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Golden Sun: Dark Dawn

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North American box art
Developer(s)Camelot Software Planning
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Composer(s)Motoi Sakuraba
SeriesGolden Sun
Platform(s)Nintendo DS
Genre(s)Role-playing game
Mode(s)Single-player

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, released in Japan as Ōgon no Taiyō Shikkokunaru Yoake (黄金の太陽：漆黒なる夜明け, literally "Golden Sun: Black Dawn"), is a role-playing game for the Nintendo DS developed by Camelot Software Planning.[5] It is the third title in the Golden Sun series, and is set 30 years after the events of the first two games. It was featured in Nintendo's E3 2010 presentation,[6] where its official name and release window were revealed. It was released in North America on November 29, 2010 and in Europe on December 10, 2010.

Gameplay

The gameplay is similar to the previous installments; in battle, the same options of Attack, Defense, Djinn, Summon, Status and Run are present, but with a new view, as the camera can rotate 360 degrees. There are also new animations of summons.

Synopsis

Plot

The game picks up 30 years after the first two games in the series left off. At the end of Golden Sun: The Lost Age, the heroes succeeded in bringing the world-healing power of the Golden Sun back to the world of Weyard. In the years since, the immense power of the Golden Sun has changed nearly everything. Continents have shifted, new countries have emerged, and new species have appeared. But the world is now imperiled by a new threat. Psynergy Vortexes, which suck the elemental Psynergy from both the land and power-wielding Adepts alike, are spreading across the world. A new generation of heroes - the children of those from the previous games - are drawn into the mystery behind the vortexes, as they cross a chaotic world that is succumbing to a new evil.[7]

The story begins at a cabin that overlooks the site where Mt. Aleph sank 30 years ago. There, a grown up Isaac and Garet live and observe the site with their sons, Matthew and Tyrell respectively. Karis, the daughter of Ivan, has come to visit and is chastising Tyrell when he commandeers the Soarwing, a flying device developed by her father for reaching Sol Sanctum, which may still contain mysteries pertaining to Alchemy. Unfortunately, Tyrell loses control and crashes, prompting the others to go rescue him from the nearby Tanglewood forest.

In a psynergy crystal mine, the group encounter a large Psynergy vortex and a plant creature that has been mutated by the phenomenon. After defeating the creature and saving Tyrell, Isaac and Garet decide to task the children with retrieving a Roc feather from the legendary Mountain Roc bird, which is a vital component for making another soarwing. Isaac decides to contact Kraden, who like Garet and himself, has not aged much since being exposed to the Golden Sun. At the camp where they are to meet Kraden, an accident makes the bridge inaccessible, and forces a change in plans. At the caverns beneath a crumbling temple, Matthew and his friends finally meet up with Kraden, who is accompanied by Rief and Nowell, two water adepts and the children of Mia.

However, Matthew, Tyrell, and Karis are ambushed by mysterious soldiers and are forced to fight, during which Rief is kidnapped. The soldiers are led by two men, a masked figure and a swordsman named Blados, who belong to a group called the Tuaparang. They promise to release Rief, but don't say which exit, which forces Matthew and the others to take the nearest exit in the hopes of finding and saving Kraden's apprentice. Luckily, Rief is found unharmed, but Blados has sealed the exit behind the group, forcing them to pass through the Ei-Jei region of Angara to reach Morgal and Kraden.

Matthew and the party make their way to the village of Passaj. There, they discover a device called the "Alchemy Forge", one of two devices that may help the party reach Morgal. However, the device will not fully activate without the Sol Mask, which is hidden in a labyrinth called the Ouroboros beneath the kingdom of Kaocho. In Kaocho, Matthew and the others are greeted by a woman named Chalis, another member of the Tuaparang. Chalis has convinced Emperor Wo of Kaocho that Matthew and the gang can infiltrate the southern kingdom of Ayathay and obtain the means to entering the Ouroboros. But when they refuse, the four are nearly trapped in the labyrinth.

After escaping, they head for Ayathay, where they meet Amiti, another Mercury adept whose father was a mysterious and powerful adept who passed by 20 years ago, activating the Alchemy Well, which generates water. Amiti joins the group and eventually they are able to make their way over Craggy Peak and arrive in a small village called Te Rya, where they meet Ryu Kou and his tutor, Hou Zan. The two are attempting to save Ryu's sister, Hou Ju from the country of Morgal, which is ruled by the beastmen, a race of animal/human hybrids that emerged after the Golden Sun event. Ryu Kou's father was killed during a bloody conflict with the beastmen, and his sister is set for execution on the next full moon.

On their way to Belinsk, the capital of Morgal, Matthew and the party encounter a beastman girl named Sveta, a Jupiter Adept who can read minds (much like Karis' father, Ivan) who briefly joins Matthew to help his party reach Morgal, but departs when she learns of the party's intention to fight the Mountain Roc. In Belinsk, the group are unable to find Kraden, and decide to explore the surrounding area. In Port Rago, Matthew meets an aged Briggs (a pirate encountered in the Lost Age) who is preparing to invade Belinsk in order to save his son, Eoleo who was captured by King Volechek, the ruler of Morgal. Traveling to Kolima Forest (a location from the first game, which was moved Westward after the Golden Sun), Matthew and the gang meet Tret and Laurel, two guardian trees that had aided Isaac and his party 30 years ago. Before helping Matthew on his way, Tret hints that Amiti may be somehow related to Rief, while Laurel instructs the group to avoid activating the Alchemy Dynamo located in the ruins beneath Belinsk.

Before reaching Talon Peak and the nest of the Mountain Roc, Ryu Kou reappears with a message from Sveta. Here, the group learns that she is Volechek's younger sister, and that she left in order to help procure a means for Matthew and the others to gain access to the Mountain Roc. After accquiring the feather, Blados and Chalis appear, and coerce Ryu Kou into betraying Matthew and taking the Magma orb, a stone necessary for activating the Alchemy Dynamo. Returning to Belinsk after reuniting a band, as their secret song is needed to access the ruins, Matthew and the others once more meet up with Sveta, as well as Ryu Kou and Hou Zan.

At the heart of the ruins, Blados and Chalis reappear, along with the masked man, who addresses himself as Arcanus. After fighting Blados and Chalis, the party discover that Arcanus has forced Ryu Kou into activating the Alchemy Dynamo. Arcanus then explains that the ruins are really a tower, much like the Lighthouses from the previous games, and that it is a machine that harnesses the light.

After securing Ryu Kou's sister and saving Eoleo, the Grave eclipse appears over Belinsk, covering much of Weyard in darkness and summoning terrifying monsters. In the confusion, Briggs is killed trying to reach his son and the gang, and Volechek resigns himself to staying in his now destroyed kingdom, but not before giving Sveta an orb that may help them reverse the Grave Eclipse. Eoleo then appoints Matthew captain of his father's ship, while Kraden informs Rief that his sister has left to sail with Piers.

Traveling the world for clues, Matthew's party learns that the only way to stop the Grave Eclipse is the Apollo Lens, a device built by the ancients of Weyard. Along the way, they meet a Venus Adept named Himi who is the daughter of Kushinda from Izumo (an area from the Lost Age), and collect a set of armor called the Umbra Gears. Traversing the massive Endless Wall, the gang reaches the Apollo Lens, where they are once more confronted by Arcanus and the Tuaparang. Here, it is revealed the Arcanus is none other than Alex, who has seemingly survived his apparent demise at the end of the previous game. In a strange twist, Alex stalls Blados and Chalis for time and allows Matthew and the others to reach the device.

But before they can reach the Lens, a mysterious creature called the Chaos Hound appears, and Matthew and the others are forced to fight it. After the battle, Sveta tearfully realizes the creature is her brother, Volechek. When Matthew attempts to activate the Lens, the pure light radiating from the area repels him. Sveta resigns herself to activating the device herself, despite the risk to her life. Linking her spirit with Matthew, the two prepare to activate the Lens when Volechek intervenes, having regained his senses. The beastmen King sacrifices his life, ending the eclipse and saving the world from its darkness.

Sometime later, Sveta has been crowned the new Queen of Belinsk and sees Matthew and his friends off as they prepare to leave. Rief decides to continue traveling with Kraden in the hopes of reuniting with his sister, Nowell, while Eoleo plans on returning Himi to her home in Yamata before heading back to Champa. Saying their farewells, Matthew, Karis, and Tyrell head back home to Goma Plateau.

After the credits, Matthew and his friends return to the cabin near Mt. Aleph, only to witness a massive Psynergy Vortex of immense size appear (presumably the Mourning Moon), and the words "The End...?" flash across the screen.

Characters

The game's core team of characters is made up of the sons and daughters of the previous two games' heroes. Characters from the original games including Isaac, Garet and Kraden return, some of whom are playable at certain points.

Matthew is a Venus Adept, the son of Isaac and Jenna,[8] and Dark Dawn's main protagonist. Tyrell is a Mars Adept like his father, Garet, [8]. Karis is a Jupiter Adept and daughter of Ivan.[8] Rief[9] is a Mercury Adept and the son of Mia[8] and is an apprentice of Kraden's[8] along with his sister Nowell.[8] Antagonists include three new characters called Blados, Chalis, and Arcanus who are members of a clandestine group from the militaristic nation of Tuaparang.[8]

Other characters include Himi, a priestess of Yamatai and a Venus Adept who possesses the power of prophecy that she inherited from her mother, Kushinada; Eoleo, a Mars Adept, son of Briggs[8] and the new leader of Champa,[8] now a pirate kingdom (Eoleo was seen in the previous game as a toddler, and was seen using psynergy several times, although it was weak and he had little control over it); Sveta, a female Jupiter Adept and member of the new beastman race[8] that has mutated from humans since the Golden Sun came into existence.[8] Excelling in the 5 senses, she can read the minds of her company and sense unique smells, and is able to use visualized Psynergy. Amiti is a Mercury Adept and a prince of the water kingdom Ayuthay. Tret also mentions that Amiti has a similar aura as Rief, meaning Amiti is related to Rief through the Mercury Clan.[8] Blados and Chalis are Dark Adepts.

Djinn

There are 72 usable Djinn in the game, with 11 others owned by Isaac and Garet that are unusable. While some of the Djinn return from the original series, many are brand new. All Djinn now have a distinct appearance, and many unlock abilities that help your characters progress through the game.[10][specify]

Development

Talk of a third entry in the Golden Sun series began as soon as the second title was released. In 2003, Camelot stated that "the current status of a third game ... is still up in the air",[11] while the studio's founding brothers Hiroyuki and Shugo Takahashi stated in a 2004 interview that the scenarios of the first two games were intended as "prologues to the real event yet to come", with rumours at the time suggesting a third title might surface on the Nintendo GameCube.[12]

The lack of updates on any new releases following The Lost Age propagated several hoaxes. This included the unveiling of a Nintendo DS game called Golden Sun: The Solar Soothsayer, which was reportedly shown off at a small pre-E3 2007 gathering.[13] After this was decried as a hoax by official sources,[14] the hoax's author confessed he made it in order to generate more discussion about the series and a sequel.[15]

Speculation about a third Golden Sun title persisted, as the Takahashi brothers commented in October 2007 that they still wanted to make a third game, going so far as to say that they "have to" and that Nintendo had indeed asked them to make another. They claimed that they had not already as they simply wished to give the title the development time it deserved.[16] In April 2008, Nintendo Power magazine interviewed Shugo Takahashi on one of his latest games. When questioned regarding a third Golden Sun, Takahashi replied "A new Golden Sun? Well, I personally think that I want to play a new RPG, too..."[17]

Golden Sun DS was finally announced during Nintendo's press conference at E3 2009, with a release date set for the 2010 holiday season.[18] Ensuing media from the conference shows that elemental Djinn (representing earth, fire, wind, and water, which in the series universe are referred to as Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Mercury respectively) and certain summons will return from the previous games in the series.[19] At E3 2010, the title's name was announced as Golden Sun: Dark Dawn and a playable demo was made available to attendees.[citation needed]

Reception

Nintendo Power gave the game a score of 8 out of 10. Praise was given to the game's graphics and puzzles, while some criticism was given to the game's difficulty feeling a bit low.[20] 1UP gave the game a B.[21] Golden Sun: Dark Dawn currently has a score of 80 out of 100 on Metacritic[22] and has a 80.64% score on Gamerankings.[23] Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game a 7.5 out of 10, praising the game for its clever puzzles and battle system, but complaining about the lengthy dialogue and cutscenes. X-Play rated the game 4 out of 5 stars, stating the game is great for fans of the series and fans of RPG games. The Official Nintendo Magazine gave it 92%. Destructoid gave it an 8.5 out of 10. Edge awarded the game 8/10 stating that "despite its lack of teeth... Golden Sun remains a franchise with plenty to say."[24]

References

  1. ^ "Nintendo Press Release". Press.nintendo.com. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
  2. ^ [1][dead link]
  3. ^ "黄金の太陽 漆黒なる夜明け". Nintendo.co.jp. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
  4. ^ "Golden Sun: Dark Dawn - Nintendo DS - EB Games Australia". Ebgames.com.au. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
  5. ^ Gantayat, Anoop (2009-07-31). "Nintendo Details Release Plans - DS News at IGN". Uk.ds.ign.com. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
  6. ^ "E3 2010 Showfloor Map on GameSpot". E3.gamespot.com. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
  7. ^ "Nintendo E3 Network | Nintendo DS". E3.nintendo.com. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Camelot Software Planning (2010). Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (Nintendo DS). Nintendo. Level/area: In-game Encyclopedia.
  9. ^ Publishing, Activision. "Golden Sun: Dark Dawn: Video Games: Reviews, Prices & more". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
  10. ^ "IGN - Golden Sun: Get Up To Speed".
  11. ^ Varanini, Giancarlo (2003-06-02). "Next Golden Sun in the Works?". GameSpot. Retrieved 2006-11-06.
  12. ^ Louie the Cat (2004-06-30). "Rumor: Golden Sun for Gamecube?". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved 2007-10-09.
  13. ^ Barndinelli, John (2007-06-11). "Golden Sun DS shown at small Nintendo gathering". Joystiq. Retrieved 2008-01-01.
  14. ^ Caoili, Eric (2007-06-12). "NOT E307: Fake Golden Sun DS announced". DS Fanboy. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
  15. ^ Vuckovic, Daniel (2007-06-17). "Vooks.net Interview". Retrieved 2008-01-21.
  16. ^ Berghammer, Billy (2007-10-09). "The Knights Of Camelot: The Camelot Planning Interview". Game Informer. Archived from the original on 2008-01-16. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
  17. ^ Staff (2008). "Interview with Shugo Takahashi". Nintendo Power. 227: 63. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  18. ^ "E3: Nintendo's Conference - All The New Games!". Official Nintendo Magazine. 2009-06-02. Retrieved 2009-06-02.
  19. ^ "Previewing Golden Sun DS". Gaming Union. 2009-06-02. Retrieved 2009-06-02.
  20. ^ "Nintendo Power Review with new Screenies(Scans)". Boards.goldensunrealm.com. 2010-11-25. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
  21. ^ "Golden Sun Dark Dawn Review for DS from". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
  22. ^ "Golden Sun: Dark Dawn for DS Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic.com. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
  23. ^ "Golden Sun: Dark Dawn for DS". GameRankings. 2010-11-29. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
  24. ^ Edge #223, January 2011 (Future PLC)

External links

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