Dokapon Kingdom Review for PlayStation 2 (PS2)

System: Wii, PS2	Review Rating Legend
Dev: Sting	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Atlus	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Oct. 14, 2008	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1-4	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

The sound here also suffers from an overall bland feel. The level music is passable; it consists of some simplistic tunes that change as the level scenery changes. However, the voiceovers are really repetitive, and each character only has a handful of stock phrases that they repeat over and over throughout the game.

Dokapon Kingdom screenshot

Control in Dokapon Kingdom is very simple and consists of using your choice of the Wii-mote turned on its side, the classic controller, or the GameCube controller to run around the board and battle various enemies. There are no motion controls, and different battle actions are mapped on-screen according to your different control scheme.

For all of its faults, Dokapon Kingdom is not that bad of a title. The RPG twist on party games actually makes for some fun and interesting gameplay, and if you can keep up with your fellow competitors, then you'll probably be in for a good time. Being able to level-up your party character and outfit them with different jobs, weapons, and accessories definitely affords some memorable experiences to the title, and there is quite a bit of replay value here.

Even though I did enjoy playing Dokapon Kingdom, it unquestionably suffers from a lack of balance. There is too much involved in this title for those looking for a pick-up-and-play party game, and it is overly simplistic for those interested in playing a serious RPG. But this game is definitely unique among its peers, and although it is not quite the best of both worlds, it is definitely worth checking out if you are a party game or RPG enthusiast.

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Staff Contributor

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

2.9

Graphics
Graphics are a little too simplistic and animations are repetitive and basic.

4.3

Control
Simple action-button-based controls work well.

2.8

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Background music is alright, but repetitive dialogue becomes annoying quickly.

3.7

Play Value
Despite being entertaining for a few hours, this "party" game requires too much of a commitment for casual players and too little for hardcore RPG fans.

3.6

Overall Rating - Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Innovative board game-RPG crossover: Tired of shallow gameplay in party games? The genre gets retooled in this exuberant mix of role playing and board games! Encounter zany characters, collect rare items, and explore a fascinating kingdom on your quest to vanquish monsters, gather treasure, and level up!

The friendship-destroying game: Turn the heat up on your rivalries! Take on up to three other soon-to-be-ex-friends in the race for Princess Penny and the crown. Battle, steal, deface - playing dirty is the name of the game - through a variety of locales and challenges. After your friendships are broken, the game is just as much fun to play alone.

Never the same game twice: Tons of battles, magic spells, mini-games, and multiple play modes add up to endless replayability!

Easy, intuitive, and effective combat system: This is no boring game of hack-and-slash. Players covertly choose their actions in an intuitive battle interface that guarantees every fight will surprise.