Darkstone (Playstation) - BearOnStilts Review
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- Опубліковано 24 лип 2024
- I still hear "PLEASE HELP" in my dreams. Make it stop. There's something about these old western RPG Diablo look-alikes that make me love them no matter how good or bad they are but this one never really got the love or attention many others got... maybe I'm looking in the wrong places and it does have a following? Or maybe it sucks? Time to look at the PS1 version of Darkstone, a game I once played and enjoyed like 15 years ago! Man I'm getting old...
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Dude, I loooooved this game as a kid. Never finished though. Had too much fun running around the map with a crowd of chasing monsters, then turning to bash them all with a few hits each. I made a fortune selling the loot :D
Loved this game as a kid, played a warrior and yea if you don't balance a mage they can be a pain but a warrior is easy street.
7:41 those words "Please Help" are the bane of my existence. Strangely nostalgic though
Yeah, your wizards build was bad. I never had this kind of problem with the game, my assassin was godly.
I've considered revisiting this game, maybe as an excuse to both try and talk about the PC version given I've really learned how bad my build was and want to experience first hand not having a crippling character. I remember at the time my mindset was "I want to shoot magic and for it to hit really hard."
@@BearOnStilts I do suggest the PC version, mouse controls help with the limitations of the PS controller. Specifically because you get 2 party members and the UI is waaay better.
Please Help
I'm currently playing through it again, and it's your build you can up your magic with potions of magic and if you enter and exit the PC menu after each purchase they restock with their previous inventory so if you got the gold you can spam the stat potions to up a certain stat to balance your build
@@BearOnStilts I'm thinking if revisiting this game as a wizard/mage too!
I think you made a great mistake not balancing your points
Vitality and dexterity are definitely necessary to survive
Seeing the little insert advertising Oni filled my heart with joy. My all time favourite game.
I had that game too! So good!
I was just a kid while playing this game. But it got to a point where there were these huge spiders and I got too scared to touch the game again hahaha.
To beat the darkness. Just raise the brightness on your tv
Awesome review man. Stellar patience. They didn't make it easy.
Puts all his points in magic instead of vitality..."why am I dieing do fast?"
Oh and with the Warrior builds, you don't wanna hold X... There's a simple trick where you run and tap X and you can attack a lot quicker, plus you go in that direction lol. Don't know how I remembered this from my childhood, but this was one of my first games
lol
that or "I don't have enough Mana"
I was trying to get Diablo 1 to work on my PC and I played this... realizing I could have been playing Diablo 1 on this.
Interesting... I still have this for the PS1, and have just recently started playing it again after many years (on my PS2). The werewolf transformation 🐺 looks cool. I'm starting out with the Warrior, as I figure he's one of the simplest characters to play; I wonder if he'd be good against the final boss though - as he's a melee character?... Seems like he might take a lot of damage by being up so close and personal. 😒💭
Just remembered the name of this after forgetting for years i just have one more too find
I remember grabbing this on the $20 rack at Walmart, dam that cover was cool
It's about 4.99 on Steam and 5.99 on GoG now
"like playing wizard DDR" ha. this review was great keep it up. I've never played Darkstone and I was still interest through this whole video.
I was trying to figure out which game I should go at next for the PS1 (either Diablo or Darkstone) and you helped make my decision easier. Thanks!
Glad to hear you found it funny and informative! Darkstone has a lot of personality and interesting quirks but I wouldn't call it "good" in a conventional sense.
BG, IWD and arcanum attempting to emulate diablo? lolwut? Did you hit your head or something?
I remember from about 15 years ago, I spent many hours playing Dark Stone on my buddy's PS1. While I played Dark Stone, I remember continually thinking that it was pretty fun and it has a lot of interesting options available, all the while thinking about how Diablo 2 on the PC was, to me, a lot better, overall, than Dark Stone. Now, many years later, in these days of porting stuff to other stuff, how neato would it be to get an amplified Dark Stone onto our Nintendo Switches?
Great idea
The switch of the perfect system for old school RPGs.
@@NinjaSushi2 We just need a super large fan base and devs willing enough to put the time and effort into making a great masterpiece.
4:33 dude that sounds like a plus to me and it's what they were supposed to have in Dark Souls 2, things like that can add variety to the gameplay and make it more challenging, like losing your stuff if you died in Diablo 2 and later removed because of casual gamers.
At least the Steam page says they have 8 characters of 4 classes, they got honest eventually. Cheers for this review, hard to find stuff on this game.
I liked the way you can't build canon you must make a clever adaptable character to be able to get through the entire game because suppose you are a wizard you will need other skills than magic to survive when you will get at higher difficulty,
I played with two character and that was great and the only game till today which grant you the possibility to raise up a duo characters so iv chosen a priestess and a warrior the priestess for vitality and magic and the warrior for strength and adresse
But i had definitely some difficulty with certain items to use but you find similar ones specific to your class in town that solves the problem
Dark Stone slaps though. I had a lot of fun on the PS1 and I'm playing it on the PC (which is the superior version tbh)
10 spell/skill hotkeys
4 item hotkeys
Great loading times (less than 5 seconds on PC)
Hunger actually drains faster on PC but food drops a lot more in dungeons.
FREAKING MULTIPLAYER AND QUEST MODS
Great review
I loved this game for being a cheap addition to my PS1 library. All your criticisms are right on the nose, but i cant say i wasnt enjoying the grind for a while
Hey I just found your channel. Hope you come back.
Big bonus to frame rate would be a good power up.
so I just finished dark stone and was looking for other peoples thoughts and yes against amazons the warrior is better but my biggest complaint was the inventory like the crystals should not take up spots in my inventory there should of been a key item slot
PC version had none of the problems you have enlisted (ligh, quickslot, etc..)
This actually felt a lot like Diablo 1. Even borrowing many sound effects from it. I do like the idea of having your own AI companion fighting alongside you and having two inventories to manage.
1. Similar sound effects
2. Every class can use the spells and they're shared
3. Even some armor seems like they were taken from Diablo 1.
I am playing on PC and it's more tolerable in many ways.
1. The lighting is not as bad as it appears in your console version. You can still see your character, the lighting around you is limited though and a light source really helps but without it doesn't throw you completely in the dark.
2. Keyboard and mouse enough said.
3. GoG did not lie to me they said 4 classes (Warrior, Priest, Mage and Rogue)
OH MY GOD YOUR TELLING ME IVE PLAYED DIABLO ALL THIS TIME??? I played this and loved this game as a kid. Seeing how you could explore this huge world and I had zero clue what to do so I would just go everywhere and fight things.i had no idea it was a diablo clone!
It's a pretty good Diablo clone that put in some extra elements of survival in it.
Baldur's gate, Arcanum and Icewind down attempted to 'emulate' Diablo? WTF? If Anything, all 3 of those games are more similar to 'Dark sun shattered lands (1993)' and Spiderweb Software's RPGs from the mid 90s.
Diablo is a hack'n Slash. Arcanum and Baldur's gate are RPGs.
Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale tried to emulate Diablo's formula ???
I should mention a couple of key differences between the PC version and PS1 version that makes the PC version vastly more enjoyable.
For one, at least on my computer, lighting is not an issue. The difference between lit areas and non lit areas, with very few exceptions, is noticeable but negligible- even in the darkest areas I felt that torches were a minor convenience and not a necessity, since I could still see the enemies clearly enough to maneuver around them as necessary.
Two, on the PC version, you can play alone with 2 characters. One is controlled by an AI and you can swap control between the two characters at will. You could set it to use spells and to stop after a certain amount of mana but in general it's too simplistic to be reliable as anything except ranged or melee support. Being able to take two characters means you can take two totally different skillsets- the most obvious being warrior and assassin. It also makes monks and priestesses more viable for single player since they're better at filling a support role. I'm really not sure why they removed that from the PS1 version unless the PS1 version came out first and then they later added that feature to the PC version.
I also have a general bit of advice for both versions of the game that relates to another of your complaints. Assassin/thief are the best characters, because their damage output is crazy good and more importantly, they get access to perception and defuse- abilities that let you detect and disarm trapped crates and chests. I almost consider it a necessity to have a thief or assassin as part of my group for that fact alone.
I should also add (since I'm too lazy to edit my comment, not sorry) that perception is a passive ability for the assassin/thief, at least on the PC version- I can't speak for the PS1 version.
Alsp, portal scrolls. They are very cool, and very this game.
Man I miss this game.. that was until you talked about all the bugs I forgot about.
ah yes this game, i had it on psx and played a hell of it ,was very fun, but those difficult were there, i also played as wizard and magic bomb is one of the best because you can spam it , one thing that is a little bizarre, the game is harder early one but get easier as you get more level, nit because of your status but what opens up , shops start to have some decent gear , the item shop sometimes sell potions for status , you arent supposed to get strong by lv , you drink a hell of it , playing at higer difficult make the lot better, so it is always welcome , the skills are a secret that also help you have a easier time, i dont remember how i dealt with magic resistant monster , dunno if was poison magic or a spell that did physical or just a strong bow , it is really easy to shoot bow and just quick dodge to side.
And different from diablo, i managed to collect my end gear the way i wanted , a club that shoot magic missile when attacking , a shield with mana shield , cape with quick mana regen and a helmet with eternal youth .
You weren't able to live forever as a werewolf at 0 hp? I was.
After hearing your description of a witch quest I immediately went to the gamefaqs. Sadly the description of quests in every walkthrough is not evocative as your description... I could play the game myself to read the quests but I won't ;) I hope there is some e-bard who can tell the tales better than FAQing :P people. Thanks to your explanation of this single quest my curiosity got ignited :)
Still have this game somewhere lol
True the pc version is much better for gameplay
I dunno if console was different but I never had any of these issues you had.
He didn’t put any points into vit lol.
But console was harder in general due to limited controls and a you couldn’t zoom out far at all (lighting not a problem on pc). Also pc you can bring a second character to round out your weaknesses. There’s a midgame dungeon that’s designed to be difficult for every class. This guy got the worst dungeon for mages (amazons). There’s a magic wasp and spider dungeon that sucks for warriors.
One solution I could possibly give is don't sink ALL your points into just one thing. If you can, just make sure to equal out all your stats and use as much weapon attacks as you do with magic.
This guy has heard of saving right?
Holy, have you really beat the game without using good spells? I mean, there is a simple thing that u didn't mentioned, the game have diferent difult levels, when you are a certain level u can chan ge the dificult and start again, u don't need to beat the game to change dificult, not just monsters get stronger, drop better loots, but u have access to new spells, like lightning strikes, and eventualy u can buy elixirs, a iten really expensive liek a potion that can be used to earn a status point, with elixir u can aford to use better magics. its really amazing u could beat the boss without a single elixir
Boy I knew I was doing something wrong! Having more spells and bonus stats would've made the run so much easier, I didn't even consider changing the difficulty because I thought it'd just be too hard... makes sense it's an easy way to access new spells and stuff. I don't even think I could have beat the final boss at all if I didn't find a way to exploit him.
Isn't exploiting half the fun of an RPG? Giving you the freedom to tackle the challenge how ever you want? Finding creative work arounds if your numbers aren't big enough is a big plus for me.
I would say that's a more common element outside of RPGs, obviously especially in these hack'n Slash games.
Nothing like buying a mace for 900 gold and immediately selling it for 2100 gold at the same store
I beat the game with a archer. Everybody else was too hard to use.
I remember playing this game a lot on PC and there it wasn´t that bad. But that´s maybe due having two characters in one single player game. You could switch between them and the second one was controlled by AI. The AI was dumb and died easily, but it could be useful against enemies who are resistant to magic.
Also PC version had better handling of death - it had saving similar to Diablo, but you could make more saves, so when you died, you just reload a saved game. And also I remember the game being much easier before it was made harder by patch because I later found that people were complaining tha the game was too easy. So on PS1 you must probably have played the harder version.
I also don´t remember first dungeons being so dark like you had ones, but that´s maybe also that on PC I could find enemies much easier by cursor, while in PS1 it´s impossible.
And PC version also had multiplayer, but there you could play only with one your character, unlike single player.
Game is one of the best ps1 game. They missed the ball with the ios port. Could have been perfect
The consol version was limited by a 640X480 AV cord were in 99 the Pc was capable of 800X600 or 1024X768. Consols are non upgradable, unlike a PC. In 2019 the PC version would be a major difference, being able to use a 1.4 hdmi cord or a hdmi 2.1 would be a nice upgrade in visuals. Alot of newer Gpu's like the GtX series (1050/1060) even a 2014 GtX 750 Ti have so many options to improve graphics and visuals, something a consol, definitely an original PlayStation is not capable of.
Diablo and Baldur's Gate are completely different style of games. Diablo took the RPG format that existed before it, merged it with action greatly simplifying the gameplay in the process. Action RPG feels like a shooter with an awkward 3rd p. camera, where you mash the mouse button as quickly as possible. I prefer Darkstone over Diablo for the pleasant fantasy atmosphere and 3D graphics that support transparent walls better.
On PC only a few areas are completely dark, such as the start of the dungeon for the Horn of Plenty quest and some safe areas of the Drack's lair. I never used a torch in my recent playthrough. This video capture has exagerrated gamma and clipped shadows.
On PC a Thief can passively detect trapped barrels. But a missed trap is fixed with a potion instantly, not a big deal. I found it a hassle to switch between characters in a conventional party consisting of a fighter and thief/mage, each with its own set of spell keys. The other character starts to move automatically, walks onto a trap or exposes himself to enemy fire.
The prevalent radomness makes the world seem lifeless. Most traps don't protect anything important.
The loading screens are a fault of the miserable hardware of the console. I remember seeing loading times on my Celeron computer back in 2000. Now I never see nice animation with the glowing pipe.
First point was definitely my fault on not doing any amount of research on what I thought was a throwaway line. I took Diablo's popularity and the games release dates at face value without as much knowledge on many of the other RPGs mentioned. There's a lot I'd go back and fix about this review if I could, including how much the darkest is effected by my capture method as well as playing this on RCA cables on a PS2.
Calling Baldurs Gate "trying to get into Diablo" ... is REAAALLY stretching the definition here. They basically just did "ok we have combat still in rounds but don't make pauses between them" and not "klick click dead"
I too played Wizard, got my ass kicked and quit.
nah just get the thief and put it on very very extra hard mode, them steal items to sell 4 alot so u could boost your stats. o.0
The wizard was really weak the assassin classes was pretty OP, monk prolly easiest 1st playthrough to beat cus heals are OP.
Apart from what red said below, you should know that u keep your stats as u continue, and your only problem from there is elixirs of youth, and also dont matter what class u pick that darn dragon can only be killed by a sword
Loading: use emulator, unlock fps, also can save anywhere. But high stakes adds tension feeling though.
Traps: telekinesis, sad that trap dmg is unaffected by resistances, but that keep them dangerous.
Difficulty: its 99% linear, so next lvl mobs will be ~10% stronger(bad design, but 99% modern games are like this). There is a problem with magic books, you can be out of luck and dont have any or needed one. Seems like you dont have enough spells to feel comfort, its ok, just start over and collect some more. You made some mistakes in build: more vitality, not enough AC, magic resistances, collect +magic items to learn spells, use items with spells in it, money is god - you are not warrior, who can accumalte tons of it and you need a lot of it, so sell even some unnecessary magic books, even magic door, cause costs a lot and you need money right now, to have an ability to buy necessary books or items, minimize skill investment until later, probably some more minor mistakes. Overall, even warriors will have health problem and dying pretty fast withour AC and magic resistances, cause it balanced for constant berserker spell or huge "upgrade" investment. Its modern game experience that spoils us, you want stright forward experience without putting thoughts or efforts in it.
The game have unique features, so its not like its better or worse compare to another game completely, just try it.
There is android version too )
The PC version is superior.
I could only imagine. Keyboard alone makes me think it'd be a lot more enjoyable, let alone not having the PS1 limitations. It being 5$ on Steam makes me want to try it sometime.
Not only that but the UI itself is better, the game was really made for computers.
Not to mention he didnt even have companion mode on!!! Play the full experience and then review...
If you make a disk image of your game, and put it on the Playstation Classic Edition, or the raspberry pi, then the load times are real fast. On the HD television, the rooms aren't too dark. I haven't had to use a torch or anything yet since I've been playing it on the classic edition. Also, your wizard's build was pretty bad lol. You need more points in health. I play as the Warrior right now. I would like the game more than Diablo 1 on the playstation, except Diablo 1 on playstation has multiplayer, so that makes it way better than this. But I still really like Darkstone on PS1.
I dont think they are different classes, just the female terminology for said class.
Diablo 2 is better than diablo 1 for sure. For reasons like more open world than the dungeon crawl of 1 and the fact that you are following yourself from part one and what eventually happens to yourself(complicated). Even though diablo 1 was more than amazing.
Looser! This game rules!
Lol it’s not better than the 1st Diablo that was ❤🎉
Dude what are you smoking baulders gate, icewind dale and arcanum are not emulating or trying to emulate diablo they are crpgs not arpgs like diablo is. small mistake i forgive you :P
Those comments instantly destroyed his credibility for the rest of the review.