DarkStory Online

About

DarkStory Online is a single player and multiplayer role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by BraveWolf and was released on May 22, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

DarkStory Online is a 2D MMORPG that offers adventures filled with action and magic, inspired by classic RPG games. Explore vast worlds, battle enemies, and form alliances in this immersive game with hundreds of hours of playtime. Whether you're a seasoned gamer or new to the genre, DarkStory Online provides a rich and exciting experience for all.

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62%

Audience ScoreBased on 247 reviews

story10 positive mentions

grinding32 negative mentions

DarkStory Online captures the nostalgic feel of classic 2D RPGs, reminiscent of games like Maplestory and Final Fantasy.
The game features a charming art style, engaging music, and a friendly community that enhances the overall experience.
It offers a variety of gameplay elements, including crafting, quests, and character customization, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.

The game suffers from significant technical issues, including frequent crashes, lag, and a poorly designed user interface that can be hard to read.
Questing can feel repetitive and grindy, with many tasks requiring players to kill large numbers of enemies or gather items, which may deter casual players.
There are limited server options, leading to high ping for players outside of North America, which negatively impacts gameplay.

story
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
74%
12%
The story in Darkstory Online is often criticized for its lack of depth and poor translation, leading to confusion and a lack of immersion. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and the variety of quests, many find the questing experience tedious and repetitive, with a focus on grinding rather than engaging narratives. Overall, the game offers a basic storyline that fails to captivate, leaving players wanting more in terms of character interaction and plot development.
- “Dark story is a charming game reminiscent of classic RPGs from the old Super Nintendo/PS1 days.”
- “Great game to play with friends, very old school RPG with no quest babysitters and also has a great story.”
- “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).”
- “Questing is a little tedious as the quest log gives you different or lacking info on quest requirements.”
- “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.”
grinding
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely noted as tedious and time-consuming, with many players expressing frustration over the lengthy hours required to level up skills and complete quests. While some enjoy the grind as a nostalgic element reminiscent of classic RPGs, others find it overwhelming and unfulfilling, particularly due to unclear quest objectives and limited map navigation. Overall, the game appeals to those who appreciate extensive grinding for character progression, but it may deter players seeking a more streamlined experience.
- “I like it, but I have one problem: I think the game is very grindy. You need to grind for 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
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its simplicity and linearity, with basic mechanics that can become repetitive, particularly after the initial stages. While some players appreciate the smoothness and community engagement, many criticize the lack of depth in quests, limited skill distribution, and poor aggro mechanics, leading to a somewhat dull experience. Overall, the game offers a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic RPGs, but it struggles with progression and variety in gameplay elements.
- “Overall, I really love this for its artwork, gameplay, and especially its community.”
- “The community has been great and the gameplay is smooth and lag-free unlike other 2D MMORPGs I've played.”
- “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 Positive Neutral Negative
37%
47%
16%
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 charm and appeal, particularly in enhancing 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 properly list the minimum specs.”
- “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, while the gameplay seemed pretty basic.”
music
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
31%
23%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players praising its quality and catchiness, often comparing it favorably to classic titles like Ragnarok Online. While some find the soundtrack immersive and enjoyable, others express dissatisfaction, citing it as annoying or not fitting their taste. Overall, the music is generally regarded as a strong aspect of the game, enhancing the experience despite some individual criticisms.
- “Damn, I would love to immerse myself in this beautiful 2D stylized world with awesome background music.”
- “The music is pretty great, and I haven't encountered any issues so far.”
- “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
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting frequent crashes, disconnections, and significant bugs that hinder gameplay, particularly with quest progression. While some minor visual glitches are noted, such as temporary map issues and occasional freezing during area transitions, these problems contribute to an overall frustrating experience that many players find unplayable.
- “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 Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
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 satisfactory, 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 more worms in a mine.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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.”