ClaDun: This is an RPG Review

It’s a good thing ClaDun: This is an RPG is being released exclusively on the Playstation network. If legislators got a taste of how indisputably addictive, I expect warning stickers on every UMD case, warning the masses of the title’s ability to siphon time away from work, family and friends. Although the title’s portmanteau moniker- formed by merging the words ‘classic’ and ‘dungeon, ‘ is an accurate description of the game’s archetypal exploration, reoccurring  JRPG descriptor ‘infinite’ might have been more a appropriate moniker. Players seeking a diversion robust enough to devour a year’s worth a leisure hours will likely find themselves completely enraptured by the game.

Much like the Disgaea series, ClaDun presents players with multiple methods to move the adventure along. Players may create new adventurers (the game even allows players to draw their own explorers) from a selection of five classes, shop for a countless number of stat-boosting equipment and accessories, explore standard or randomized dungeons individually or with co-operative partners, as well as tweak the game’s delightfully byzantine Magic Circle. Despite the variety of diversions, each endeavor is scaled for portable system, with players able to complete most tasks in minutes.

Level 1 cats facing a veteran Prinny? Don’t make me laugh, dood!

Although ClaDun doesn’t have the distinctive chapters found in the Disgaea series, its approach to storytelling is similar. Instead of dispersing the storyline via interaction with NPCs, extended dialog-driven cut scenes are presented as each new dungeon level is completed. The title is set in an alternative realm named Arcanus Cella, a landscape which seems to miraculously attract treasure seekers. Players are introduced to Pudding, (a reference to the darling desert of the Underworld? ) an impetuous young voyager, along with her devoted caretaker, Souma. Gradually, a plethora of new characters are introduced, most  of which will be able to join your adventuring party.

Unlike conventional RPG’s which send a team of individuals on an antagonist-annihilating, loot-scouring errand, ClaDun‘s excursions are much more distinctive. Players control a single on-screen protagonist, who has the ability to dash and block, and depending on their class- has an ever-increasing arsenal of melee and ranged attacks. While combat is straightforward, with gamers  blocking or dodge foes attacks and then offering a counterstrike, the mechanics of each dungeon elevate the proceedings.

“Bring it, suckers!”

Each level is sprinkled with a robust amount of traps- with floor tiles which slow players down, eject fireballs, or expel a poisoned projectile out of a nearby wall. At times, ClaDun channels a Rogue-like vibe, with gamers gamers evading snares one moment and deliberately triggering traps to ambush wandering monsters the next instant. Those expecting an effortless expedition are in for a surprise- ClaDun‘s monsters show an intelligence uncommon to role-playing titles. Often, wounded beasts would halt fighting to seek out a healing tile on the other side of a level.

Although ClaDun ramps up the difficultly following the completion of the first half-dozen dungeons, the game rarely feels unfair. Scattered among the game’s traps are a healthy number of healing tiles, which cleverly eliminate the need to pause the action in order to quaff a HP-regenerating vial. If unlocked levels present prohibitive enemies, gamers can resort to revisiting previously cleared areas to grind their stats up. However, the title’s most useful assistance is also its most intricate- the aforementioned Magic Circle. Here, players are given a myriad of templates, where sub-characters and  artifacts are placed in a flow-chart like layout. Beyond offers the protagonist  offensive and defensive stat bonus, characters act as shields, protecting the lifeline of the main player. Once a dungeon is successfully completed, experience points are divvied up between all characters- tasking players with keeping a constant rotation of characters. At first, gamers might find the whole Magic Circle exceedingly convoluted- yet, mastery is essential for players to persevere in some of the game’s deeper stages.

“You look familiar, dood!”

Mimicking the pixelated aesthetic of 3D Dot Game Heroes, and What Have I Done To Deserve This, My Lord, ClaDun‘s presentation is likely to charm retro aficionados. Although an obvious amount of graphical tiling is observable in the dungeons, the blemish is  offset by the title’s variety- each of the scores of dungeons has a distinct theme. While a contemporary font might have been an anachronism, it would have helped the title’s readability; “go” is nearly indistinguishable from “60” in ClaDun‘s eight-bit character set. To maintain the antediluvian allure, the title has no voice acting, which my disappoint modern role-players.

ClaDun: This is an RPG isn’t for everyone. Gamers (like my colleague SeanNOLA) who abhor the recessive intricateness of the Disgaea series probably won’t have the patience to chisel their team into diamond-sharp, boss-butchering soldiers.  However for those with a susceptibility for stat strengthening, ClaDun is a commendable title which could potentially hold a player’s attention for months. After becoming increasingly captivated to the title, the game has secured a place in my personal pantheon by having a permanent position on my Memory Stick.