Spin-Off Do you agree Mystery Dungeon has such a good storyline?

[m8g8]

I know this sounds a bit sad, but I really love the storyline. I found it really emotional (I can't mention what bits, because it might spoil it for some people) mainly the things the partner said. So sweet, and the ending. LOL.

Haha I sound so stupid.

But does anyone know another game for NDS which has a good storyline just like this?

I'll go now before I make an even bigger fool of myself...

 

[lonepichu]

I personally loved the story of MD. It was very touching and the music fit the events, like when the partner is willing to go to the ends of the world with you to help escape you form becoming killed and the ending and then the part with Gardevior and, well I'm rambling, but I personally loved the entire game and the story line was the best.

I also liked how they give you a break form the action in the middle of the game to do some minor missions while you wait for your base to be redone.

 

[Jonah]

I agree with both of you. It was very, very touching. (And the music is some of my fav tunes ever.)

But the final battle/ending and the part where you were refugees were the best.

Although it never explains why, when it says that it stares at the sun all day, Xatu a. Isn't blind b. Can go shopping in Pokemon Square. I mean, if you're looking at the sun, you can't see what you're purchasing, can you?

 

[Yamato-san]

perhaps Natio adapted their eyes to filter UV rays or something, I don't know. I think this was originally a Pokedex entry, like a number of things referenced in Mystery Dungeon.

Anyway, I too think Mystery Dungeon had a good storyline, probably the best one to be seen in a Pokemon game. Given, there are other games out there (including ones for the DS) with much better stories, but for this franchise... all things considered, for the most part its mainly focused on competition storylines with little characterization and saving the world (as much as it's been promoted the last few generations) merely thrown in for a side-plot at best. I honestly had low expectations of this game, expecting some cutesy light-hearted plot about you trying to become the best Rescue Team there is and the fact that you turned into a Pokemon being some forgettable plot that was only used to immerse the player into the game. Instead, your being a former human ends up being the core focus of the storyline, and there are a few nice twists and turns such as you becoming a fugitive.

I'm also pretty impressed that they managed to have some characterization in a game with a free recruitment system, though it was mainly helped by the fact that you're stuck with your main characters for the beginning of the game, and you can't get rid of them from your Friend Areas (as if you'd even want to) afterwards. While I do appreciate the variety and freedom granted to you in the main RPGs, I can't help but wonder if it would've been so hard to force some Pokemon (namely your starter) in your party at certain points to allow them interaction with your character in a few cut-scenes (this especially would've worked out nicely in Colosseum and XD, considering you can't trade with other games before finishing the storyline... plus, those games had more established characters instead of the blank avatars the portable RPGs had).

Anyway, while the main character still seems to be an avatar of the player, it surprisingly gets quite a bit of its own dialog, as well as a bit of its own established personality. However, for whatever reason, they still have the main character interact through the type of gestures you usually expect from silent protagonists. It also bugs me that they seem to have the partner do most of the talking for you... like, make up your fucking minds if you want a silent protagonist or not. Other qualms I have with the story are the fact that you don't seem quite as involved after the main storyline is over (which is odd... you can't remove your main characters from the Friend Areas, likely because they automatically show up in subsequent cut scenes, even when they evolved, so they could've easily have your character more involved)... still, it's a lot more story-centric than the main RPGs' post-games. This Pokemon world also seems pretty confusing... at a glance, it seems like another dimension where Pokemon build societies in place of humans, and yet everyone is aware of what a human is, and there apparently was a trainer long ago who got cursed by Kyuukon (there's also the fact that they still call eachother "Pokemon", short for "Pocket Monsters", a name in direct reference of the fact that these are creatures that can be captured by humans, but I guess Chunsoft did this for convenience of the brand name and familiarity to the player).

I also thought the epilogue was kinda cheesy. Despite all the main character did to return to the human world, it suddenly has second thoughts and realizes it'd miss its friend, and ends up returning with absolutely no thought put into the fact that the main character's sacrificing its previous life that it worked so hard to return to. Then there's the partner just suddenly bringing up the idea that they should be work alone more often. Sure, all this kinda sets up for the post-game, allowing you to keep playing and enjoy the vast torrent of extra goodies you could only get after the story (such as evolution, playing as any Pokemon from your Friend Area, and all the new Pokemon you could recruit... though your partner not following around town is greatly missed. Would it have killed them to let you see your whole party in town?), but still, I feel it could've been executed a lot better. Come to think of it, Chocobo's Dungeon 2 (was Chunsoft involved with this one too?) had a similar problem with its post-game, in which a character or two come back for the hell of it.

In spite of those qualms I have, it was a pretty good storyline in the end, and I hope to see something just as great in the sequel (which is already looking pretty good with the Juptor thief and this "Gear of Time").

 

[Jonah]

Humans apparently existed long ago, but became extinct. Although things that they've contributed to in ancient times before extinction include the Lab Friend Area, Power Plant Friend Area, various myths (The thought that one day we'll only be myths is, well, intruiging), and Mewtwo (Who is one of those myths, except real).

And the main character wants to return to the human world, but remembers nothing about it. And they didn't think about the consequences of leaving, like leaving behind the best friend they ever had. So those factors contributed to you returning.

And yes, Grovyle/Gear of Time looks like a great storyline. BTW, has anyone translated what items you have to get for the wallpaper on PMD2's official site? I see a Clear Gummi, a berry of some sorts, and a Link Box, but I don't know what the other items are.

 

[Perxio]

I agree with you guys on pretty much all of the points you brought up. My main issue was that I was so disappointed that your partner stopped following you after the main storyline and became more impersonal that way. Whenever I get the urge to play the game, I always start over after the epilogue, even though I'd have liked to run into the legendaries you can meet after it. Man, it felt so random; the 'sidekick' basically go from "OMGOMGURSTAYING!!1BFF!!1 DDD ..........okthxbai."

I'm worried about the new PMD games coming out; the rescue-based scenario seemed more 'noble' in a way, and from what I understand, the new games are based on exploration and finding treasure? ._. I was hoping the storyline wouldn't be unemotional like the main games can be.

 

[m8g8]

"OMGOMGURSTAYING!!1BFF!!1 DDD ..........okthxbai."

HaHa that's so funny and true! LOL.

Hey by the way everyone, thanks for replying. This was my second thread I've ever posted and it's really nice how people turn it into a discussion.

But yea, I agree. I really hope the next ones have just as good storyline. It was so sad when they were sent as fugitives and Alakazam is like, "You must run, run, run away,".

I'm going to research into other NDS games that have good storylines. If I find any that might be good, I'll let you know

 

[Talon87]

Even if the game starts off with the new team being "treasure hunters," I have little doubt that it will soon transform into a Mystery Dungeon rescue team of sorts. They'll probably be looking for some awesome legendary treasure but along the way the bad guys will be hurting Pokemon that get in their way as they, too, try to find this legendary treasure. And so it'll become more than just hunting for treasure, with you wanting to protect the Pokemon who are being hurt by the bad guys.

I dunno, there have been a lot of stories where somebody claimed all he was interested in was treasure but then it turned out he cared more about others' safety than treasure. Locke in FF6 and Tetra in Wind Waker come to mind as two good video game examples, and there are countless others in cinema and novels. I suspect this sequel to Mystery Dungeon will be little different.