DarkStory Online

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DarkStory is a 2D MMORPG where you can have fantastic adventures filled with action, magic, and friendships.

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Reviews

62%

Audience ScoreBased on 245 reviews

story10 positive mentions

grinding34 negative mentions

The game has a charming retro aesthetic reminiscent of classic RPGs, with cute graphics and enjoyable music.
The community is friendly and helpful, with active developers who listen to player feedback and regularly update the game.
The gameplay offers a nostalgic experience with a variety of quests and character customization, making it engaging for fans of 2D MMORPGs.

The game suffers from a low player base, leading to a lack of interaction and community engagement.
There are significant technical issues, including frequent crashes, lag, and poor UI visibility, which hinder the overall experience.
Questing can be tedious and repetitive, with many quests requiring excessive grinding and unclear objectives.

story
72 mentions
14 % positive mentions
74 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a lack of depth and immersion in the narrative. While some quests are described as charming and reminiscent of classic RPGs, the repetitive nature of quest objectives and poor translation of dialogue detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, players have expressed frustration with quest tracking and requirements, leading to a sense of disconnection from the game's world and story.
- “This game is unique and I guarantee you will enjoy it; it's like MapleStory meets an old classic pixel RPG, but it's actually fun.”
- “Dark story is a charming game reminiscent of classic RPGs from the old Super Nintendo/PS1 days.”
- “It has some pretty quaint early game storylines (there's an NPC that you'll constantly run into in the game's early dungeons, he's an 'undercover agent' that dresses up as nearby mobs and urges you not to blow his cover).”
- “Character doesn't feel like a part of the world; there is like no immersion or story.”
- “Story is very badly translated and hard to understand, and some parts aren't even translated.”
- “Cons: there isn't much of a story, and it definitely has the old school grind.”
grinding
34 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely noted as tedious and time-consuming, with players often spending hours on quests and skill leveling that may not feel rewarding. While some enjoy the grind as a nostalgic element reminiscent of classic RPGs, others find it frustrating, particularly due to unclear quest requirements and limited freedom to explore earlier maps. Overall, the game appeals to fans of grind-heavy experiences, but it may deter those seeking a more streamlined or less repetitive gameplay.
- “I like it, but I have one problem: I think the game is very grindy. You need to grind hours and hours for things that aren't worth the time you spend on them.”
- “Idk, a few hours in I'm bored. You get stuck just grinding for levels and it's not enjoyable, and combat is meticulous because you have to aim perfectly to land a hit.”
- “Very grindy; quest objectives are hard to find.”
gameplay
26 mentions
35 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its simplicity and nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic RPGs like Zelda, while others criticize it for being linear and lacking depth. Common complaints include slow movement, repetitive quests, and limited mechanics, which detract from the overall experience. However, some players enjoy the community aspect and find the game addictive, especially when played with friends.
- “This game has Zelda vibes all over it.. I really really enjoy the gameplay.”
- “Overall, I really love this for its artwork, gameplay, and especially its community.”
- “The gameplay is good especially if you use a controller so that you can use good combos and all.”
- “Progression is weird, adding skill points with a recommended way and not providing many different ways to distribute points to obtain different types of gameplay doesn't justify the point system.”
- “There's nothing interesting to gain from the quests too, and it's 90% of the gameplay.”
- “The combat was very simple, it had 2D graphics and the story was awful, and the gameplay seemed pretty basic.”
graphics
19 mentions
37 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many players appreciating the cute retro and 2D pixel art style that evokes nostalgia. However, some users have reported technical issues, such as crashes and graphical memory errors, which detract from the overall experience. Despite these concerns, the artwork and visual atmosphere are praised for their quality and charm, contributing positively to the gameplay.
- “The visuals in Darkstory Online are very pleasant, the gameplay is comfy (at least while you are a newbie :D) and there are always some players running/grinding around.”
- “It has a unique and well thought out art style that doesn't hurt your eyes when you play the game.”
- “For a 2D game, it has some great artwork and the use of lighting in caves and towns adds to the atmosphere.”
- “You gotta fix those graphic requirements' minimum, though. I will edit this review if you already write the minimum specs properly.”
- “I am running a setup that allows me to play max graphics on AAA games, and yet I keep getting an error that states my graphical memory has been exceeded upon startup of the game.”
- “The combat was very simple, it had 2D graphics, and the story was awful, and the gameplay seemed pretty basic.”
music
14 mentions
43 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players praising its catchiness and quality, often comparing it favorably to nostalgic titles like Ragnarok Online. While some find the soundtrack immersive and enjoyable, others express dissatisfaction, describing it as annoying or not to their taste. Overall, the music is generally regarded as a strong aspect of the game, contributing positively to the overall experience.
- “I can recommend this game because the music is amazing.”
- “Damn, I would love to immerse myself in this beautiful 2D stylized world with awesome background music.”
- “The game's music per zone is catchy as hell and reminds me of Ragnarok Online.”
- “Soundtrack is annoying.”
- “Due to the crashes, the bugs, lack of actual freedom of choice early on, and a soundtrack I personally dislike, I decided to stop playing the game.”
- “- ok music and sound effects”
stability
8 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is notably poor, with frequent crashes, bugs, and glitches that hinder gameplay, particularly affecting quest completion and overall performance. Users report issues such as game freezes during transitions, visual glitches, and difficulties launching the game, making it largely unplayable for some. While there are minor fixes available, the overall experience remains marred by these stability concerns.
- “Very buggy and crashes or disconnects a lot.”
- “Apparently some (recent?) update has caused glitches with newbie quests, making them completely undoable if you complete the task prior to getting the quest.”
- “I played through tutorial island and wanted to love this game, but cannot recommend it because I ran into an insane amount of bugs and glitches that make this game unplayable for me.”
optimization
4 mentions
25 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is criticized for significant issues, including stuttering, lag, and frequent crashes, which detract from the overall experience. While the graphics are generally well-received, players report a need for improved server performance and bug fixes to enhance gameplay.
- “Just played for half an hour, I'd say this game has a lot of potential and it's fun to play. However, there are a lot of bugs that still need to be fixed, and more regional servers should be added as I experienced high ping. No complaints about the graphic performance, though, as it is fine by me.”
- “And the client needs more optimization as it often crashes and experiences a lot of lag.”
- “Just played for half an hour, I'd say this game has a lot of potential and it's fun to play; however, there are a lot of bugs that still need to be fixed and more regional servers should be added as I suffered high ping. No complaints for the graphic performance, though, as it is fine by me.”
- “Encountered stuttering, boring fetch and kill quests, generic gameplay, slow movement, etc. The 5th quest has you dig for 3 more worms in a mine.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-500 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by impressive 2D artwork and effective use of lighting, particularly in caves and towns, creating an immersive experience for players.
- “For a 2D game, it has some great artwork, and the use of lighting in caves and towns adds to the atmosphere.”
- “The immersive sound design and detailed environments create a captivating atmosphere that draws you in.”
- “The combination of haunting music and stunning visuals really enhances the overall atmosphere of the game.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players.”
- “Despite the game's potential, the overall ambiance is dull and fails to evoke any real emotion.”
- “The sound design is underwhelming, which detracts significantly from the intended atmosphere.”