"The epic sequel to the first plot twist."

After the first Mystery Dungeon game, everyone was anxious for a sequel. And now they got it. How is it? Read on to find out.

GAMEPLAY: 9/10
You ARE a Pokemon. What do you do? Explore dungeons. The game is incredibly easy to get used to. Although the movement is controlled using a + pad, the R button allows you to move diagonally. This game is beginner-friendly; even if you've never played the Pokemon games, you won't have that much trouble. And in case you DO die in a dungeon, you can get rescued through wireless, password, or Wi-fi. The game is not hard to play, with the exception of part of the ending and post game, but by that time, you'll be so familiar with this game that it won't even matter. And for those who want a challenge, there are dungeons of all sizes and unique restrictions that will certainly pose a challenge if you want one. Yes, this game is incredibly fun to play for all skill levels. The one drawback is limited storage- you can't store everything you get anymore.

STORY: 10/10
The story. It is amazing. It's not just the standard "Beat gym leaders beat elite 4 catch em all." It's much more than that, with quite a few plot twists. This is quite possibly the best storyline of all Pokemon games. If you think that this game is worthless because it has a recycled story, think again. You are a Pokemon, how can it be that other story?

GRAPHICS: How should I know?
I never gave a crap about graphics. I'll just say they're good, I don't know the standard for DS.

SOUND: 10/10
The sound is top-notch. If you just pause the game in a dungeon or in the main town, you will hear the amazing effort put into this game's soundtrack. All of the music fits the dungeon incredibly well. And the cutscenes have perfect music choice. It is so detailed and amazing in general. (Oh, by the way, the Sharpedo Bluff music is addicting. In a good way.)

PLAY TIME: Can't be rated.
The game takes a good chunk of time to complete the story, but it wasn't overdone. Good length.

REPLAYABILITY: 9/10
The post game is nowhere near as long as the previous game, but there is still tons to do. You have to recruit the legendaries, there are about 10 optional bulletin board dungeons, a 48-floor dungeon with no less than 3 legendaries, Zero Isle, and more. So many new dungeons, and a great post-story. But the length of the actual story is kinda lacking. Still amazing otherwise though.

OVERALL: 9/10
This is an amazing game. Buy it new, and enjoy every minute. Rent it, and you won't get your money's worth. Make sure you find this and get it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/30/08

Game Release: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness (US, 04/20/08)