Golden Sun is a well-known name among RPG fans. It's often considered one of the best RPG series out there. The mix of old-school gameplay with strategic combat, the great storytelling, and the challenging dungeon puzzles that are typically found in action-adventure games are only a portion of the things that make the series so good. Nearly seven years after The Lost Age was released, we finally get the chance to try out a new chapter, named "Dark Dawn".

 

 

On Dark Dawn, you control the descendants from the original cast, named Matthew (the one that looks like Isaac), Karis (the girl) and Terrel (the third one). The demo was divided in two parts, one where you'd use Psyenergy (the magic from the game) to solve puzzles and move on and another where you'd fight a couple enemies in a row.

 

On the first part, you had 5 minutes to finish a "Psyenergy training test". 4 Djinni (elemental spirits from the game that can help you in combat and be used for summons) would help you out giving hints of what you had to do. You had access to two Psyenergies: a fireball and the classic Move, which you can use to, guess what, move distant things around.

 

 

Controlling is a matter of choice, you can either use the stylus or do it the old way, with the shoulder buttons for the shortcuts and the D-pad to move. Same for Psyenergy: they have stylus controls that make things easier, but if you want to do it the hard way, go ahead and do it. It's also worth mentioning that now you don't have to be directly facing your target to use the Psyenergy. For example, the first thing you had to do on the demo is shoot a fireball on the target. After triggering it, you'd aim with the stylus and tap the character to shoot.

 

The second part of the demo consists of a series of 3 battles against enemy groups. The first two groups were weak, and served only for drooling purpose. Yes, drooling purpose because you get to see the gorgeous new attacks and spells. It was only on the third battle that I was able to use enough Djinni to use all 3 summons, and saying they're gorgeous is an understatement. Dark Dawn is, by far, one of the most beautiful games on the DS.

 

Astonishing visuals, the same intricate combat scheme we all love, and improved controls on the field. If you, like me, have been waiting for a new Golden Sun since you finished The Lost Age, be relieved, because Golden Sun: Dark Dawn is set to release this holiday.