Dark Seal/Gate of Doom (ARC, 1990)
Graphics-7.5 Sound-7 Control-7 Challenge-8/7* Story-6.5
Level Design-6.5/7* Frustration-8.5/7.5* Fun-6.5/7* Originality-6
Overall Score-7
*Easy, 1-player
+
4 different playable characters (knight - stronger physical attack, wizard - stronger magic, bard - poison immunity and long reach, ninja - fast movement and wide but short ranged attack)
D&D-inspired world and minor gameplay elements (status effects, item inventory, spells, classes)
Some large and detailed sprites
Pretty nice boss death animations overall
2-player co-op
Difficulty options (4 levels, coin worth (up to 6 credits), lives and energy per credit (4/4))
Somewhat open ended levels with minor detours for treasure chests
Mini-bosses in most levels
Character select after using a credit
Decent cutscenes (stills+text, in-game scenes) between levels
Decent voices (so-so acting though)
Strength and temporary shield power ups
Some good bosses
Pretty good art direction overall
8-way aiming and movement
Temporary transformations
+/-
Speed upgrade (it's pretty rare though and it’s both on a timer and lost after losing a life)
Pretty short levels
The game cycles through the various transformation spells instead of letting you pick directly (makes you have to wait for the one you want at times, minor challenge added though in that one slot is a random effect which can be negative)
Respawn on the spot even after continuing (no chance to go back and pick up items)
No shops
No hub map or level select screen
No puzzles (could've made you use the transformations in specific ways)
Can't jump except when in boulder form (not useful for reaching new areas - just used as an attack)
Some bosses have specific weak points (usually the head or mouth – not hitting it means they take a ton of hits to kill on normal, should've been all of them or at least they could've tweaked the ones without one to not take so many hits)
-
No dodge/block/strafe moves (can't avoid some attacks at default speed?)
Some tedious elements (final boss's spin attack, can't cure polymorph or poison and there's an annoying sound during some status effects, several bosses and some enemies take too many hits to kill on Normal, takes a long time to beat most skeletons since they're invincible while knocked down)
Pretty short (5 levels)
"Get MP" sfx replaces the death sfx for regular enemies
Sometimes unforgiving hit detection
Some bosses have at least one pretty inefficient attack (first two dragons)
Some transformations are very situational
Can't use magic during main boss fights
No combos or alternate weapons
Sometimes retarded AI (the minotaurs)
Somewhat loose scrolling
Mono music and the FM could've sounded a bit better considering they're using two chips (YM2203 and YM2151)
Same music in levels 1 and 3
Notes:
-Not sure what the ring item does, nor the small pillars with a gem on top
Level Design-6.5/7* Frustration-8.5/7.5* Fun-6.5/7* Originality-6
Overall Score-7
*Easy, 1-player
+
4 different playable characters (knight - stronger physical attack, wizard - stronger magic, bard - poison immunity and long reach, ninja - fast movement and wide but short ranged attack)
D&D-inspired world and minor gameplay elements (status effects, item inventory, spells, classes)
Some large and detailed sprites
Pretty nice boss death animations overall
2-player co-op
Difficulty options (4 levels, coin worth (up to 6 credits), lives and energy per credit (4/4))
Somewhat open ended levels with minor detours for treasure chests
Mini-bosses in most levels
Character select after using a credit
Decent cutscenes (stills+text, in-game scenes) between levels
Decent voices (so-so acting though)
Strength and temporary shield power ups
Some good bosses
Pretty good art direction overall
8-way aiming and movement
Temporary transformations
+/-
Speed upgrade (it's pretty rare though and it’s both on a timer and lost after losing a life)
Pretty short levels
The game cycles through the various transformation spells instead of letting you pick directly (makes you have to wait for the one you want at times, minor challenge added though in that one slot is a random effect which can be negative)
Respawn on the spot even after continuing (no chance to go back and pick up items)
No shops
No hub map or level select screen
No puzzles (could've made you use the transformations in specific ways)
Can't jump except when in boulder form (not useful for reaching new areas - just used as an attack)
Some bosses have specific weak points (usually the head or mouth – not hitting it means they take a ton of hits to kill on normal, should've been all of them or at least they could've tweaked the ones without one to not take so many hits)
-
No dodge/block/strafe moves (can't avoid some attacks at default speed?)
Some tedious elements (final boss's spin attack, can't cure polymorph or poison and there's an annoying sound during some status effects, several bosses and some enemies take too many hits to kill on Normal, takes a long time to beat most skeletons since they're invincible while knocked down)
Pretty short (5 levels)
"Get MP" sfx replaces the death sfx for regular enemies
Sometimes unforgiving hit detection
Some bosses have at least one pretty inefficient attack (first two dragons)
Some transformations are very situational
Can't use magic during main boss fights
No combos or alternate weapons
Sometimes retarded AI (the minotaurs)
Somewhat loose scrolling
Mono music and the FM could've sounded a bit better considering they're using two chips (YM2203 and YM2151)
Same music in levels 1 and 3
Notes:
-Not sure what the ring item does, nor the small pillars with a gem on top