Thanks to the success of remakes and re-releases
of old games, nostalgia has become an important part of our industry. More and
more developers are designing their games to play like they were made 20 years
ago. If you’re not a gamer, that might sound crazy. Who in their right mind
would make a movie that way? (Black and white overlays don’t count.) But if you
loved the NES or any game machine before it, you know that there are some
classic gameplay styles that must be relived.
The Dark Spire, a new RPG for Nintendo DS, is
retro role-playing in every sense of the word. The Dark Spire differs from other
retro RPGs in that it cuts the traditional (and often expected) elements out of
the picture. Played from a first-person perspective, most of what you experience
is visualized as simply as possible. Battles are presented with fewer graphic
details than Pokemon; the details themselves, however, are quite expansive. This
is more severe than the average RPG, which typically allows players to blast
through the game with brute force. The Dark Spire is much less forgiving,
dropping several bombs – traps, difficult enemies and few gameplay explanations
– that’ll really test your skills and determination.
Classic or Really Classic
As is, The Dark Spire is the epitome of
old-school. If you want to go back even further to the genre’s introduction,
players can switch to a classic visual display that converts the backgrounds,
character info and menu screens to wireframes. Even the sounds change, allowing
the game to fool anyone into believing it was made 20+ years ago. For the
nostalgic effect alone, this mode is pretty cool.
Regardless of the graphics you wish to view, The
Dark Spire’s gameplay remains unchanged. In the beginning, you’ll have to build
a team of four characters whose health, strength and semi-random stats may not
be optimal. There are four races to choose from: Human, Halfling, Elf and Dwarf;
each has an advantage in battle abilities, alignment choices and/or class
selection. Your alignment decides who you choose to support: the Gods of Order
or Gods of Chaos. Neither seems to be better than the other, though it’s
impossible to know that up front since the game doesn’t indicate any pros or
cons in either direction. Humans and Halflings may choose either side or stay
neutral; Dwarves, however, are always lawful (following the Order), and Elves
insist on remaining neutral.
Whichever races you choose, stat points must then
be assigned (to strength, vitality, intelligence, dexterity and charisma) to
determine which character classes are available. Now suppose one of your
characters has at least 11 strength points – he can choose to become a warrior.
Suppose another character has at least 11 intelligence points – he may choose to
become a mage. The other two classes are thief and priest, the latter of which
is gifted with holy spells.
Battle of the Past
As you venture out into the world, tough battles
are delivered at random, making the game very difficult from the start. Enemies
appear as a single-frame image; attacking them will not reveal how much damage
is dealt per strike. Since this is a menu-, not visual-based RPG, repetition is
unavoidable. That, however, is not as disheartening as watching the enemy defeat
your weak party time and time again, a fate that is guaranteed to befall even
the most skilled role-players. World navigation consists of moving through a
generic first-person world, with walls and corridors that often look the same.
Unquestionably, this is a game of acquired taste.
If this were a more modern RPG (or even a typical
2D release), the battles may have been too frustrating for their own good. But
in the spirit of really old-school gaming, The Dark Spire is unusually
compelling. The music is the partial culprit – despite being a game that wants
to have come from the ‘80s, the score sounds like it was inspired by the last 15
to 20 years of RPGs. There are hints of early Square games ranging from Final
Fantasy to Parasite Eve, but never once does the game approach the point of
sounding like a knock-off. Every song is a leap in another direction, and yet
there is still enough continuity within the music to prevent it from sounding
like a compilation. The Dark Spire currently comes packed with a CD of music
from the game, and let me tell you – there aren’t any DS games that deserved it
more.
If games were recommended based on music alone,
The Dark Spire would be a must-play. Taking the gameplay into consideration,
this is not an RPG that everyone will embrace. It was specifically designed for
one group of gamers, leaving the Final Fantasy/Dragon Quest fans to look for
something else (which is hardly a problem considering that most other RPGs were
designed for them). Those who have been craving what The Dark Spire has to offer
will be overjoyed and potentially overwhelmed – while the basic elements (such
as character creation) may be simple enough, only the most patient players will
be able to make it through the game’s darkest, most difficult hours.
Review Scoring Details for The Dark Spire |
Gameplay: 7.8
Cutthroat role-playing without any of the bells and whistles of modern-day
gaming. Great for a very specific class of gamers.
Graphics: 6
Take a look at any of the screenshots and you’ll see a game that is very
primitive. The artwork is good, especially within the context of ‘70s- or
‘80s-era gaming. But the graphics are hardly standout.
Sound: 9.3
A monumental work of art that will be cherished by anyone who loves great
music.
Difficulty: Hard
One of the most difficult RPGs made for the DS.
Concept: 7.9
It’s not easy to say that The Dark Spire was a good "concept" – it is, after
all, based on RPGs of the past. But the end product is very well conceived.
Overall: 7.8
If you acquire the taste of The Dark Spire, it will engage and entertain
your senses for hours.
