Dark Chronicle: The Best Game You've Never Played

[@Whatyoudexpect]

Big ups to Astrobot adding in a bot for Maximillian! Made me lose my mind when first playing through it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5C2kmB4qLhge6M

[@MythicVS]

ooooh! Thats who thats suppose to be! :O Thats so cool!!!

[@nifferwolf]

Prob my fav game of all time. No idea how many hours I've sunk in to this game. Amazing.

[@jacealbine]

Level 5 has let us down by not carrying on this franchise.

[@my_username_was_already_taken]

Not only is there golf, but there's also fishing, fish breeding, and fish fighting What an insane game

[@Clos93]

Don't forget the town building, monster collecting, and the awesome crafting system.

[@xald1234114]

Fish racing also!

[@ishmaelforester9825]

And you could customise the robot.

[@grobtongles]

God this hit me right in the nostalgia. thanks for making this

[@moosecannibal8224]

I still play this game, it's one of the few old games I can actually bring myself to play because it just feels so.... *FULL* of *actually enjoyable* gameplay and things to do

[@kayincontrol8930]

This is MY FAVORITE GAME EVER of literally all time I’m so glad it exists

[@ttewelow1]

I've played a lot of the popular PS2 games such as the Jak Daxter series, the Sly Cooper series, the Ratchet and Clank original trilogy as well as the 1st 2 Kingdom Hearts and God of War games and I can tell you this game by itself is probably one of the greatest experiences I've ever had on a console. It is easily as good if not better than all of the aforementioned games. In fact it's probably Level 5's best game ever made and it is very well worth the time and money anyone chooses to invest into it. No matter how many positive things I can ever say about this game, I cannot sing it's praises enough. It is a game that has to be played to be understood

[@Whatyoudexpect]

Glad to hear there's still people who have love for this game as well :D

[@ttewelow1]

@@Whatyoudexpect Well it's because of how good this game was that there was and, to a degree, still is such an outpouring for a Dark Cloud 3

[@ImRedprint]

Should i play 1 or 2 though for a first timer

[@ttewelow1]

@@ImRedprint Personally I would play them in order. Despite not being quite as good as it's sequel, the original Dark Cloud is still a good game. Once you get to 2 though, you'll see how much better it is

[@OffTheRailGaming]

Well said. People watching this game might not understand, but when I was a kid I spent like 10 hours just leveling up my fishes and creating a super fish. The kids these days will never experience anything that grand.

[@alexthomasbridges]

Don't understand how the game doesn't get more praise, how they even made a game this good, and why this video doesn't have more views. Really good video really good game really really good yes

[@gamerelated8985]

This game gets overwhelming praise wtf are you talking about? This isn't a hidden gem and is purchaseable right now on playstation...

[@Swiftfox96]

Just remembered this game. Glad to see someone else appreciate it! I just downloaded to play for the first time since I was a kid.

[@rr.2194]

Out of hundreds, possibly thousands of games I've played. This game will always be my #1. The world, the music, the atmosphere. Absolute timeless. I try to play this game at least every year. It still never gets old.

[@brianpendell6085]

You do know there's a bonus chapter after the final boss, right? Chapter 8: Takes place in the Palm Brinks mine. New enemies, new boss, and a -- not so much a new ending as a coda to the last one. You'll get Monica back from the future as well, though it takes a few rooms in the new dungeon to make that happen.

[@4chance610]

a pain to fight through, technically counts as post-game content, and comes with my favorite dungeon theme in the game.

[@macky5636]

Bro. I never thought I’d EVER see someone do the grenade gun path. You are truly a masochist

[@Whatyoudexpect]

wasn't worth it

[@dimensionalnemesis8636]

Huh, always thought it was broken because its the only Weapon in the entire game with no Damage Penalty against Robots so i kicked major ass with it.

[@matthewkuscienko4616]

The grenade gun path is my go-to weapon for guns, and it's a lot better than people think if you know what you're doing with it. The rate of fire may be slow, but it's more than strong enough to make up for that and the shots even can sometimes home in on an enemy to an extent

[@thealmightyjack]

This game is so good that as a kid I had well over a hundred hours in the fishing mechanics alone. I was catching and breeding fish like nobody's business and I'd have so many fish saved up that I'd have my friends place bets on the fish racing and fish fighting games. Name an open world, RPG, or adventure game with the sheer amount of high quality and fun game mechanics as the Dark Cloud series. You can't because it's still better than a lot that's being released even today.

[@CapJujubee]

Glad to see someone else loves this game the way I do. I've been playing it around once every 1-2 years for around 15 years now and I still love every second of it.

[@GamingProductions69]

This is my all time favourite game, downloaded it last night after not having played since 2016. Looking forward to wrapping it again!

[@elcrowman]

Awesome video! This game was a huge part of my childhood, the soundtrack has never left my head.

[@SKRD100]

Absolutely legendary game, even a better one than the prequel. I spent HOURS playing it, making the weapons playing golf OH AND YOU FORGOT ABOUT FISHING MAN THAT WAS AWESOME TOO. you know a game is great when they make fishing a really fun part of it. Catching the special fish and stuff Holly shit I just can’t stop smiling.

[@TheRealMVK]

There are so many things i can say about this game... but i'll just say that when i was playing this as a kid, i got really excited everytime the "fishing contest" notification appeared. That just says a lot about what this game can do, and the level of detail that it was put to it. I really needed this video, thank you

[@migjordanpayawal7856]

I was so lucky to have played this game in my childhood. It really is an underrated gem from back in the PS2 days. Every aspect of the game was top-notch.

[@MadobeNanao]

Don't forget about fishing, fish breeding, and fish racing. Also Dark Cloud 2 really was amazing.

[@michaelmcguire7526]

This game is very nearly perfect. A near flawless blend of quality and quantity. One of the finest games i’ve ever played

[@Cazmik8]

Amazing video. I bought this game back in 2003 or 04. Didn't know what it was, found it by chance in a shelf in a random videogame store and I liked the anime cover. I was 13 y/o and didn't know much about games, and this blew my mind. At first it was overwhelming, but bit by bit I got the hang of it and found myself enjoying every minute. It's one of the most unique and ahead of its time games I've ever played, and I treasure it as an amazing videogame experience in my adolescence. When I discovered the city builder mechanics, that was the turning point that made it become a masterpiece of its time for me. Thank you for doing this video and helping me remember some good old times.

[@Whatyoudexpect]

Happy to help share the love and experiences

[@LoneLobo21]

Dark Cloud 1 and 2 and Final Fantasy X were the main reasons i asked my parents for a PS2 when I was a kid. Will always love this game and it's predecessor.

[@xizar0rg]

Dark Cloud, Dark Cloud 2 (or Dark Chronicle), and Rogue Galaxy (sort-of Dark Cloud 3) are currently available on the PS4 -store for people wanting a legal avenue to (re)visit the games. (Wild Arms 3 is also there, which might also be enjoyed by those who like these sorts of games.)

[@LunarWingCloud]

Second favorite game of all time. There's so many good things to love about this game. The style, the characters, the soundtrack, the story, the weapons, the dungeon exploration, the Georama, like everything is just a joy. I didn't just feel like I was playing a great game, I felt immersed in a world.

[@moonboy5851]

What’s your favorite?

[@Y20XTongvaLand]

What's your first?

[@luisgustavoromero7537]

Thank you for this video bruv. I was looking for a PS2 emulator and games, stumbled across Dark Cloud 2, had a core memory unlocked, and your video helped me remember how my nephew and I gamed on this title. Very entertaining vid, thank you for what you do big guy.

[@brandonleroux7030]

These days, i'm playing this game. Last time, it was 15 years ago ('im 27 now)...As an adult now, i understand how this game is awesome.

[@jesseroberts1041]

Same! I’ve been playing it since I was 8, 23 now and it’s what even inspired me to start writing years ago lolol. (Had a dream where I saw 2 similarish looking characters and couldn’t get them out of my head 😅) but yeah this game will always hold a special place in my heart :D

[@KaiHanson-cd5xt]

​@@jesseroberts1041Same I started writing because of it too!

[@jesseroberts1041]

@@KaiHanson-cd5xt Ayyy :D I have since stopped writing, but I’m turning it all into an rpg using RPGmaker MV :D It’s been a project lolol. I have basically most of the major events planned out/their order, just gotta fill in the rest with good content and ye :D

[@KaiHanson-cd5xt]

@@jesseroberts1041 that's awesome. Love to hear more when it's further along.

[@jesseroberts1041]

@@KaiHanson-cd5xt Ayy! I’ll keep you updated :D

[@konyhatesgamers9568]

You missed the post game secret dungeon in the mines

[@shadowgl9]

Literally felt like you were building the world, I loved these kinds of games as a kid, and still do.

[@Zenbeau]

after being mad that Level-5 wasn't bringing Dark Cloud 3 already. I read somewhere it's Sony who owns the IP. Sony is fking slacking dawg. pls fking make Dark Cloud 3

[@arcaneScribbler]

Yyeeeeeaaaah, fellow Dark Cloud 2 player! Tempted to replay it...

[@josemoreno-bo5iu]

This is my favorite ps2 game ever, xenosaga is second. One of the best games i have ever played

[@DudemanTheGreatCalamity]

Quality game. Love the town building. Game is a gem. Quality game play, music, atmosphere, EVERYTHING. Loved doing the name change ticket stuff as a kid. Veniccio and heim Rada were my favorite towns to build as a kid. Love sindain as an adult but Veniccio is QUALITY still.

[@DjediVibrations]

Just started Dark Cloud 1 after not playing since I was a kid so excited

[@samuelantoniocastillomeza5034]

Never played but watched a dear friend play it and what a wonderful experience it was. The music, the world, the characters. I love Max and Monica as a duo of protagonists and the Lunatic Wisdom Lab theme will always be in my head.

[@TheChampionofBoxes]

Thanks for giving love to this classic super underrated game. Has to be the best game nobody has ever heard of imo. Heres hoping to see a Dark Cloud 3 one day

[@pendranomechannel6786]

This game was so much fun. I remember playing this for hours on end as a teenager. There was a game that came out after this called Rogue Galaxy. I always felt like it was a spiritual successor to the Dark Cloud games. Might be worth checking out if you haven’t played it.

[@fluttzkrieg4392]

I've played this game more than 15 years ago in the house of my mom's friend, on the PS2 of her son. I only had that day to play so I didn't have time to even get past the sewers section (almost did it, but we had to leave as it was getting late). For years I thought about this game because I couldn't remember the name. Keep in mind I couldn't understand anything I was reading and hearing because I couldn't speak a word of English back then (being less than 10 years old in Brazil), but even so I loved the gameplay. One day I'll get an emulator and finally get to finish this game, while also being able to understand everything now.

[@KorawichKavee]

“hu ha ha hu Ha” that’s the sound of max with his wrenching

[@arcthemagicman1001]

BRO WHAT WAS THAT SHOT AT 9:20??? YOU ARE A SPHEDA GOD!

[@arcthemagicman1001]

I then saw the fail compilation and I felt better. Hahahaha

[@arcthemagicman1001]

Bro literally me every single time I'm playing Spheda: "You know what. Fuck it. Big risk shot." I feel you dude. I feel you.

[@lorikorosecz]

Up there in my all time faves!! Love it!!!

[@Baconomega1343]

Always love to see my favorite childhood game get acknowledged

[@thelonewolf191]

5:38 I mean it COULD be the Wise Owl Forest. Master Utan is there, and Jurak does resemble Treant. It could be the same just in the future

[@nairbdelrey1561]

I was like 12 13 when I first played DK 2, and I could not stop playing it it was so fun, now in my 30s I still comeback and re play it

[@taiman2020]

9:50 had me almost spitting out my food i was eating from laughing. the moon flower palace was easily the easiest area to play golf while the canyon was just cancer multiplied. in case you are unaware the game is purchasable along with dark cloud 1 on the ps4/ps5 and adds trophies to collect one of which for dark cloud 2 has you collecting all the medals which is in deed a pain in the but considering all the monica monster only and item only challanges. this series is hands down my favorite ps2 game and i have played through both of them quite a lot. it is a shame you didnt cover the extra dungeon after the main story as it gives us a fight against the genie from the first game which uses the opening theme from the first game as the battle music which is my favorite track from both games.

[@dylandubose298]

Had the pleasure of growing up with this game. Still play to this day.

[@Daniel-wk3ld]

Homie just cried a tear, beautifully done video!

[@chayuti000]

One of the best PS2 game. The photo taking and inventing weapon, stuff is truly genius. Town building is so cool back there. All elements blend in together fantastically. Overall, we need more of this detailed quality of game!

[@thelonewolf191]

Dark Cloud was the first game I got when I got my PS2. I was at a Blockbuster and saw Dark Cloud 2 and I lost my mind. I didn’t even know it existed and now it’s one of my favorite games of all time.

[@Arthur2light]

I played this game. I recorded this game's cutscenes on a VCR tape. I may not play it much now, but In my heart, Dark Cloud 2 is my favorite game of all time.

[@Y20XTongvaLand]

Spiral of Dreams, the theme for the penultimate level of each dungeon, is one of the best soundtracks across gaming.

[@ThatHippyDuck]

playing now. it's got soooo much going on. many mechanics to remember. maybe a bit much, but doesn't steal away from the enjoyability of this gem.

[@spike5062]

Fun Fact 16:26: Emporer Griffon is voiced by Mark Hamill

[@Whatyoudexpect]

holy shit really

[@SierraGustafson]

@@Whatyoudexpect Yes. The same guy that voiced Luke Skywalker and Master Eraqus from Birth by Sleep.

[@pogo8050]

First game I ever got on PS2. And goddamn, the soundtrack of this game is so lit. Then on top of that you have such a ridicolous amount of mini games and mechanics, from the building, golfing, future travel, weapon upgrades. They really poured their all into this

[@Jess-Cruz]

Oh btw griffion is from the same time period as the white haired guy who became the dark genies 1st vessel in dark cloud 1 the queen was the woman he was also in love with

[@maxilian1754]

Never even got past rainbow woods as a kid. Picked up when i was early teen and it has been replayed more then anyother game in my entire life including pokemon red and i have countless hours in that game.

[@thewhitedragon4184]

The seal floors are so funny because they are always flooded with monsters resistant to the weapon type the character game leaves you with has. A red seal is always gonna be flooded with turtle enemies resistant to sword damaga because, of course why not

[@TheGlaabFather]

The first Dark Cloud was the one that got me hooked as a kid but Dark Cloud 2 sustained me… both games bring back a ton of nostalgia and I would love to play a third one if they ever decide to bring it back. Great job on the video! 🫡👏🏻

[@KoyaTheWolf]

I absolutely love both these games, growing up playing then on PS2, and returning to both of them several times. Sadly, Ive never beaten 2, as I got to the final dungeon, over halfway through it, then a friend stole my ps2 memory card, so I completely lost my save, and in the times returning ive never been able to get myself to play past chapter 5. I am playing it on PS4 again now after just beating 1 again, and I feel like Its finally time to wrap my childhood up, and bring this 20 year adventure to a close. Ive caught up to where I was, havnt spoiled what comes after, and finally have only new stuff to experience until its over

[@SphedaJehuty]

as you can see by my name i loved spheda always fun and some what relaxing i wished they remaster the game some day and put out a sequel

[@dylankoett2761]

this game is incredible. there is just so many little nuances to it. by the way i dont know if you knew this because i didnt the first time i played the game, but you know when you go through certain parts of the game you have a different character with you that has different abilities, THAT is your chance to upgrade something like monicas bracelet When you get to Chapter 3 and get Lin as your partner, don't progress in the story and instead grind up the armbands, she's the only partner who gives a bonus to armbands when you level them up. i leveled up the crap out of monicas armband at this point and it was actually worth it for the rest of the game, maxs gun was not that much more powerful

[@doc.sk8erdie286]

Since I didn't know that changing the names of weapons gives you better weapons I'll give you some tips.😉 Ok, 1st tip: Make sure you take a picture of all the bosses before defeating them like the elephant boss Linda for example. If you don't, then you won't be able to complete certain idea's that will be needed to invent better weapons and items. They are the light bulbs with a red star in them. 2nd tip: If you use strong weapons on strong enemies make sure you switch them out for your weaker weapons right away before you earn those blue lvl-up stones. It will add those points to the weak weapons instead of stronger ones that you defeated that enemy with. It will help you upgrade that weapon to level 5 faster so you can spectrumize it for synthesizing. Once you have a bunch of points for that weak weapon spectrumize it. It will add those points to the next weapon you're trying to upgrade, so instead of just adding a few points at a time, you can add a bunch more. I like to invent strong weapons from ideas then upgrade them to level 5 for synthesizing, once I do that I just spectrumize that weapon to add those points to my next weapon.👍

[@Whatyoudexpect]

What is an "Uberdanger"?

[@Lanewreck]

I still play it to this day, same with dc1 too. Demon tower and zelmite mines were both great end game runbacks. Also, fish combat, freaking fish combat lol. And low key finny frenzy rewards are great. Got so many diamonds and extra sun and moon stones from getting first placements over and over.

[@derperpines]

I still have the original PS2 copy from decades ago I got as a birthday gift (including that infamous Underground Water Channel white loading screen bug it sometimes got stuck on). 32 now and still enjoy this game even today. It’s definitely an underrated gem that deserves more spotlight.

[@Whatyoudexpect]

DUDE holy hell I've never seen anyone else talk about that one loading screen bug in the Underground Water Channel. When my parents first bought the game for me and my brother, we played it in the backseat on a roadtrip using a little disc reader and wires linked to screens on the seat, and we spent the whole trip trying to figure out how to progress past that point. Thanks for bringing up that memory, and thanks for watchin'.

[@mogueraguh]

You failed to mention that griffin is voiced by the legend Mark Hamill!

[@jacealbine]

first game I ever bought with my own money as a kid in middle school. It was/is awesome. Hopefully level 5 brings it back!

[@dragonphoreal]

I remember watching my Dad play this game on the PlayStation 2 when I was a kid. He got far into it, but I don't think he had finished it.

[@TaekiGaming]

Man I remember playing this game for an entire summer when I was 15-16 years old( I'm 36 now lol) I've never replayed it but after watching this maybe I'll give it a try :P

[@DiddyKongVsLuigi]

I always wanted to do a video game review on this game and you literally took the thumbnail clickbait idea before I had the chance 😂. Either way, always great to see more love for the best game ever.

[@aldorain1016]

I remember dumping so much time into this game. Great time. You missed out on the secret dungeon though. Its pain and suffering.

[@Wortigon2000]

There's an extra chapter though, with the boss/big bad of Dark Cloud at the end.

[@brizzleyoh]

I remember playing this game and just randomly remember it was a steampunk game for ps2 so I looked it up and found this video. I wish I was old enough to understand what this game was about. I don’t even think I got through the first dungeon tbh.

[@Clos93]

Me and my brother must've been Ultra nerds, we completed this game when we were like 10-11.

[@Blackda222]

Bro. Idk if I got past the first Yyeeet off that clown building type shit. That's alll I remember so thank u and imma keep watching ahaha ❤

[@ddvd7313]

I didnt know you could golf...you should mentioned the fishing aspect of the game where you can compete in tournaments and you can keep the fish,feed them and mate them to make new fish.....i love spending hours fishing at luna beach..

[@FishboyAbzu]

😭 I loved this and dark cloud 1, but I especially loved the monster transformation system and the aquarium lol.

[@GameKai51]

I have played I'm playing this currently, and it's my favorite RPG of all time.

[@dx-dragon4399]

Great video glad to see these games some love

[@tdskeizerft.keizer2983]

This game is literally my childhood

[@24hr-Gaming]

I love mini golf. Mini golf is my life. I'm playing mini golf even now.

[@dropdedgothish]

i grinded out medals for 43hrs for the silly clown hat, and your telling me, THAT I COULD HAVE GOTTEN END GAME WEAPONS INSTEAD!?

[@StelmachsWorld]

I am the kind of guy that plays GTA and Overwatch nowadays. Although some of my first and favourite memories are playing this with my brother on the ps2. Funny enough another game I remember fondly is Rogue Galaxy - also from Level 5. I have heard started out as Dark Cloud 3 but they ended up going a whole different direction.

[@Angelicbrandy]

I'm surprised you didn't talk about the secret dungeon at the very end!!!

[@jinyboi]

Shame you didn't cover chapter 8. I absolutely love this game to pieces. Both the regular ending and secret ending are so satisfying

[@liamdell6319]

Then when you beat the game, you go back to the first area to fight the Fake Dark Genie.

[@j.o8707]

This game is incredible 😂 there is so much content it’s absurd. Ahead of its time

[@trevenhijar7001]

Dark cloud and dark cloud 2 are two of my most favorite games of all time, so it's nice to see that other people like it as much as me! Also idk if you chose not to mention this, but in both games there's a secret dungeon that you can unlock post ending. I think they both have 100 floors and they are on a whole other level of difficulty 😂

[@Whatyoudexpect]

Dark Cloud 2 has Zelmite Mines which is by far the biggest dungeon in the game and has the secret boss of the Dark Genie at the end. Very cool, 10/10.

[@4mobius280]

Elemental block works with all of Monica’s swords

[@ghosthunter08]

I bought dark cloud 2 bc i remember playing dark cloud a lot when i was a kid. When i found out there was a part 2 i got it but i didn't like how there's only 2 playable. I didn't know it was like this. I still have the copy in perfect condition but ill just emulate it

[@KaiHanson-cd5xt]

I would cheese the metals by buying a single piece of clothing on several different save files. Then i would start a new game with clown max clothes and sexy leopard monica clothes. GOAT

[@matthewkuscienko4616]

I personally prefer the princess outfit for Monica to the panther one because of how pretty it is. But the clown outfit for Max makes the cutscenes unintentionally more funny because his face is covered

[@princessfluffy6758]

I’ve played it many times. I love it, I just wish it was connected more with Dark Cloud, than just some random themes. ❤

[@lightorchestrator]

There is absolutely no shame in using Monica's star leotard. And if you think that's scandalous you should see her Panther Ensemble. Going back to this game is tough due to it's grindy and repetitive mechanics, and that there are times where it's hard to know what to do without a guide. But, this was still one of the most influential games of my child. I played it as a pre-teen and the scope of the adventure was as big as Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy X.

[@Clos93]

Playing through it again after like 5 years on my steam deck. Shit is amazing with widescreen hacks. Even have a macro setup for gyro controls when I take photos! This game just feels right on a handheld.

[@Whatyoudexpect]

Never thought about steam deck usage for this game. That sounds awesome.

[@ytwyvern4240]

It's nice to see more people playing and making review videos of this game. It really is an underrated gem. By any chance, would you be interested in knowing some things about Dark Cloud 2 that some people don't? Like, there's actually one song that was cut from the game, but you can actually still listen to on the Dark Cloud 2 OST. Would you like to know the name?

[@Whatyoudexpect]

Hit me

[@ytwyvern4240]

@@Whatyoudexpect it's called 'Secret Energy' By the sound of the song, it was either going to be used in a Action Cutscene or a Boss Battle.

[@ytwyvern4240]

@@Whatyoudexpect once your done with that, there's more I can show you. You could say that playing the game, was merely 90% of the experience of Dark Cloud 2. There's still a 10% to explore, you just need to know where to look.

[@ytwyvern4240]

@@Whatyoudexpect so, what did you think? Of the song I mean?

[@vinderesual]

ohhh memories, i just play this game no the first one. i dont know this game was dark cloud sequel, the name is dark chronicle in here.

[@williamspellman856]

I wish I could go back to when I was younger and play this so I could understand it better. Mannnnn

[@bumper3241]

Fantastic video!

[@Y20XTongvaLand]

"For some reason." *shows reason*

[@henrikbrynildsen1387]

My all-time favorite game as well! I'm so happy it's available on PS4/PS5

[@masonp5964]

played both dark cloud and 2 and loved it every time ive played it through wish they would make a third