Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (Nintendo DS)

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn for the DS is an amazing RPG.
My review is a little biased since I played the previous Golden Sun titles and they are part of my favorite games ever, however, that also gives me a little base of comparison.

As an RPG Golden Sun DD is a great game, it will stand out, it will be fun to play, it will be adictive, but that doesn't take it apart from the many great RPG's on the DS.
As a Golden Sun title I would have to say that, in terms of quality, it would fit between the two previous titles, more enjoyable than the first but not better than the second.

There are many upgrades made in this game, you now have an encyclopedia where you can store most of the game's data when it is presented, battle has improved greatly and I daresay it is the biggest improvement in this title, new psynergy allowing for new cfreative puzzles, impressive artistic design and, as usual, a great story that reminds me of the first game (for some reasons I will not explain, as they are spoilers).

I found the game enjoyable but it has flaws, and some of them are quite disapointing, for instance, the constant roadblocks that never existed in previous games, somewhat cut the game lifespan as they prevent you from re-exploring some places, hindering the overall game experience. Not that the game is small, it just makes it more linear than other games, which is something I really apreciate.

That was a bit general so I'm going to give some detailed explanations now.

Graphics:
Not the best on the DS I must say, but not bad either, as I said before, artistically it is a great game, with some design flaws, the battle sequences are some of the best I ever seen, but the world map and exploration pales a bit in comparison with other games, as the previous Golden Sun titles had some of the best graphics in the GBA, however they are not despicable and they are quite attractive and enjoyable just like it's predecessors.
It doesn't hurt to get to a place and just stare at everything thinking it's beautifull, this game does this sometimes.

Gameplay:
It's great, enjoyable, addicting... you won't get tired soon!
Puzzles are inventive, battles are fun and exploration is the main dish.
Some people say this game is a bit on the easy side, they may be right about that, I found it to be just right, but I have some experience from previous games, and that made the game a lot easier for me, some rookies might find some puzzles troubling, but I think the game has the right difficulty for everyone.
Just be careful of roadblocks if you are a completionist like me.
I found the temples and ruins small compared to Golden Sun: The Lost Age (the second and best entry), as I was expecting 6 floored and labirintic buildings and i got 2 floored and linear places (you will see what i mean when you have to search for the !#$% Gear, sorry spoilers). Halfway through the game it seems like the world squeezes you into the main story, you do get to explore as much as you like later though, but it will still seem weird.

Story:
May be a bit boring in the beggining, even more if you don't know the basis of this game (i think that's why the encyclopedia exists, after 7 years it's kinda tough to remember everything), but it is not a bad one, by all means, every character has it's own reasons to take part in the story, and the plot makes you care for them, a bond is created between player and the game. I dont't want to dwelve into details here, I may bring a lot of spoilers.
Even after completing the game there is stuff to do and your save file will not be blocked, but there is no new game+.

Music:
How I love thee. (Personal Note: I have werid tastes)
Nothing new to the series, the music adds to the atmosphere of the game, but this time around i haven't found a song that got stuck in my mind for weeks, the game does have some impressive tunes though.
The game fails a bit in some sound effects, the one i found most weird is the one that plays when you slide down a slope, it seems weird.

Ok this ended up being a really biased opinion of the game.
To those who have never played Golden Sun before, go ahead and have a great time.
To those who have played Golden Sun before, go ahead and rejoice.
To those who like RPG's, go ahead it's enjoyable.
In any case, I don't think you will regret playing this game.

Let's all hope for a sequel, as it deserves one!

I bought this game after reading a lot of good reviews but sadly it didn't live up to my expectations.
The characters talk and talk and talk so you are constantly just tapping to try and get them to hurry their conversation only for them to start anew soon after. The characters are fairly bland and the mood selection thing quickly grows old. The turn taking style of the game is typical for this sort of game, sometimes adds to the game sometimes feels like it takes forever when so many characters have to take their turn. Lots of little puzzles enhanced the game but overall it was just okay, really don't get the hype.

I have been playing this game for about a week now and love it! The graphics are stunning, the storyline flows and the puzzles are challenging enough without being frustrating. There are random battles but just enough. I personally get frustrated when there is a battle every few seconds when you are trying to solve something. Golden sun is not like that. When you do battle the graphics are fantastic and the options for attacks are so varied it keeps you entertained. I have only played a few RPG's (dragon quest, final fantasy and zelda) but this is my favourite so far. The attention to detail is excellent - it feels like value for money - I say buy it and you won't be disappointed!