Steal Princess was an easy game to identify since it is using the same name as its Japanese counterpart. The Dark Spire is more elusive. Like Steal Princess it’s for the DS and the ESRB says Atlus is publishing it. However, I don’t recall any game from Japan with exactly the same name. It could be a European game since Atlus USA is publishing Trackmaster, but there isn’t a European developed DS game called The Dark Spire either. Fortunately, the ESRB database now comes with descriptions and this is a summary of the Dark Spire.
This is a role-playing game in which players traverse through a dungeon to look for a stolen treasure. Players encounter monsters throughout the dungeon and can choose from a list of actions such as “attack,” “defend,” and “run.” Some story elements have graphic descriptions of violence (e.g., “…cut his own wrists and sprayed his blood” and “the sword impaled her through the chest”). Character accessories can include “bikini armor” and a “frilled codpiece,” while one scene mentions an “erotic panda.” Expletives (e.g., “bastard” and “hell”) can be seen in the dialogue, as well as references to alcohol products (e.g., “breath that reeks of rum”).
Hmm… dungeon crawling with basic RPG commands? Could this be the English version of Elminage DS Remix? Anyone else have a guess? “Erotic panda” could be a big hint too!
Update: Kid Marin had a great guess Genmu no Tou to Tsurugi no Okite from Success. Since Atlus and Success have close ties the Dark Spire may just be this retro dungeon crawler.
Images courtesy of Starfish.
