... I was a Machop in the first game.

    Turned out pretty awesome, actually... except for that sky area near the end where I could literally do nothing to any of the enemies. Yeah...

    Never did figure out how to evolve into Machamp, and the Machoke sprite was ugly enough that I didn't want to be stuck in that form for any amount of time, so I just gave up on trying to evolve him. Then I set the game aside when other DS games came out.

    I might pick up a sequel, but yeah, it's going to need a much more compelling story.

    DarkPrimus on
  • Mojo_JojoMojo_Jojo We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourse Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    I never actually finished the first game. I worry I'm getting bored of pokemon after I gave up on Diamond after getting to Victory Road just after I gave up on Mysterious Dungeon.

    They should just make it more of a console roguelike. Like that gamegear game where you had the dragon egg following you. Or Azure Dreams.

    Mojo_Jojo on
    Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
  • Jam WarriorJam Warrior Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    DarkPrimus wrote: »
    I... I was a Machop in the first game.

    Turned out pretty awesome, actually... except for that sky area near the end where I could literally do nothing to any of the enemies. Yeah...

    Never did figure out how to evolve into Machamp, and the Machoke sprite was ugly enough that I didn't want to be stuck in that form for any amount of time, so I just gave up on trying to evolve him. Then I set the game aside when other DS games came out.

    I might pick up a sequel, but yeah, it's going to need a much more compelling story.

    You had to finish the game to get evolution.

    Jam Warrior on
    MhCw7nZ.gif
  • MrBlarneyMrBlarney Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    Mmm, roguelikes. or rather, roguelites. I just don't have the energy to think about all the things that have to go into planning a dungeon run through a more traditional roguelike game, so the console roguelikes that have simpler systems are quite appealing to me. I played through the main story for the first Pokemon Mysterious Dungeon game, but didn't do much of the post-game stuff... it just didn't grab me like a normal Pokemon game does.

    I kind of want to hijack the thread though, by mentioning that SEGA is bringing over Shiren the Wanderer DS to the US in early March (various websites seem to claim March 4). It's a port of the great Super Famicom roguelike made by Chunsoft, the same company that developed the Pokemon Mysterious Dungeon games, but with a few extra features. If you're any kind of fan of roguelike games, I urge you to look into the game.

    MrBlarney on
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  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    I saw the Shiren game but it looked a little too similar to that Japanese one that Atlus released last year. What makes Shiren so special?

    Magic Pink on
  • AshtonDragonAshtonDragon AKA The Nix Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    Oh god, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. Memories of me saying how easy I was finding the game and everyone else bitching about difficulty. Good times.

    I wonder if Protect is still broken in this one.

    AshtonDragon on
  • UncleChetUncleChet N00b Lancaster, PARegistered User regular
    edited February 2008
    I played the hell out of the first mystery dungeon, and even gave a copy to my nieces to play. Not sure if I want this one or not.

    UncleChet on
    I'm sometimes grumpy and random, feel free to overlook the strange man in the corner.
  • FuruFuru Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    I am irked that they cut most of the non-starter Pokemon you can be from this one.

    I mean, Skitty, Munchlax, and Meowth.

    That's it now.

    Furu on
  • MrBlarneyMrBlarney Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    Magic Pink wrote: »
    I saw the Shiren game but it looked a little too similar to that Japanese one that Atlus released last year. What makes Shiren so special?

    The game is a bit closer to a traditional roguelike in that, each time you die or start the game anew, you always start at level 1 and without any equipment. However, each time you try to make it up Table Mountain (which is the main dungeon of the game), your actions and interactions with other NPCs in the game will affect how future journeys may go to a minor extent. It is possible to save up items in warehouses in the towns that you pass by during the journey to increase your chances of success as well, but for the most part it's a harder roguelike closer to traditional roguelikes than Atlus' Izuna game or the Pokemon Mysterious Dungeon games.

    There are a few articles in Game Set Watch's @ play column about the game: Part 1 and Part 2 detail a particular run through the game, so there are some spoilers for those planning on playing through. A third article was also written about Shiren that contains post-game spoilers for one of the extra dungeons.

    MrBlarney on
    4463rwiq7r47.png
  • urahonkyurahonky Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    I played this for about an hour or two at most. And holy shit did it suck. I couldn't bear to go through it... I wish I hadn't bought it. :(

    Something about it just didn't feel right. I can't explain what it was.

    urahonky on
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    urahonky wrote: »
    I played this for about an hour or two at most. And holy shit did it suck. I couldn't bear to go through it... I wish I hadn't bought it. :(

    Something about it just didn't feel right. I can't explain what it was.

    The Mystery Dungeon games are a love it or hate it phenomena, it's true.

    Magic Pink on
  • LordOfMeepLordOfMeep Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    Furu wrote: »
    I am irked that they cut most of the non-starter Pokemon you can be from this one.

    I mean, Skitty, Munchlax, and Meowth.

    That's it now.

    No Cubone. :(

    NO EEVEE D:

    I liked the first one, looking forward to this one, too.

    LordOfMeep on
    SpaceGarSig.png
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    It does seem awfully odd they cut a bunch of Pokemon to be.

    And by odd I mean stupid. And why can't I be gastly? Or misdreavus?

    Magic Pink on
  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    edited February 2008
    First day purchase. The original game consumed a week of my life.

    Glal on
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    I'm still playing the original game. The only reason I stopped is because the sequal finally got confirmed and I have a backlog that could feed a family of 12 for 3 years.

    Magic Pink on
  • DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    DarkPrimus wrote: »
    I... I was a Machop in the first game.

    Turned out pretty awesome, actually... except for that sky area near the end where I could literally do nothing to any of the enemies. Yeah...

    Never did figure out how to evolve into Machamp, and the Machoke sprite was ugly enough that I didn't want to be stuck in that form for any amount of time, so I just gave up on trying to evolve him. Then I set the game aside when other DS games came out.

    I might pick up a sequel, but yeah, it's going to need a much more compelling story.

    You had to finish the game to get evolution.

    Uh... yeah, I know. I had beaten the game. But I didn't know how to get the Machamp evolution, as you could walk in as a Machop and get evolved to Machoke, but then it said you couldn't just evolve to Machamp.

    DarkPrimus on
  • PataPata Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    DarkPrimus wrote: »

    Uh... yeah, I know. I had beaten the game. But I didn't know how to get the Machamp evolution, as you could walk in as a Machop and get evolved to Machoke, but then it said you couldn't just evolve to Machamp.

    You needed a Link Cable. :rotate:

    Pata on
    SRWWSig.pngEpisode 5: Mecha-World, Mecha-nisim, Mecha-beasts
  • DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    That's funny.

    DarkPrimus on
  • LordOfMeepLordOfMeep Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    DarkPrimus wrote: »
    That's funny.

    No, you see. There's an actual Link Cable item in the game that you offer to the evolution stone thing when evolving Pokemon that required trading in the "real" Pokemon games. I'm not kidding. It's why you're given the option of offering two items, for those Pokemon that required trading with an item attached.

    You can find one by going to any dungeon you already got an HM from, one'll be there instead of the HM you already have.

    LordOfMeep on
    SpaceGarSig.png
  • DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    Well I don't know that I even want to bother to go through the trouble, as I don't even know what item I need to evolve him to Machamp anyway, nor where to get it.

    DarkPrimus on
  • Kay2Kay2 Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    No item needed, just a trade. So one item in PMD, which would be the Link Cable.

    Kay2 on
  • DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    I didn't know you could trade Pokemon with PMD. I thought you could only help others on a rescue.

    DarkPrimus on
  • Disco BanditDisco Bandit Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    I don't think you can trade pokemon with PMD.... I think it was just, you pick up the "Link Cable" item, and give it to the evolve guy, and then you can evolve...?

    It's been quite some time since I played, so I might be 100% right, 100% wrong, or somewhere in between.

    Disco Bandit on
    Pokemon Diamond: 5412 9146 7564
  • Kay2Kay2 Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    You give it the link cable. You send it into the evolution cave. It evolves.

    Kay2 on
  • LordOfMeepLordOfMeep Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    LordOfMeep on
    SpaceGarSig.png
  • Jam WarriorJam Warrior Registered User regular
    edited April 2008
    Bumping for it being out now (I think) and wanting impressions.

    Jam Warrior on
    MhCw7nZ.gif
  • RiokennRiokenn Registered User regular
    edited April 2008
    Can't wait to get it so that I can E-Mail you gais and rescue me when I FAIL in a dungeon. :D

    Riokenn on
    OmSUg.pngrs3ua.pngvVAdv.png
  • LordGekLordGek Registered User regular
    edited April 2008
    Re-posting from an errantly made new thread:

    Hey Gang,

    Please excuse my idiocy if this thread already exists but I didn't see it. So who got sucked into giving this another try? I feel a bit like a hypocrite myself for getting this game. I'm a HUGE fan of the Mystery Dungeon games but have gone on record stating, while technically clever in combining the Pokemon and Mystery Dungeon mechanics, I found PMD1 fairly weak. I'm appreciating the improvements I see in this one so far (much more challenging while streamlining some awkward bits of the last incarnation), but MAN is it talky (way to many, "release control of your characters as we have them walk through some silly unskippable story dialogs".

    LordGek on
  • VaregaVarega Registered User regular
    edited April 2008
    Right here, picked it up on my dinner break, and it started off actually decently. I'll be playing it most of tomorrow.

    Varega on
    League of Legends:Varega
  • eelektrikeelektrik Southern CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    edited April 2008
    I'm still considering getting it but haven't decided, I'm still playing Shiren right now though.

    eelektrik on
    (She/Her)
  • LordGekLordGek Registered User regular
    edited April 2008
    eelektrik wrote: »
    I'm still considering getting it but haven't decided, I'm still playing Shiren right now though.

    I got weak myself but unless a big Pokemon fan or a big fan of the last one I really can't recommend it I'm afraid. I think it's an improvement for the most part from the first one but mainly more the same and the story stuff is getting a little overpowering for me right now (it seems like after almost every game day you have to sit through a few minutes of little unskippable cutscenes). Even more painful is if a cutscene refers to a previous cutscene they aren't content to just state in text, "Oh look, it's the bad guys we saw in the cave the other day!", Ohhh no, we need to replay parts of THAT VERY CUTSCENE once again in black and white (so you can tell it's a flashback, of course).

    LordGek on
  • eelektrikeelektrik Southern CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    edited April 2008
    Wow, a fair review for a Rogue-like for a change.

    Gamespy actually had a decently written review of the game from someone who understands Roguelikes, as opposed to IGN's ignorant bitch fest.

    eelektrik on
    (She/Her)
  • ErgandarErgandar Registered User regular
    edited April 2008
    Yeah, that IGN review was appalling.

    I'll ask for this for my far-off birthday. D:

    Ergandar on
    RachelSig.jpg
  • LordGekLordGek Registered User regular
    edited April 2008
    Ergandar wrote: »
    Yeah, that IGN review was appalling.

    I'll ask for this for my far-off birthday. D:

    Good call. It may get better by then! :P

    LordGek on
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