Nintendo DS Review: ‘Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled’

2009 has seen a return to classic turn-based RPG dungeon crawling on the Nintendo DS and the forgotten PSP. Gamers still looking for a throwback to the days of Chrono Trigger have taken to this return with delight. While, other gamers have worried that Development houses have tossed away the shackles of innovation for the sake of reusing old formulas that just don’t seem to die.

Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled is another game intended to transport you back to the days of classic RPG gaming. Visually this game screams Chrono Trigger and will immediately have you salivating to play. The colorful castle architecture and character sprites are well designed and cleanly delivered.

Unfortunately, not everything from the past should be repeated in new releases. If there was one thing about 90s RPGs that gamers loathed, it was the frequent encounters with enemies. Once you left a town, and found yourself on the world map, everywhere you walked seemed to spring forth a new enemy battle. This got so frustrating, that gamers had to train themselves to save every ten seconds for fear of having to repeat the past few hours of play. Newer RPGs tend to offer the illusion of being able to dodge an enemy fight with an on screen avatar representing potential enemy battles. Gamers not in the mood to level up, could move quickly around an enemy and dodge them. More often than not the enemy would still spot you in time to speed up and draw you into another battle. Still the fighting chance was there.

If there’s one thing about Black Sigil that does stand out, it’s the opening story. Gamers begin their journey as Kairu, a soldier who was born without magic in a world where being born without magic is tantamount to being born without a head. Everyone can use magic. However, there was one child who was born several years ago without the ability to use magic. His disability was a curse to the world of Bel Lenora. High General Vai, the Magicless, was the leader of the cursed bringers and brought destruction to Bel Lenora. Luckily, fifteen years ago, Kairu’s father, the Duke, vanquished Vai and brought peace to the kingdom. Now, Kairu’s supposed “disability” causes him to be ostracized by everyone around him. He sets out on a quest to find magic.

Unfortunately, once you set out on this quest, there is little else in the ways of plot and character development. The events seem randomly strung together for the first several hours. The game actually gets quite good, if you have the patience to stick around ten to fifteen hours to see it happen.

Another cool feature about this game is the dungeons. They are vaguely reminiscent of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts schools. If you remember how staircases shifted in Hogwarts, you’ll soon learn that dungeons in Black Sigil tend to have a similar feeling. So, there’s an element of puzzle solving and map expertise built on top of your run-of-the-mill dungeon crawl.

Black Sigil one-ups most of the JRPGs coming out recently with its musical score. The haunting music may be the best feature of this game. Each musical track really builds the atmosphere of the title. I only wish the pacing of the game could match the music that was scored.

Throughout Black Sigil, you will meet a multitude of character types all with their own unique and often quirky dialogue. This keeps the game entertaining when you can’t figure out exactly which quest to go on next. Or if you just find yourself at a loss for side quests, which will happen early in the game.

A quick word of warning: don’t use the stylus. I didn’t even realize you could use the stylus while I was playing. It was only later on that I tested it out and found it to be a nuisance. Navigating through battles, while selecting skills, magic or weapons is just easier to do with the D-Pad. So, use it.

Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled doesn’t break any boundaries on innovation. It is a classic RPG, and has some classic flaws. The highlight of this game is the musical score, which will always capture your attention. If only the story could engage me as much throughout the game, this Black Sigil would have received a higher rating.