Dark Cloud 2 2002

Is it still worth playing?

Level-5's 2002 action role playing game for the PlayStation 2, released as Dark Cloud 2 in North America. You control two protagonists, Max and Monica, who work together to stop Emperor Griffon from destroying the world. You move through procedurally generated dungeons from a third person perspective, battling monsters and collecting items in real time hack and slash combat. Max fights with a wrench and a gun and pilots a customizable mech like vehicle called the Ridepod, while Monica uses a sword and a magical bracelet and can shapeshift into monsters. Weapons, not characters, level up. Once a weapon gains enough absorption points it levels up automatically, and its Synthesis Points let you attach upgrades. With weapons doing the growing, every fight still feeds the gear you carry.