Japanese mythology and fast-paced multiplayer mayhem combine to make Throne of Darkness a must-have title for action oriented role-playing fans. Players will control a team of seven unique samurai against a massive single player experience or in online cooperative and competitive play modes. Guide your seven unique samurai as they seek to overthrow the evil that has overtaken the kingdom and avenge their slain Daimyo. From the gates of the clan citadel to the spire of the Dark Warlord's castle, you'll face more than 30 varieties of fantastic creatures from Japanese myth, including legions of undead warriors, fearsome demons, and giant dragons - all animated in breathtaking 16-bit color. Ten unique levels and dozens of side quests combine to create a truly original combat experience. Throne of Darkness introduces an innovative multi-character control interface that allows for the simultaneous command of up to four characters through a series of tactical "plays," or formations. Each play is designed to combine the unique strengths of each samurai - such as the ranged attacks of the archer and the two-sword technique of the berserker - into a distinct tactical advantage. Play calling allows for a high level of control and coordination between the player and computer-controlled samurai never before seen in the genre. In Throne of Darkness' multiplayer mode, up to 35 simultaneous players vie for the mantle of Dark Warlord in a king-of-the-hill style competition. Through competition and cooperation, four clans of seven samurai challenge the Dark Warlord, his seven lieutenants, and his countless minions, all of which can be controlled by a human player. Once the Dark Warlord is defeated, the conquering team becomes the new warlord.
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Not only because it brings back so many good memories from my childhood and it defined the RPG genre for me, but also because it is still as good in 2022 as it was back then.
Throne of Darkness is described as a “Diablo 2 rip-off” and a “Diablo 2 wannabe” but I reject those claims. It has many similarities yes, but it has too many unique features that makes it stand out. Personally, I even think it is better than Diablo 2.
The game has a very nice atmosphere and makes good use of the medieval Japan theme in terms of the surroundings, music and various types of enemies and accurate dynasty houses of the time like Oda, Mori and Tokugawa. The developers really did their research on the mythology of ancient Japan and although this is still a fantasy RPG, it has many historically accurate elements that I really like about it. Examples are the use of Oni’s as enemies, Kappa’s, Concubines in traditional clothing and Yama Inu’s.
The game has a classic, but solid storyline that builds up the tension over time. It is not the best or most original story ever but it works really well and keeps you motivated to keep playing.
The graphics and combat animations were, and still are, fairly decent and aged well. Yes, its old, but still looks fine for a 2D RPG. The 3D elements here and there, blended in with the 2D graphics almost make it feel like full 3D. The game is also very gory and dark sometimes, with disturbing graphics and background corpses. It is rated 12+ as far as I know, but as a child, I was sometimes terrified of all the horror that was going on in the background when exploring.
A special note must be made for the sound effects and music in this game. Yet again, it blew my mind back then and still continues to do so until this day. The grunts, the weapon sounds, the sounds of your electric spells blasting enemies away, it’s perfect.
I also really like the Blacksmith and Priest system. Rather then teleporting back to a town or base, you can pick up everything from the ground and giving it straight to one of the vendors in a special overlay, so they can process it to raw materials for the blacksmith or offering point for the priest. This system works very well and is one of the unique and well thought of mechanics in the game.
The difficulty in Throne of Darkness is very well balanced. Enemies get stronger over time and some boss enemies can easily kill you off with two hits, but you get enough time and experience to prepare for it. The choices you make for your character development defines your progress in the game. When you unlock higher weapons and armour earlier on by investing in strength for example, it can make your journey a lot easier.
But the best feature, the thing that makes this game stand out, and the only game I know to have this feature, is the customization system. When you kill enemies, they sometimes drop components. Some components are generic and can drop from any enemy, but some are creature specific like claws, teeth or blood. Those components can be used to enchant your gear and can give you great advantages throughout your adventure. You can boost your strength, increase your elemental resistance, deal more damage and the list goes on. Combining the components with boosters like specific stones or ingots greatly increases those effects.
I have beaten this game at least 15 times and will do so any time, any day without it boring me.
Like I said at the beginning, I think this game is massively underrated and for me, it is still in my personal top 10 of best games I have ever played. It will always have a special place in my heart.
Definitely recommend to give this old gem a try.