I remember all those years ago when I attempted to play a very old-school role-playing game. It was Wizardry V for the Super Nintendo. And it was difficult figuring out how to do anything and everything. Plus, did I mention how brutal and boring it was? Yeah, it felt like a complex computer game. It wasn’t until my teenage years that I played the Eye of the Beholder — a series *seriously* based on the first edition of Dungeons and Dragons — on my dad’s old work computer. In case you don’t know, the Eye of the Beholder. Different races are limited to certain professions, and those professions are limited to a certain level. And the only race that could truly gain any power was the human race because they were not limited as severely as the other races. Plus, you explored everything from the first-person perspective. If you got lost, it was your own fault because there was no automap. But for me, it wasn’t until Baldur’s Gate was released that it took all of those great ideas from PC gaming past and transformed it into an accessible and deliciously fun game. Enough history. Atlus has released a game that is a love letter to the games mentioned above (and several others): The Dark Spire for the Nintendo DS.

The Dark Spire has you controlling a party of adventurers of your choice to explore a tower. What is this tower, you ask? It’s the hiding place of the former royal adviser Tyrhung, who created a war and then stole a royal artifact (a necklace) straight off the queen’s neck. Filled to the brim with monsters of all types and corrupted humans, it is up to your group to get to ascend to the top of the tower, retrieve the artifact and maybe complete some quests along the way. Yeah, that’s all there is to the plot. But in a way, it’s up to you to fill in the blanks. You create their history and motives. Some will like this, and others will not.

First, let’s get something out of the way. The game is downright gorgeous. It’s highly stylized and well-detailed. Each of the monsters looks ferocious, emphasizing how each battle could very well be your last. Corridors emphasize the spookiness of it all, making you realize how easily it is to get lost. Of course, that’s assuming you play in the “modern” style mode. The classic mode reduces everything to its simplest form. Walls are nothing more than simple lines. So instead of it being a spooky experience, it’s downright claustrophobic! Sure, monsters don’t look as scary as their modern counterparts. But old-school gamers know that sometimes it is the most unassuming creature that can cause the most trouble. Unfortunately, there is nothing flashy going on during combat. It’s old school. It could have been better, but it is serviceable. Also, it is important to note that important things are not actually seen. When you encounter something event-worthy, text appears and gives you a description of whatever it is you are looking at. It’s supposed to encourage your imagination. And I feel that it works.

Continuing this hardcore theme is the awesome soundtrack. The game opens with a piano playing a spooky melody. There is an alternate version with opera vocals on the soundtrack CD, which is a tad spookier. Combat music is intense with the guitars and synth-based sounds. It truly kept me on my toes whenever I played. Heavy guitars are played whenever you’re visiting the Guild. A pumping synth-bass sound is heard with various instruments alternating the melody during the underground segments of the tower. If I were to describe the soundtrack in a word, it would be “spooky.” Another good word is “mysterious.”

But how does this go hand-in-hand with the gameplay? Simple. This is classic old-fashioned RPG gameplay. You first start with a character that you have to create. What type of character you end up with is all dependant of how lucky you are with a virtual die (though all you see is a quick flash of numbers on screen) for the various stats: strength, constitution, dexterity, intelligence and charisma. If you’re lucky, you might have all solid stat scores. Or you might have some solid scores with one high stat and a low stat — or any combination of them. If your character’s strength is high enough, he (or she) can become a fighter — or a mage or priest if intelligence is strong enough, or even a thief if dexterity is high enough. Then you pick your character’s alignment (lawful, neutral, chaos) and race (dwarf, elf, Halfling and human). After your character’s initial class is picked you name your character(s). Past that, there is nothing to distinguish the characters apart. For the game, that is your job. You create the story and personalities if you so wish.

Combat is rather traditional and occurs randomly. You tell your party what to do and then watch as everything plays out. It’s rather simple, but things can quickly become complex. What equipment is worn can limit what classes a character has access to while exploring and during combat. Furthermore, depending on character class and what weapon is worn can influence your characters’ attack commands. Swords and bows have the option to attack swiftly or accurately. Axes are more power-oriented and two of three commands represent that power at the expense of accuracy. Heck, you can even decide how your magic users cast! Cast a spell quickly, and it might hit your opponent before anyone else acts. But it may not work. However, if you choose to cast it carefully, it’s practically guaranteed to work. Figuring out which commands work during combat is vital for success.

So you are probably thinking, “OK, all I need to do is fight long enough and my characters’ will level on their own?” Well, no. You’re wrong in that department. Instead, you take all of that hard-earned experience to the guild to increase your characters’ character classes, stats and even abilities. Furthermore, you’re not forced into a particular character class. You can develop a character however you see fit. It’s challenging to figure out where the experience should go. Do I continue my fighter’s hard work, or do I channel his efforts elsewhere so I can have a second thief or mage? Should my mage pick up some priestly spells or finally learn how to wield a sword? Or should my thief leave her sneaky ways behind and join the priesthood and take up painting? Or should I finally give my priest some much needed improvements in her dexterity? Oh, and did I mention that as your characters’ levels rise, the cost of the inn and the price for raising the dead increase?

Yeah, the proverbial noose can tighten pretty quickly if one isn’t careful with how the game is played. Armor decreases the chances of being hit. The lower the number, the better. Sort of like D&D’s old THAC0. Does anyone besides some of our staff members know the meaning of that term? It stands for “To Hit Armor Class zer0.” That’s what you’re competing against, in a way. You’ll have to think about how you want to balance not only your characters’ armor class, but how you want to take down that tough monster.

The game does include an automap. But don’t think this will help you too much as it will not map every single item of interest. It only shows the entire floor the party is on and specific types of traps, but it won’t actually reveal where you are unless you cast a certain spell. So either know where you are at all times, or it’s time to start praying. Thankfully, the developers and Atlus included explanations of what each action and spell and special event place does simply by pressing the X button. So if you ever forget (or do not know) what some oddly named spell does, and trust me, you will from time to time, it’ll tell you each if you ask.

With that said, The Dark Spire is not going to be a game for everyone. It’s a very odd taste, even stranger than Atlus’ previous release Etrian Odyssey II. As previously written, this game is a love letter to those who have fond memories to the old dungeon crawlers. I remember in Atlus’ letter that they sent to everyone on their mailing list that for legal reasons they couldn’t name the sources for the inspiration of the game. Thankfully, I do not have that restriction. It takes a good dash of Eye of the Beholder, Wizardry V, Might and Magic, Ultima, Final Fantasy, and countless other old-school games and presents it in a deliciously modern shell.

I strongly suggest that anyone who is interested should rent this game. Or if you’re feeling brave, just go out and buy it. It’s fun, challenging and at the same time rather accessible. It’s not just about exploring the various floors to finish the various quests, but it’s about creating a party that can withstand any challenge thrown at it. So go check it out. But only the most patient and persistent will make it to the top of the tower. Good luck, folks! You will need it.