The Dark Spire Reviews
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The first is at IGN, where the score is an 8.0/10:
I commend a team like Success on making a game and Atlus for publishing one that pushes the boundaries of classic RPG designs like The Dark Spire does. Here's a game that has no gimmick, no (hook) to pull gamers in, and offers no apologies for players that stumble mistakenly into this deceptively deep and mature experience. By today's standards the game is extremely mean and pretty unintuitive all around (you'll need to dig and scour to really learn what you're doing, dying all along the way), but it's also exactly what it sets out to be, and I can get behind that. Along with Etrian Odyssey I/II on DS, The Dark Spire is the only game of its kind out there anymore, and for players that are open-minded enough to take a huge leap back into the world of classic dungeon crawling, The Dark Spire is an impressive reincarnation. The visuals are crisp and well done, the game is extremely moody, the (classic) mode is a great throwback piece of fan service, and the music (both in (modern) and (classic) mode) fits extremely well. It isn't technically impressive, there's almost no animation in the whole package, and the game feels extremely dated, but that's the idea.
The second is at RPGFan with a score of 73%:
The Dark Spire is not for everyone. I know that's a pretty clichéd blanket statement that you might see thrown around a lot, but I really do think it's the best way to describe it. The sparse story is not for everyone. The simplistic battle system is not for everyone. The difficulty? Definitely not for everyone. But regardless, at the end of the journey, after the countless deaths and billions of bruisings, the stat rolling and puzzle solving, you will undoubtedly feel accomplished.
And people, that feels bloody good.
The third is at GameShark with a score of "B+":
In one moment, The Dark Spire is utterly captivating, and the next, it's aggravation distilled to 200 proof. At least we can take comfort in the fact that this is a fully-fledged RPG, and not a nostalgic knockoff. As archaic and sadistic as The Dark Spire will surely seem to gamers raised on the post-FFVII world of Square Enix, it is proof that luscious graphics and orchestral scores will never oust the foundations of solid, old-fashioned gameplay.
The fourth is at Gaming Age with a score of "B":
It's not a great introductory RPG, and like I mentioned earlier, even among RPG fans it's only going to appeal to a small group. However, if you enjoyed titles like Etrian Odyssey, I think you should absolutely give The Dark Spire a try, it's definitely taken from the same vein, and while it's a bit more archaic in design than EO, it's well worth playing. Just keep in mind what type of game you're getting into, and realize that the challenge bar is pretty high, and you should have some fun with it.
The fifth is at GameZone with a score of 7.8/10:
If games were recommended based on music alone, The Dark Spire would be a must-play. Taking the gameplay into consideration, this is not an RPG that everyone will embrace. It was specifically designed for one group of gamers, leaving the Final Fantasy/Dragon Quest fans to look for something else (which is hardly a problem considering that most other RPGs were designed for them). Those who have been craving what The Dark Spire has to offer will be overjoyed and potentially overwhelmed while the basic elements (such as character creation) may be simple enough, only the most patient players will be able to make it through the game's darkest, most difficult hours.
The sixth is at HonestGamers with a score of 9/10:
Even though I love dungeoncrawlers, I was initially skeptical. I thought The Dark Spire was just going to be a quick time-killer until the next big thing. However, contrary to word-of-mouth, this isn't a Wizardry-style journey. It certainly pays homage to its legendary predecessor, but its wicked sense of humor and creepy atmosphere lend the adventure a personality all its own. The Dark Spire is an artistic, engrossing RPG that achieves immersion via intense exploration, puzzle-solving, and surprisingly addictive level-grinding. It's an experience, but more importantly, it is game.
And the seventh is at RPGamer with a score 3.0/5:
Ultimately, the appeal of The Dark Spire will be limited to those looking for a trip down memory lane or those looking for a challenge. A journey into the Tower of The Dark Spire is not for the faint of heart. The creators set out to create a game that carried the spirit and challenge of the dungeon crawling games of two decades ago. They succeeded. And while they did make some minor improvements to the formula and coupled them with nice graphics, they also tacked on some unnecessary difficulties. However, The Dark Spire faithfully recreated an early dungeon crawling experience, that any veteran RPGamer will appreciate on some level.
