Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals

 DS
  • Publisher: Natsume
  • Release Date: Oct 12, 2010
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 19 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 19
  3. Negative: 3 out of 19
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  1. darksydex3226
    Oct 24, 2010
    10
    The story begins with a god-like entity, calling himself Gades, Sinistral of Destruction, calling down to the people of the world, saying that the apocalypse is coming and all life will soon be extinguished. As this is going on, Maxim, a Monster Hunter with the gift of amazing combat prowess from the earliest of ages, and his Doctor Emmet Brown look-a-like buddy, Professor Lexis, are enThe story begins with a god-like entity, calling himself Gades, Sinistral of Destruction, calling down to the people of the world, saying that the apocalypse is coming and all life will soon be extinguished. As this is going on, Maxim, a Monster Hunter with the gift of amazing combat prowess from the earliest of ages, and his Doctor Emmet Brown look-a-like buddy, Professor Lexis, are en route to Gades' location in hopes of defeating him. This quickly kicks the game's story into high gear, and cuts a lot of the unnecessary fat of the original. It automatically gives the story a sense of urgency, and easily draws the player in. The storyline is definitely dated, however, it understands that, and in turn never takes itself too seriously. It constantly has great bits of humor and a lovable cast of character's that make the plain and simple narrative soar to better heights.

    Speaking of characters, let me jump into the graphics and design. For the DS, the game looks pretty good. The best way to describe it would probably be, "a JRPG from the Playstation 1 era, but a bit better." Lufia also boasts some huge bosses that take up both screens of the DS, and that's epic. Unlike previous Lufia games, this one takes a bold step in a new direction as far as the setting, gone is the plain-old fantasy setting, and in its place is a steam-punk, fantasy hybrid. I was a bit turned off by this in the original preview's, but eventually it grew on me and I learned to love it (and if Neverland intends to make more of these in the future, they better stick with it). On top of a setting redesign, there has also been a redesign on all the original cast. Everyone is back, and looking better than ever. To top it all off, the game shows off some nice hand drawn character artwork during dialogue sccenes, complete with different facial expressions. It all just adds to what is already an awesome package, and really helps sell some of the dialogue in the game, for example, the game's oblivious air-head hero with a heart of gold, also known as Dekar, says something completely stupid... the dialogue art add to what is already completely funny, and makes it so much better in the process, and that's saying something.

    Now lets jump into the gameplay; gone are the days of slow paced, turn based combat. Lufia: CotS has an all new action-RPG style combat system, complete with special moves, character swapping mid-combo, and different spells. It's a bit simple in the beginning, appearing to be nothing more than an average hack-and-slash affair, but as you add more character's to your party, it becomes so much more. With a simple touch of a character portrait on the touch screen, you instantly swap the party member you're using, which can help create some mesmerizing, and long combo strings. There's a total of 6 playable characters, so the possibilities are seemingly endless.

    And a Lufia game just wouldn't be a Lufia game without dungeons filled with puzzles, now would it? Never fear, Lufia: CotS has puzzles in spades. Also, never fear of tearing your hair out either, because while the puzzles are thought-provoking, and encourage the use of all your party member's abilities, it never gets overbearing and makes you want to kick your foot through a window. With just a little thought, you can figure out these puzzles and feel rewarded, as opposed to having to read the solution online and then feel like putting on your nearest dunce cap. The puzzles and mini-games are a great way to break up the action, and Lufia never uses the same gimmick twice, so it never gets stale or repetitive.

    I'd like to say that unfortunately, Lufia: CotS isn't as long as the original, taking only about 14 hours give or take for your first run. I wish the game was longer, simply because of how awesome it is. However, there is a NG+ option with some new dialogue and even a new ending to those who complete the game twice, encouraging at the very least, a second run through the game. However, on your second run you also have full access to the Ancient Cave, which is a special dungeon that drops your level to 1 and removes all your equipment (you get it all back when you leave). There's a lot to be explored in this place, so that does add a good amount of replay value, but other than that, aside from the game being awesome, I see no reason for the average gamer to come back for a third spin.

    For 30 dollars though, you're certainly getting your money's worth, and a longer journey than what many console games offer. If you know what's good for you, you'll pick up Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals, whether you're a nostalgic fan longing for Lufia, or new to the series, it offers a top-notch experience that shouldn't be passed up.    … Expand
  2. Thom
    Nov 24, 2010
    10
    The original game on the SNES was one of my favourites. When I ordered this, I thought it was just a simple re-release. How wrong I was. It's like a totally new game, remade from the ground up. The battle system and the balancing isn't great, but they retained everything that made the original game great - music, story characters. I hope this game sell buckets and it gets a sequel!
  3. DovesOfAstarte
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    This is an excellent game. While it is not the longest, the storyline is rich and the gameplay is enjoyable, reminding one vaguely of Secret of Mana. If you want an RPG with a deep and touching plot which tells a tale approaching near hierogamy (sorry Selan, but its obvious) with an all around deeper transcendental meanings then Curse of the Sinistrals will not disappoint.
  4. Metakev
    May 18, 2012
    4
    Though Lufia Curse of the Sinistrals does a nice experiment in taking an old game and turning it in to a new direction. The shallow gameplay, blocky graphics, constant slowdowns, serious lack of exploration and other pacing issues with the story. Makes this a package that takes away all the charm of the old game and misses the opportunity to be a great reboot
  5. TheF-ingPanda
    Feb 12, 2021
    2
    What happens when you take a good game that has old school RPG and puzzle solving, strip all of that and make into a shallow as a puddle remake that pales in comparison? You get this **** game. Just do yourself a favor, get an SNES emulator and play the original. You’ll be happy you did.

Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Best DS Game of 2010
30
#30 Most Discussed DS Game of 2010
20
#20 Most Shared DS Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 8
  3. Negative: 1 out of 8
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 11, 2011
    83
    While not as good as the original classic, Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals does a good job retelling Maxim's adventure. Now can we please have an actual sequel? [Oct 2011]
  2. Nintendo Life
    Jan 16, 2011
    90
    Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals might not be the straight remake many fans of the series were hoping for, but those who prematurely dismiss it will be missing out on a truly unique action-rpg adventure and a whole new take on the classic storyline.
    Read full review
  3. IGN
    Dec 23, 2010
    85
    This is a great DS adventure -- don't miss it.
    Read full review
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