The game builds out a fairly in-depth story that boils down to a few simple elements. The story's protagonist Chocobo, along with a special baby that fell from the sky named Raffaelo, are traversing the city of Lostime in an effort to retrieve the lost memories of the villagers in the city. The task of retrieving a memory is done through the completion of a randomly-generated dungeon which may or may not have a specific rule set.
The gameplay of the title is nearly identical to any of the other Mystery Dungeon titles, putting players in the role of a character that has the ability to level up by fighting enemies while also gaining a variety of new moves and items.
Players navigate the dungeon in what appears to be real time, but is in fact turn-based movement. Each step or attack the player makes allows the enemies in the dungeon to move or attack. As you defeat enemies you gain experience and will level up your character's skills and move set. The game also incorporates a job system, making Chocobo more proficient and deficient at certain skills depending on which job you choose at the beginning of any dungeon. While in dungeons, players must monitor their stats, specifically hunger, a unique part of the mystery dungeon formula. As you progress your hunger will grow. Ignoring hunger will eventually impact health and cause death.
During gameplay it becomes obvious that, at its core, Chocobo’s Dungeon is a strategy-RPG. The concept of randomly-generated dungeons is simply added to avoid creating unique levels for each and every dungeon. Unfortunately, the great strategy-RPG aspects of the game are ruined by this randomizing; like the dungeons themselves, players must face randomly-generated enemies while at the same time dealing with what becomes randomly-generated leveling-up and character development. At times I would be totally overwhelmed by enemies because too many were generated in a particular area on a floor of a dungeon. My inevitable death would require me to replay large portions of the dungeon and be subjected to the mandatory cutscenes each and every time I’d play the level. Cutscenes can be skipped on your second play through, but you usually won’t replay a level. That's because it makes more sense to reset the game, since death results in the loss of all of your unequipped items and any money you possess.
There were other instances when I would be so underpowered in a dungeon that I would get annihilated after dealing with just two enemies. This was a direct result of skipping whole floors, since you’ll sometimes get spawned right next to exit stairs. Since your goal is to escape each dungeon, it makes no sense to fight your way through it when you can simply exit immediately.
My general displeasure with the random dungeons was augmented when I saw what it did to the art design within dungeons. Outside of the dungeons, the game has beautiful art direction and lively characters. Because the dungeons are constructed from random pieces, the presentation within the dungeons is fairly simple and lacks the flair and detail found outside in the town of Lostime. The graphical presentation is lackluster overall.
Fortunately, the game does deliver in terms of music. All of the featured songs and sound effects are simply outstanding, including a variety of Final Fantasy classics and some new compositions as well. This game is an aural feast.
I see Chocobo's Dungeon as a missed opportunity. Its gameplay is quite solid and forces the player to use tact and thought to complete all of the dungeons in the game; however, the randomly-generated dungeons really detract from its otherwise engaging gameplay. If the dungeons were designed rather than generated players could seamlessly keep pace with the increasing skills of their enemies; as it stands, players must grind dungeons to truly keep pace with the game. When it comes down to it, if you love Mystery Dungeon games, you should check this one out. Most other gamers just won’t appreciate its limited appeal.
Pros:
Lastability: 6.0
If you manage to make it to the end of the game, you will definitely sink a good number of hours into into it - especially with all of the dungeons you will inevitably replay, as well as all of the grinding you will inevitably do to stay ahead of the difficulty curve. After completing the game, a simple Magic The Gathering-ish card game available for Nintendo WiFi play is the only thing left to enjoy with the computer, random players, or friends.
Final: 6.0
Chocobo’s Dungeon clearly has potential and will likely be enjoyed by Mystery Dungeon fans, but the rest of you gamers out there may want to steer clear of this one almost solely due to the randomly-generated dungeons. They make the game unbearable at times and will really test your patience as a gamer.
The mystery dungeon series is a love it or hate it type of thing.
During gameplay it becomes obvious that, at its core, Chocobo’s Dungeon is a strategy-RPG.
The concept of randomly-generated dungeons is simply added to avoid creating unique levels for each and every dungeon.
Unfortunately, the great strategy-RPG aspects of the game are ruined by this randomizing; like the dungeons themselves, players must face randomly-generated enemies while at the same time dealing with what becomes randomly-generated leveling-up and character development
That's because it makes more sense to reset the game, since death results in the loss of all of your unequipped items and any money you possess.
...
Cons: ... - The ramifications of death are too great.
There were other instances when I would be so underpowered in a dungeon that I would get annihilated after dealing with just two enemies. This was a direct result of skipping whole floors, since you’ll sometimes get spawned right next to exit stairs. Since your goal is to escape each dungeon, it makes no sense to fight your way through it when you can simply exit immediately.
Its gameplay is quite solid and forces the player to use tact and thought to complete all of the dungeons in the game; however, the randomly-generated dungeons really detract from its otherwise engaging gameplay. If the dungeons were designed rather than generated players could seamlessly keep pace with the increasing skills of their enemies; as it stands, players must grind dungeons to truly keep pace with the game.
Doesn't have to be (a love it or hate it thing) if they would evolve it a bit, but I think I went on about that enough in my review.
You may feel that this distinction is subtle and meaningless, but it is one of the core gameplay values of the subgenre.
Finally, managing the randomness is a ridiculous idea; anything that is achieved through randomness can be trumped by well-designed dungeons.
QuoteYou may feel that this distinction is subtle and meaningless, but it is one of the core gameplay values of the subgenre.QuoteFinally, managing the randomness is a ridiculous idea; anything that is achieved through randomness can be trumped by well-designed dungeons.
I can see the future.
I'm not sure what the local conventions are with regard to mixing quotations and reply, but the format is suited to establishing the problem at hand. I apologize if anyone finds this irritating.
I would have a discourse with you on this, but you are too closed-minded to discuss this or even consider an alternate view point.
I'm not sure what the local conventions are with regard to mixing quotations and reply, but the format is suited to establishing the problem at hand. I apologize if anyone finds this irritating.
Greg, is this your alt account?
I think Svlad's request for the review to be retracted is quite ludicrous. The implication is that anyone without a certain threshold level of experience with a given series or genre should be disqualified from providing a review
Svlad, can you think of a Roguelike game that couldn't be criticized in the same way that Nick is criticizing Mystery Dungeon? From what I can imagine, this sequence of events...
As far as how much of your review is coming to grips with roguellike properties, 50% of the listed "cons" are standard roguelike features.
What I expect of a roguelike is, more or less, to die until I learn how not to die.
As a wanderer from outside, though, I must say that I am very pleasantly surprised by the discussion that's evolved here. I'll have to lurk around and see if this happens again, even if your reviews aren't aimed at me. :)
We're going to run out of staff to review Mystery Dungeon games. How come when I reviewed one it was like "YOU IS STUPID! THER EARE HARDER ONES OUT THEY'RE! YOU COMPAINT NOT VALID CUZ IT NOT TEH HARDIST!" and Nick gets the most civil discourse in a review thread ever?
Unfortunately, in my opinion, what death teaches you is grind, grind, grind, and again in my opinion, grinding is a failure of game design.
...
What that also did for me, discounting the grinding, was actually made the game boring because it was never actually challenging. Once I learned grinding was the key, I would grind until I could just slaughter my enemies.
Especially in a roguelike, death is not only a lesson but a damn hard lesson at that.
Just for fun, what would you consider a game that follows all other conventions of a roguelike and doesn't contain random dungeons?
Obviously you disagree, and your perspective is valued here, but I hope you will reconsider and retract your suggestion that we should retract this review.
As far as how much of your review is coming to grips with roguellike properties, 50% of the listed "cons" are standard roguelike features. However.. If this is the sort of review that you feel will appeal to your target market, you presumably know your business. I don't feel it's a good review of a roguelike, but it seems that you're saying that isn't what your readers are likely to want. More power to you, then - you are not here to appeal to my ideal of a perfect review.
We don't pander to demographics; see Game Informer's infamous review of Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door for an example of why that's a terrible idea.
Note: I know Chunsoft didn't develop this game (pretty sure at least)