Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky

 DS
User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 435 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 396 out of 435
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 435
  3. Negative: 22 out of 435
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  1. Darklycan51
    Dec 8, 2013
    10
    This is the most UNDERRATED game in modern gaming history.
    This is the most UNDERRATED game in modern gaming history.
    This is the most UNDERRATED game in modern gaming history.
    This is the most UNDERRATED game in modern gaming history.
    This is the most UNDERRATED game in modern gaming history.
  2. HolyJesus
    Apr 28, 2020
    10
    DON'T LISTEN TO THE CRITICS. The story is great, the characters are fun and it's really challenging. The only problem is how unforgiving the gameplay is (especially at the end). But other than that, it's amazing. Also, despite what the critics say, this game is different from Explorers of Time and Darkness. The special episodes and extra dungeons make the game a lot more fun than otherDON'T LISTEN TO THE CRITICS. The story is great, the characters are fun and it's really challenging. The only problem is how unforgiving the gameplay is (especially at the end). But other than that, it's amazing. Also, despite what the critics say, this game is different from Explorers of Time and Darkness. The special episodes and extra dungeons make the game a lot more fun than other mystery dungeon games.… Expand
  3. Tiziown
    May 22, 2021
    10
    54 of Metacritic?
    For a game with such a catchy and moving story?
    For a game with such funny and lovable characters?
    For a game with such an amazing soundtrack?
    For a game with such of a funny gameplay?
    Good Job "professional" reviewers.
  4. Joe2126
    Oct 29, 2019
    10
    To this day, having played everything that is great from Deus Ex to Half-life 2 to Max Payne, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of the sky still remains in my top 5 games of all time, in fact in second place. This game is by far the most underrated game ever made and those who were able to play it can express how powerful this game's messages really are.

    In a game made for kids, still    To this day, having played everything that is great from Deus Ex to Half-life 2 to Max Payne, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of the sky still remains in my top 5 games of all time, in fact in second place. This game is by far the most underrated game ever made and those who were able to play it can express how powerful this game's messages really are.

    In a game made for kids, still looking back at it as an adult I can confirm that the messages this game sends to you are going to have an impact on your life. One of the main messages of the game, on who's really fighting for the greater good or fighting to instil chaos still relates to the overall idea of politics in today's world, whether nations are actually fighting for peace or are they fighting to create fear. The way the game was written was made to prepare children to grow up in the world's environment which brings me down to the main message of Explorers of the sky, loyalty and friendship.

    The ending of explorers of the sky is horrible to watch and it's truly powerful in every way that it will make you cry if you actually took the time to invest your time into this beautifully written story. The writing of this game is rare, the only other game which is written in a similar fashion is Ion Storm's Deus ex. These are two games which really encourage the gamer to think about their life and what is to come in the future.

    A beautiful and inspiring story. If you are reading this and haven't played the game, I suggest you do, you won't regret it. I really want a remake of this game but I doubt it will ever happen unfortunately    … Expand
  5. ChrisS
    Oct 14, 2009
    8
    Roguelike RPGs tend to polarize reviewers. On one hand, they can be excessively difficult and repititious. On the other they can be challenging and addictive. It depends entirely on the person playing the game. Explorers of Sky is a poor Pokemon game, that is true, but it is an intriguing and fun Mystery Dungeon game, and as a Mystery Dungeon fan but not a Pokemon fan, I find that I Roguelike RPGs tend to polarize reviewers. On one hand, they can be excessively difficult and repititious. On the other they can be challenging and addictive. It depends entirely on the person playing the game. Explorers of Sky is a poor Pokemon game, that is true, but it is an intriguing and fun Mystery Dungeon game, and as a Mystery Dungeon fan but not a Pokemon fan, I find that I really enjoy this game. In particular, the death penalties are not so sharp as to make the game a chore to push through, making this game closer to Final Fantasy Fables Chocobo's Dungeon than to Shiren the Wanderer. Your enjoyment of this game is going to be based entirely on your personal preferences, and I hope that there are others out there like me who agree. For me, this game is a solid 8.… Expand
  6. JohnSmith
    Nov 19, 2009
    9
    The Mystery Dungeon series has never done well in America, but this Pokemon title is truly fun to play.
  7. Fury72888hshu
    Dec 5, 2022
    10
    10/10 masterpiece, I dont care what the critic said, their reviews and claims are invalid when they didnt even play half of the game before reviewing its. **** them, **** those negative critic reviews, especially IGN, and that why kids, you should never trust critic reviews.

    The Story: Freaking masterpiece, especially when you beat the main story and then realize there are more story    10/10 masterpiece, I dont care what the critic said, their reviews and claims are invalid when they didnt even play half of the game before reviewing its. **** them, **** those negative critic reviews, especially IGN, and that why kids, you should never trust critic reviews.

    The Story: Freaking masterpiece, especially when you beat the main story and then realize there are more story that actually make the main story even more make sense. Nice Job Chunsoft!

    The Graphic: its a NDS Pokémon games, what did you expect beside 8 bits? not like I care about graphic or something idk

    The Gameplay: People might said that the Mystery Dungeon format is kinda grinding and confusing and I gotta partially agree with that, but not with Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, trust me I have played Chocobo Mysterious Dungeon and holy **** that make PMD fell like heaven.

    The Music: The Best of The Best, Chunsoft really did a good job on this. like 10/10 is definitely not enough for the music. Nah not even 20/10    … Expand
  8. JamesqM
    Oct 24, 2009
    9
    I love these games. I love going through dungeons and having pokemon actually as characters instead of weapons. The story is lighthearted and fun. The special episodes are also a lot of fun to play through and get backstory on some of the characters. Good times.
  9. ShinY
    Oct 16, 2009
    8
    I agree with Chris S. I am a Pokemon fan and a Mystery dungeon fan as well, I already expected Explorers of the Sky to be a slightly fancied version of Explorers of time or darkness. The revivwers seem to compare Sky towards Explorers of Time and Darkness. Sure the Special episodes may be a bit unoriginal, but they made some real changes to the gae such as you can save on the crossroads I agree with Chris S. I am a Pokemon fan and a Mystery dungeon fan as well, I already expected Explorers of the Sky to be a slightly fancied version of Explorers of time or darkness. The revivwers seem to compare Sky towards Explorers of Time and Darkness. Sure the Special episodes may be a bit unoriginal, but they made some real changes to the gae such as you can save on the crossroads in the town, or maybe a easier way to smarten up your teammates. Overall I agree with Chris S and I will also give it a even 8 out of 10. This game got some laughs out of me since I like goofy sort of humor.… Expand
  10. AlisonZ
    Nov 9, 2009
    10
    Well, for all you Pokemon fans out there, I seriously want you to buy the game. It has cool feature like unlockable episodes and a new juice bar, many new Pokemon and hours (and days, weeks, and months) of fun. Hardcore gamer or not, you should try, and just because a bunch of fat, lazy critics that have nothing better to do than give poor scores for great games and sit on their rump all Well, for all you Pokemon fans out there, I seriously want you to buy the game. It has cool feature like unlockable episodes and a new juice bar, many new Pokemon and hours (and days, weeks, and months) of fun. Hardcore gamer or not, you should try, and just because a bunch of fat, lazy critics that have nothing better to do than give poor scores for great games and sit on their rump all day munching burritos will not make me or most people listen to them. Many kids from ages six to sixteen will enjoy another Pokemon game because they are Nintendos loyal customers.… Expand
  11. blazefire6
    Aug 21, 2015
    9
    While gameplay can sometimes be tedious, the storyline is amazing. This is a fun game to play and it definitely underrated. Sometimes it can be challenging (like on the Zero Isles) but after applying strategy you can progress. Soundtrack is awesome too.

    A lot of neg reviews are from the kinds of players who don't like roguelikes (due to their repetitiveness) but for a roguelike fan,    While gameplay can sometimes be tedious, the storyline is amazing. This is a fun game to play and it definitely underrated. Sometimes it can be challenging (like on the Zero Isles) but after applying strategy you can progress. Soundtrack is awesome too.

    A lot of neg reviews are from the kinds of players who don't like roguelikes (due to their repetitiveness) but for a roguelike fan, this game is something that you would want to buy.    … Expand
  12. Fennek
    Apr 5, 2022
    10
    One of the best games ever. From the story, the characters, the gameplay to the music, everything is incredible. This game has given me feelings like no other game has. Words can't describe this masterpiece.
  13. Vadath
    Sep 5, 2019
    10
    One of the best pokemon game in the whole franchise, with some awesome soundtracks and an epic well-written story
  14. Flarec
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    Pero que demonios?.... Como es posible que valoren este juego asi?... Esto tiene mas calidad que muchos titulos actuales....... Que os pasa....... Acaso... Nadie jugo este juego de verdad? No se si sea por que soy furry lo disfrute tanto pero.... Dios... 5.4? Neta oficial?..... A mi me han pasado mierdas en la vida, pero ninguna me ha hecho llorar como este titulo...... Esto es un granPero que demonios?.... Como es posible que valoren este juego asi?... Esto tiene mas calidad que muchos titulos actuales....... Que os pasa....... Acaso... Nadie jugo este juego de verdad? No se si sea por que soy furry lo disfrute tanto pero.... Dios... 5.4? Neta oficial?..... A mi me han pasado mierdas en la vida, pero ninguna me ha hecho llorar como este titulo...... Esto es un gran juego, no sabeis como chille por su final... Es desgarrador.... Esto es arte!.........
    Quiza me guste por que sea debil y me sienta tan identificado con el personaje segundario..... Este juego es como la aventura de una vida real, en el momento que todo se viene abajo.... No existe un videojuego en nintendo mas triste que este, y si conosco de mother 3..... Pero de verdad, para mi pasar una aventura tan hermosa para pasar lo que paso.... Ninguno de esos críticos llego ni a conocer el enemigo real en el juego, tiene tanto argumento joder!....
    Me hice una cuenta aqui solo para apoyar esto..... Pobre titulo.....    … Expand
  15. Astrapup
    Jan 19, 2020
    10
    Over the last 10 years I have played my fair share of titles, yet video game has had a greater impact on my life than Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky.

    A true hidden gem that offers a charming story, fantastic soundtrack, and a challenge for anyone wanting to (re)visit the Nintendo DS and its software. I do not exaggerate in the slightest when i say this game, building upon    Over the last 10 years I have played my fair share of titles, yet video game has had a greater impact on my life than Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky.

    A true hidden gem that offers a charming story, fantastic soundtrack, and a challenge for anyone wanting to (re)visit the Nintendo DS and its software. I do not exaggerate in the slightest when i say this game, building upon foundation of Explorers of Time/Darkness, is one of the finest pieces of media licensed by Nintendo from the DS/Wii era of consoles (and in my opinion one of the most underrated games of all time).    … Expand
  16. LegendaryElite
    Feb 27, 2020
    10
    This game is AMAZING don't just listen to the metascore the story is great in fact it could be a masterpiece the story I wont spoil the story because you need to play it for yourself the gameplay is also good and the dungeons are cool you will fight enemy's throughout and find very useful items the game can get difficult at times but if you pack the right items you should be able to defeatThis game is AMAZING don't just listen to the metascore the story is great in fact it could be a masterpiece the story I wont spoil the story because you need to play it for yourself the gameplay is also good and the dungeons are cool you will fight enemy's throughout and find very useful items the game can get difficult at times but if you pack the right items you should be able to defeat your enemy's easily overall this game I underrated and the most reviewers hate this game but DON'T LISTEN TO THEM The only things I don't like is that sometimes if you don't pack the right items sometimes you have to grind but overall this game is a great game a refreshing experience a must play… Expand
  17. ShuihiIshihara
    May 20, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There are so many good user reviews on this site so I don't have to mention how incredible this game is.
    It is useless to say how touching the stories are, how music is great nowadays because everybody who has already played knows it.
    Now, as a Japanese, I will tell you how most Japanese people evaluate this game.
    We call this game "The most moving game in pokemon history".Even adults will shed tears after playing it.
    Though 10 years have passed, the price of this game has grown several times. Even second hand soft is a little bit expensive now.
    The music 「primal dialga」 has been selected Tob 5 of the game music of all time. It also has been selected as the best music of Pokemon and Nintendo.
    Explorer series has also received the Japan game Awards 2007.
    That evidence can prove how this game loved by so many people in my country.    … Expand
  18. SpoopyChicken
    May 23, 2021
    9
    To give a short but descriptive summary, the gameplay's like a 7 or 8 out of 10, but the story is an 11.
    This game will make you feel connected to all the various unique pokemon here (especially your partner) This is one of the two only pokemon games in existence that has ever made me cry (Surprise the other one is the OG PMD.)
    If you haven't played it yet, do yourself a favor and DO.    To give a short but descriptive summary, the gameplay's like a 7 or 8 out of 10, but the story is an 11.
    This game will make you feel connected to all the various unique pokemon here (especially your partner) This is one of the two only pokemon games in existence that has ever made me cry (Surprise the other one is the OG PMD.)
    If you haven't played it yet, do yourself a favor and DO. The story by itself will move you in ways no other game can.
    Overall scores
    Gameplay: (8, just pokemon with dungeon-crawling J-RPG style gameplay and tile-based combat.)
    Graphics: (8-9) Has incredible visuals, especially for a game on the DS
    Sound: (Haha no this is a pokemon game from the DS era so I'm not giving this a score)
    Music: (9 wow... just wow... pretty much the best you'd ever hope for in DS music especially the ending tracks...)
    Story: (Out of ten... It's an 11 and I'd give this game a 12, seriously, if you don't wanna slog through the gameplay, do yourself a favor and hack in infinite everything (Yes there are cheat codes) just to get to the story elements, the main thing that will keep you playing this game is the story.
    overall 9/10 excluding the room for improvement found in the combat, this is a perfect game!    … Expand
  19. Zu343
    Dec 8, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. An absolutely masterpiece. Pokemon mystery Dungeon Exploers of sky is one of the best games I have ever played in my life.

    The Story: The Story is very exciting, intresting and beautiful with a sad ending. Nobody of my Community believe me. I have recommendet i to any Fan of Pokemon Franchise and people which play it were amazed. The Gameplay: The dungeon crawler System in Pokemon is something else. Many people said that pokemon is not a dungeon crawler but in comparison to other dungeon crawlers and rogue likes the Implementation was succeded. The Levels of every dungeons are randomized with random item drops, rooms and traps. Some Rooms are very hard with monster rooms and many traps but with the right strategy you have no Problems. A certain difficulty is very important but sooms rooms frustrated. For example You step to A explosion trap and the attack charge surge Hits you, you lose a revive seed. But all in all the gameplay is very Intresting.



    The Music: I love the music and I use it sometimes for YouTube Videos or play it in Streams. The Atmosphere in combination of the music is very exciting, very emotional and beautiful. All in all the Story in combination of the music and atmosphere render Pokemon mystery dungeon exploers of sky to an absolutely masterpiece.    … Expand
  20. rocketpooch
    Jan 24, 2022
    10
    I literally made an account for this site just to write a review for this game. Firstly, what the heck? What are all those bad reviews about? As a person who has finished the game, I am extremely confused. Clearly these people haven't put any effort into this game or given it a chance. Either that or they're just complaining about Explorers of Sky being too similar to Time/Darkness. It'sI literally made an account for this site just to write a review for this game. Firstly, what the heck? What are all those bad reviews about? As a person who has finished the game, I am extremely confused. Clearly these people haven't put any effort into this game or given it a chance. Either that or they're just complaining about Explorers of Sky being too similar to Time/Darkness. It's MEANT to be the same game, just with some added features/story but not with major changes, similar to the third versions of the main games, (like platinum, emerald ect.) but for some reason people are expecting it to be an entirely different game or something?? From the sounds of it... anyway, enough of me complaining about the bad reviews,

    If you have the patience to actually play the game in full or at least for more than just a few hours, I promise you after a certain point the plot becomes extremely captivating and memorable. The emotions this game will make you feel is extremely unexpected for a pokemon game, and from other reviews I've read (that are actually accurate), adults feel just as touched by this game as kids do. I played it when I was very young; first when I was 7 and probably couldn't understand anything but enjoyed it anyway, then when I was around 12 and absolutely fell in love with it. I grew attached to every character introduced, especially the main ones. However, especially with the special episodes, I also grew even more attached to them as well as some of the side characters. It's kind of hard to describe how good this game is without spoiling the experience by telling you the stuff that happens (trust me, much more enjoyable when you don't know what to expect) so I really recommend playing it yourself and I dare say you won't be disappointed. When people say you're missing out if you haven't played this game, they mean it. It will forever be my absolute favourite game of all time.

    Not to mention, the music in this game is phenomenal. Sometimes I'll listen to the soundtrack from the intense scenes and feel incredibly nostalgic, getting emotional even at the memories. I'm so tempted to restart the game just so I can experience the gameplay and incredibly well-written story again, but I'm not going to lose all my data, so lucky emulators exist. As soon as I have any spare time, I am replaying this game.

    Now, on to the gameplay... depending on how much patience you have, people aren't lying when they say it can be long and tedious sometimes. You can spend ages in the dungeons sometimes. But that just makes the game more interesting and challenging. It's not supposed to be easy, if it was then it wouldn't be as fun. I don't wanna ramble much longer but seriously, you HAVE to play this game.    … Expand
  21. Hibi_TQ
    Oct 31, 2022
    10
    One of the best Pokemon Games of all time.
    Charming history that will make you tear up. Lovable characters and interesting gameplay.
    Awesome music It's still a masterpiece to this day.
  22. moschidae
    Dec 12, 2022
    10
    i am not joking when I say that you have to play this before you die, by any means necessary.
  23. Zoroark700
    Jun 21, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. For the Pokemon fans who don't like the RPGs this is definitely the game for them. Its emotional and its just... fun. Its not the best game ever but if I could I would make this game be the number 2 or 3 game ever. Although it gets annoying and frustrating after playing one dungeon then dieing its fun fighting those big bosses like primal dialga or darkrai because it sends a burst of adrenalin through your blood. And to top it off it has epic boss music and a totally great soundtrack. Its also fun recruiting people and evolving them once you unlock luminous springs. So I just recommend this to anyone.… Expand
  24. psy_commando
    May 6, 2014
    9
    Well, first of all, I'm guessing that the bad reviews, must be because its an improved version of PMD:Explorers of Time and Darkness. Because, even though many things don't change, it really adds some really neat improvement to those two games.

    With that said, I'm not rating this game based on its value, or based on whether you bought Time and Darkness before, because I haven't. With    Well, first of all, I'm guessing that the bad reviews, must be because its an improved version of PMD:Explorers of Time and Darkness. Because, even though many things don't change, it really adds some really neat improvement to those two games.

    With that said, I'm not rating this game based on its value, or based on whether you bought Time and Darkness before, because I haven't.

    With that out of the way, I must say that, this game is fantastic ! But I have to address a few points first.

    First of all, its a slow paced game, like many proper RPGs, and if you don't give it a chance or are not patient enough, you'll never get to really experience this game. I'll admit, the first time I played it, I got through the first 2 dungeon and put the game back in its box for a few weeks. But then, after stumbling on comments about how great the story in this game was, it revived my interest. And I'm so grateful it did !

    Then, the controls are slightly odd, and not very intuitive at first, so there is a rather steep learning curve at first. It took me a while to figure out you could use moves instead of the weak last resort "A" button attack. And it took me even more time to figure out you could bind a move.. And the worst part is that the controls were written all along on the other screen by default.. But once you got it figured out, it works pretty well !

    Alright, so what does this game has to offer ?

    Plot:
    The plot, is probably my favorite thing about this game ! Its the same as in Time and Darkness though, but I didn't play those. To some it might appear at first to be one of those games made for very young kids mainly with cheerful themes and with a bland and simple plot , but there is so much more than that !

    The first few chapters are simply to setup for what will happen later. Its meant to create a sense of security and make you develop your "relationship" with the cast. In other word, make you care about this little universe, the wigglytuff guild, the other exploration teams(shootout to team poochy even though they didn't ever do much ! :3 ), your main character, and more importantly your sidekick.

    Your sidekick is probably the most complex character in this game. And by the end of the game he's / she's going to be the most developed character. At first, he/she can't stand on its own, is fearful of everything, has no real passions in his/her life. But slowly it changes throughout the story.
    And its made in such a way that, you can't help but to approve of his/her improvements. Not to mention that, the main character acts like a "big brother" / "big sister" and support the sidekick throughout his/her ordeals to get him/her to improve subtly each times.
    The sidekick eventually gets more and more grateful, which is quite touching at times.

    But once you think you've seen everything, things begin to go from bad to worst, and something magical happens.
    You realize that, you now care about those characters and don't want to see harm come their way. And that's something very few games, movies, and books ever pull off !

    And the ending is truly well executed. Its rare nowadays that I can say a game's ending left me mostly satisfied. But, while PMD:EoS doesn't innovate or is massively original in its ending, the delivery is truly nearly flawless ! And that's all I really care about in a story's ending really !
    Its guaranteed to at the very least leave you with a lump in your throat, and at worst have you bawling like a little kid..
    I know, because I ended up with the later option... Truly, I don't think I've been that sad about a video game since Mass Effect 3's and Metal Gear Solid 4's endings.. And honestly, Mass Effect 3's ending wasn't that great...

    Soundtrack:
    The music outside of Treasure Town is truly wonderful, powerful, varied, and full of surprises ! It can go from the cheery happy music from Treasure town, to the epic of Craggy Coast, to the adrenaline filled boss battles, to the doomsday eerie music of the late game segments !

    Gameplay:
    I'm running out of space for writing so lets keep this short. The gameplay is satisfactory ! At first you got a limited access to all the possible things you can do, but later on several new things are unlocked and they add depth to the gameplay. Monster houses are one of my favorite things ! I know I'm being a little sadomasochist here, but you can't help but feel kinda badass / proud to clean a entire room filed with tough hostile pokemon, using only your prized pokemon protege, and working out a decent strategy !

    A few good tips about this game:
    - You can't ever be too over leveled ! Sure common enemies go down easily in one shot if you're lvl 50, but the later part of the game just don't give a crap about your level, and you'll end up in the red fairly often !
    - Then, always bring an escape orb ! Always !
    - Bring gummies to spinda to get the most out of them! And give them to your main character and sidekick mainly, until the post-story !    … Expand
  25. XTremeGamze
    Aug 6, 2016
    10
    This game is the most under-rated game in history. The plot is the best of any in the Pokemon franchise and has a decent game play time. The music fits perfectly with each scene and level and you can tell effort has been put into it, each stage having it's own music. The downside is little was changed from explorers of Time and darkness and is still the same game. However, it is definitelyThis game is the most under-rated game in history. The plot is the best of any in the Pokemon franchise and has a decent game play time. The music fits perfectly with each scene and level and you can tell effort has been put into it, each stage having it's own music. The downside is little was changed from explorers of Time and darkness and is still the same game. However, it is definitely the one to get out of the three if you are new to the series and don't own any of the others.… Expand
  26. ikereview
    Nov 2, 2014
    10
    this game is nearly perfect sure its an upgrade but people allow many franchises to do this and say there sepiorer the story is great its the MOST UNDERRATED GAME IN MODERN HISTORY BISIDES HALO WARS
  27. Gameskiller01
    Jul 27, 2018
    10
    Without a doubt this game has one of the best soundtracks and best story of any game in modern gaming history. The "professional" reviewers are absolutely crazy.
  28. destroyer3242
    Feb 25, 2016
    10
    Ironically, this has the lowest aggregate score out of all of the pokemon mystery dungeon games.

    Well they're wrong because this game is aggreGREAT. I remember playing Explorers of Darkness, when that one first came out, and I definitely loved it, improving on everything that Red Rescue team had. And, it had everything I could ever want in a game of this type, variety, personality,    Ironically, this has the lowest aggregate score out of all of the pokemon mystery dungeon games.

    Well they're wrong because this game is aggreGREAT.

    I remember playing Explorers of Darkness, when that one first came out, and I definitely loved it, improving on everything that Red Rescue team had. And, it had everything I could ever want in a game of this type, variety, personality, fun game play, and even a good story (which, in a pokemon game alone is already an amazing feat.)!

    But, something was missing. Something to give it that one final push, and fully secure it as something I'd love forever.

    Then, along came Explorers of Sky, which added the last bits to the game that I needed. Adding new dungeons to the post-story mode, making use of even more of the cool pokemon from Gen 4 that we were all still riding the hype train over (for the most part), adding little extra things around the place to spruce up the game even more, and what was possibly my favorite part: The side stories. Yeah, some of them were weak, but what they added was character development. Even if it was small, or insignificant on some of them, it was still necessary character development. You understood the character a little more after playing through their back stories. And then it closes out with a bigger side story that actually takes place during important parts of the game, from different POVs, which by itself was a relatively large amount of content for just being some additional 'junk' to justify an extra edition.

    Understand, however, that this review is not based off pokemon nostalgia, or anything like that. I don't really feel nostalgia for... well, any franchise anymore, because they've either become unlikable over the years, or they just aren't for me any more. No, the game was honestly that fun for me, as much as it was back then, and still is fun for me today, with all of the expansive things you can do in this game, how much there is to see, how much there is to explore. There's no nonsense about it either. You want to go explore somewhere, you can do it whenever you want (provided you met the unlock conditions). There are few times when you are locked into the story mode of the game, and even then, you have as long as you like to be able to prepare for these points in the game; it doesn't force you to proceed in the game. This is a good thing. Sometimes, I mysteriously like to take my time with games I like. Yeah, if the game sucked, I'd like it to be over faster, but that's not the case with this game.

    It doesn't matter if the graphics in this game are old now, or you might find the story cheesy at first, or you just don't like pokemon anymore for whatever reason. You'd want to buy this because it is a great game.

    Also those modern ones with Gates and Super don't have ANYTHING on this one.    … Expand
  29. Karala
    Aug 1, 2014
    10
    I joined this site to say that this is the most engaging game I've ever played. I am not a huge gamer (I'm in my late 20's) but I enjoy RPG types. Despite enjoying them I almost never have completed a game, they get really hard or they just get too repetitive. This one was not. The story was compelling and emotional. I have never been invested in characters in a game before this one, andI joined this site to say that this is the most engaging game I've ever played. I am not a huge gamer (I'm in my late 20's) but I enjoy RPG types. Despite enjoying them I almost never have completed a game, they get really hard or they just get too repetitive. This one was not. The story was compelling and emotional. I have never been invested in characters in a game before this one, and at one point I possibly teared up (and no, I am not the type to cry watching movies).

    I haven't played its predecessors, but I think of this like main Pokemon games that are designed to be released in a set of three; they all have a lot in common. I do not see why that should give this one such a low rating -- I do not see Pokemon Gold or Silver getting a low rating just because the other is almost identical in every way. If you're hesitating on the game because of that, then don't! I'd say this is like the Pokemon Crystal to Gold and Silver. AKA: The one I wait to buy instead of the other two!    … Expand
  30. Xidas
    Jul 21, 2015
    10
    While the gameplay may not be the game's strongest point, it makes up for it with an incredible storyline as well as its 141-song soundtrack. It's easy to give this game a bad review if you only play for 30 minutes, but if you play long enough to experience the entirety of what the game has to offer, you will not be disappointed.
  31. Grovyle
    Apr 8, 2016
    10
    Don't listen to the "Critics" I'll bet 5000$ they never even beat the whole game, also pay the 20$ for this game, it's completely worth it. Beating the game for me took 91 Hours and I'm not even close to completely finishing it.
  32. Synnett
    Dec 22, 2016
    10
    This game cannot be rated by simply playing it a few hours. The story is so deep, so complex, so emotional and takes so long to develop properly, without saying all that wonderful music you miss. I feel like those critics did exactly that, they reviewed the game out of two hours of dungeon mechanics and didn't witness the great story unfolding. Or some were bitter off that game and simplyThis game cannot be rated by simply playing it a few hours. The story is so deep, so complex, so emotional and takes so long to develop properly, without saying all that wonderful music you miss. I feel like those critics did exactly that, they reviewed the game out of two hours of dungeon mechanics and didn't witness the great story unfolding. Or some were bitter off that game and simply did not bother, offering a petty 40. The critics reviews are pretty upsetting, as this is the most underrated game in modern history. This game stands as my second favorite game of all time. I'd recommend it to anyone.… Expand
  33. obi12323
    Jan 24, 2017
    10
    Despite the negative reviews you will see from "video game critics", not only is this game the most under rated game of all time, but it is also the best game of all time. Do yourself a favour and play this game. The story, the music, the characters and the game play are flawless.
  34. ZeoN
    May 29, 2017
    10
    Buen juego de cara a la saga de Mundo Misterios.Completa bien la saga y tienen buenas mazmorras,buena historia y buen sistema de combate.Historia simplemente genial
  35. Chimera17
    Oct 30, 2017
    10
    This is my favorite game of all time. It's so memorable and enjoyable. The gameplay is good, but is slightly repetitive. The gameplay is not for everyone, but I enjoy it. If you know what you're are doing, the game is pretty easy, but if not, it's very challenging, and slightly frustrating. The music is fantastic. There is not a single song that i don't like. The story amazing, too. TheThis is my favorite game of all time. It's so memorable and enjoyable. The gameplay is good, but is slightly repetitive. The gameplay is not for everyone, but I enjoy it. If you know what you're are doing, the game is pretty easy, but if not, it's very challenging, and slightly frustrating. The music is fantastic. There is not a single song that i don't like. The story amazing, too. The sprites look nice too. The game does have a lot of flaws though: The writing is kinda mediocre at some parts, and there are flashbacks about things that happened like, 5 minutes ago. Plus, monster houses will give you PTSD. Also this game will make you cry like a little baby, so be prepared for that But the positives heavily outweigh the negatives. If i would give this game a title, it would probably be "A flawed masterpiece".… Expand
  36. Wormoid
    Jan 9, 2011
    8
    You can't dislike this game, but it is pretty much the same as Explorers of Darkness and Time, with the welcome added addition of an added surprise now and then. The stroy line thickens, wnd whilst the actual exploring dosen't create that much of a thrill, it's worth buying.
  37. Luigibarqs
    Jan 1, 2012
    9
    I came into this game as my introduction to the Mystery Dungeon games so I did not know what to expect.
    The game combines elements of Pokemon into the old school concepts of Mystery dungeon quite well and makes for a truly amazing experience. The amount of freedom you get with tackling missions, especially later in the game is absolutely amazing. The randomly generated missions and    I came into this game as my introduction to the Mystery Dungeon games so I did not know what to expect.
    The game combines elements of Pokemon into the old school concepts of Mystery dungeon quite well and makes for a truly amazing experience. The amount of freedom you get with tackling missions, especially later in the game is absolutely amazing. The randomly generated missions and dungeons give this game near infinite relay value and difficulty can range from simplicity to near impossible to appeal to all skill levels of players beautifully. Wifi rescue missions, mission passwords and unlockable side-scenarios add even further replayablility to the game. The music and graphics can differ from beautiful to bland in different areas of the game. If you are a fan of Pokemon and/or Mystery Dungeon games or just strategy RPG games in general try it out, if these things don't appeal to you. it might be best to avoid this one.    … Expand
  38. M1styck
    Nov 27, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A very good game, liked it a lot, graphics were decent, story was awesome and it had a decent replay ability, because every time you start with a different pokemon… Expand
  39. Literally
    Dec 6, 2014
    9
    Simple, entertaining, and cute. The game is targeted toward younger kids (so the humor won't be that interesting for older players) but it's still a nice experience for casual play. If you already own/have played another Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game though, there will be almost nothing different. Choose only 1 PMD title and stick with it.
  40. CWL
    Jan 1, 2016
    8
    Great story, awesome OST, great ending but has a slow start (duh) and can become a bit repetitive, this is still one of the best MD games in the series, along with EoD, EoT, and SMD. Also some changes were not all the exciting, but some were kinda cool (Special Episodes were alright) and the ability to save at crossroads is a blessing.
  41. Luke_waugh
    Apr 15, 2016
    9
    I have no idea what the reviewers were thinking when this game was released, the game is one of the best Pokemon games if not one of the best games of all time. This game has an emotional story that will enthrall players of all ages, you really do become the character you are playing and become focused on finding out what has happened to you. The music in this game is outstanding, theI have no idea what the reviewers were thinking when this game was released, the game is one of the best Pokemon games if not one of the best games of all time. This game has an emotional story that will enthrall players of all ages, you really do become the character you are playing and become focused on finding out what has happened to you. The music in this game is outstanding, the composers of this game truly did create some fantastic pieces that completely complement what is occurring in the story or the type of place you are in, simply put this game has some of the best music in gaming history. The gameplay in this game is a rather large departure from the main series pokemon games, however the gameplay is still just as fun and consists of really fun roguelike gameplay. If you even slightly have an interest in Pokemon or and type of RPG I would recommend picking up this game and enjoying every second this is truly one of the best hidden gem games out there… Expand
  42. The_Rain_Man
    Apr 18, 2016
    9
    Fantastic story (so touching, and it's practically theatrical), excellent soundtrack (bopping my head to it almost the entire game), the game is certainly not too easy, so it gives veterans like me a challenge, and I love the new part of the story added post game. I don't understand the negativity in some reviews. They even put in a Jukebox feature, so you can listen to some of the greatFantastic story (so touching, and it's practically theatrical), excellent soundtrack (bopping my head to it almost the entire game), the game is certainly not too easy, so it gives veterans like me a challenge, and I love the new part of the story added post game. I don't understand the negativity in some reviews. They even put in a Jukebox feature, so you can listen to some of the great soundtrack whenever you feel like it! This is very much of a step up from Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness (which are still good games). This game is worth a play, and even once you beat the overall game, the fun doesn't even stop there, because there are so many dungeons, and the replay value is brilliant, too. Give this game a play, and you won't be disappointed.… Expand
  43. domi650
    Apr 30, 2018
    10
    This game is just so extremely underrated. Story, Gameplay and everything else is incredible.
  44. sgtmiller3
    Mar 23, 2014
    10
    This game is a beautiful game, pokemon or not. The soundtrack is amazing and touching, the storyline is deep and great. The game-play can be challenging at times, but with the right tactics you should progress through the story just fine. This game is a definite 10 of 10 for me and i must recommend buying it.
  45. Vanishing77
    Apr 19, 2018
    10
    This is probably one of the greatest games of all time. Amazing soundtrack, thrilling and punishing game-play, great story and interesting characterisation. It has pretty much everything you could ever want and more. It's also officially nine years old as of two days ago which is kind of cool.
  46. a_neat_guy
    Nov 15, 2015
    10
    This game's game play is surprisingly addicting with one of the best stories in recent memory and is SUPER UNDERRATED please play this game you wont be disapointed
  47. StreetWizardio
    Apr 23, 2018
    9
    This is a prime example of a game the Critics got very wrong. While yes 90% is the same as Explorers of Time/Darkness, this compilation game of the two mixes the two together in a fun and enjoyable way. The story is a high point, and while there is some confusing things due to the time travel mechanics, it doesn’t take away the from it at all. This game will make you FEEL and is without aThis is a prime example of a game the Critics got very wrong. While yes 90% is the same as Explorers of Time/Darkness, this compilation game of the two mixes the two together in a fun and enjoyable way. The story is a high point, and while there is some confusing things due to the time travel mechanics, it doesn’t take away the from it at all. This game will make you FEEL and is without a doubt the best story in a Pokemon game. The gameplay is very intense as well. You still get your classic 4 moves and multiple Pokémon to use, but you are limit to parties of four. Most of the time the game will require you to play as just you and your partner, but this opens up in the post game. The only disappointing thing to me was the fact that you couldn’t evolve your character until the end. Otherwise this is a fantastic and enjoyable experience and highly recommended. I wish the critics thought the same, but they all get paid to say stupid **** anyways so oh well.… Expand
  48. Thebulldog03
    Jun 18, 2018
    10
    This game is one of my favorite pokemon games. It has much content storywise added in this pokemon emerald esk styled game, due to being basically a combo of the two games time and darkness, however it adds the stories of the other main characters like bidoof
  49. hackerdasmixage
    Jan 25, 2019
    10
    this game is a masterpiece, you CAN NOT change my mind, **** IGN, and the other sites that do not play the ****ing game and say **** about it later. The story is amazing, the music is GOOD AS HELL, and i feel really bad about how underrated this game is.
  50. Josh6751
    Feb 14, 2019
    10
    How did the critics give this game a 54/100 and IGN a 4.9?? This game is a GEM!! Easily in the top 5 best Nintendo DS games of all time. Explorers of Sky takes everything that was great about the previous Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games and makes them even better. Having played Explorers of Time back in the day (which this game is basically an expansion of), I mostly forgot the details ofHow did the critics give this game a 54/100 and IGN a 4.9?? This game is a GEM!! Easily in the top 5 best Nintendo DS games of all time. Explorers of Sky takes everything that was great about the previous Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games and makes them even better. Having played Explorers of Time back in the day (which this game is basically an expansion of), I mostly forgot the details of the story so playing this game again was a nearly fresh experience. After the introduction, the story never got dull and was full of twists & surprises and always kept me wanting to know what happens next. Characters are lovable and have unique and memorable personalities with plenty of mystery surrounding others. Over the course of the game, you develop a bond with your partner that’s even stronger than the one in Blue/Red Rescue. I'm not gonna lie, I almost cried a little at the end of the main story. Pokemon games are known for having great soundtracks and the music here doesn't disappoint, infact its got some of the best tracks from the whole Pokemon series. It does a perfect job at setting the appropriate tone consistently throughout the game and I've spent hours looking up covers to some of my favorite tracks on Youtube. After finishing Explorers of Sky I'm craving more Mystery Dungeon. If you’re someone looking to play a good Nintendo DS classic then look no further.. and if you’re a Pokemon fan and you still haven’t played this game yet what are you waiting for?? Play it!… Expand
  51. torak11
    Jan 27, 2014
    9
    Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of sky is one of my favorite Pokemon games, as well as the game that got me into the Mystery dungeon series. A definite must for anyone who enjoys Pokemon games. Mind you, no game is without flaws, and this game is no exception, the only two flaws i can see are the game becoming somewhat dull after the post story and the fact that some battles andPokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of sky is one of my favorite Pokemon games, as well as the game that got me into the Mystery dungeon series. A definite must for anyone who enjoys Pokemon games. Mind you, no game is without flaws, and this game is no exception, the only two flaws i can see are the game becoming somewhat dull after the post story and the fact that some battles and dungeons can be almost unbearably difficult at times to those who are unprepared. other than that, PMD: Explorers of sky is a near-flawless game, if you like Pokemon, you will enjoy this game!… Expand
  52. murut87
    Jan 20, 2012
    8
    Pokemon Myster Dungeon Explorers of Sky is a good game,but they didn`t use the potential of DS System,and its like a GBA Game instead,and everything about this game was repetitive.But the story makes the game great,i enjoy over and over till i realize i like the game it should be.Recommended for all of those who like Pokemon games,try it out and you will see that this game was fun.
  53. KasaDaKilla
    Sep 18, 2014
    9
    How this game got a score of 54 by critics, is beyond me. This game is in my opinion actually very good. The story is the best of any Pokemon game ever, and the gameplay is fun, even if the graphics really aren't that great.
  54. noisestrike
    Jan 27, 2016
    10
    This is an amazing game. It still makes me cry 6 years later so to all those who are posting **** reviews because of graphics, you are the cancer of the internet.
  55. AstralSonic
    Dec 29, 2015
    10
    One of the few games that made my cry in the end (and of happiness). Everything about this game, from game play, to soundtrack, characters to story line, is something I'll hopefully never forget.
  56. Cyte
    May 28, 2016
    10
    "The game isn't perfect by any means, it can get a little repetitive at times and the story takes a little while to get interesting. However, it's perfect in my eyes and this game had a massive impact on my life. The story is amazing and the gameplay gives a fresh twist on Pokemon. In my opinion, this is the best game ever made, second only to the sequel, Explorers of Time/ Darkness/ Sky.""The game isn't perfect by any means, it can get a little repetitive at times and the story takes a little while to get interesting. However, it's perfect in my eyes and this game had a massive impact on my life. The story is amazing and the gameplay gives a fresh twist on Pokemon. In my opinion, this is the best game ever made, second only to the sequel, Explorers of Time/ Darkness/ Sky." - A review I wrote for Blue Rescue Team.
    Everything positive I said in that review holds true for this game, everything negative does not. This game is perfect in every way and I heartily recommend it to everyone. The game has the most amazing and compelling story to ever exist and has many aspects from the previous game improved and redesigned (for the better). Many people in this world, alongside myself, may not have become the people we are today without this game. It's that amazing...    … Expand
  57. AnHonestCritic
    Oct 30, 2017
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game had me crying. It’s beautiful however the gameplay isn’t. For a dungeon crawler it’s good, however the fact that the game is unplayable if you only do the main objective, the focus, makes me a bit sour. However where this game stumbles in gameplay in LEAPS into a rocket ship and to the moon with it’s story. The story is very simple let throws in so many twists it’s impossible to notice any cliches. The story follows the adventure of your character, who is a Pokémon based off of your personality ( Which is a very good system, I hope it is used more in other games) , and your partner. You begin to love every character to the point where losing them is the worst possible nightmare scenario. As the story progresses you learn more about yourself, like the fact that your a time paradox, or that you were once a human, and so many more surprises. The ending is what makes most cry, even the most hardened. You have to bear watching your very slow disappearing from reality itself as your partner crys. You then have to watch as your partner grieving before you are revived at the end of the credits.

    Summary: This game is a must have for Pokémon fans, and overall Nintendo fans. Although it falters in gameplay, the story keeps you going. I give this a 8/10 due to its exceptional story despite a lack of innovative gameplay.    … Expand
  58. playeralive
    Jan 5, 2019
    10
    Nunca pensé que a mi edad (20) me fuera a emocionar con un juego de pokémon, incluso en algunos momentos consiguió que se me escapara una lagrima. Una gran historia con giros inesperados, momentos emotivos y sobre todo misterio y, junto con una banda sonora impresionante han conseguido que este juego sea uno de los mejores que he jugado. No soy de los que se pasan todos los juegos alNunca pensé que a mi edad (20) me fuera a emocionar con un juego de pokémon, incluso en algunos momentos consiguió que se me escapara una lagrima. Una gran historia con giros inesperados, momentos emotivos y sobre todo misterio y, junto con una banda sonora impresionante han conseguido que este juego sea uno de los mejores que he jugado. No soy de los que se pasan todos los juegos al 100%, sólo los que me han llegado al corazón y este juego lo ha conseguido. Recomendado al 100%.… Expand
  59. Thetruecritic12
    May 31, 2018
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is one of the most amazing games I've played throughout my journeys through Nintendo. I must say that the first time I played it I wasn't that overwhelmed, but as I continued forward through playing it it actually gives the user a whole different experience compared to other games. As a player, it didn't just become a game to me anymore, but it lets the player connect emotionally with the characters and makes them bond with their partner unlike some other games where they don't really have full emotional connections with you. You are the main character and you are born to save the world from stopping the paralysis of time. You and your partner. You connect with all the folks in your guild, you get plot twists, the characters such as Dusknoir and Grovyle are one of the most shocking truths of the game since you would've never known that you were actually one of his partners. But you forgot about him.. It gives you such sorrowful moments that even though you know Grovyle who was your former partner knew you forgot him he sacrificed himself anyway. This game makes you ride an emotional journey through the feel trains and even after all the moments with your partner even they leave you on the end. There's even more to it, and its just one of the freaking best stories ever created. It doesn't even stop there.
    That was my opinion storywise.

    The next thing I'd like to discuss was the gameplay. it was pretty neat itself. True that the graphics weren't the best, but there's so many other games that didn't have the best graphics that were really popular so don't even try to judge it on graphics. The character variety was great since you had all different types to choose from, and the fact they added even more categories such as being allowed to play popular cute pokemon like eevee, skitty, and riolu, it is sure to be a huge turn from the orignial and as far as I can say better improved since they also added Spinda's cafe. And to anyone who says this game is too hard, Spinda's cafe gives you much better access and you even boost your stats for every gumi. Reviver seeds come way early in the game too, and you can store as much as you want. The reason why theres so many is to prepare because theres so many unexpected mysteries such as monster houses that will try to kill you anyway.

    Also people are complaining about too many dungeons.. WELP, that's the whole point of the game -_-
    Explorations are really fun itself, you just want ot recruit every pokemon out there. And at the end of the game, that's what they let you do. You can even recruit legendaries that werent a part of the story but you must go through ferocious hardships, just like the ohter pokemon games. But the fact you can play as your dream pokemon and have a dream partner makes this game very entertaining and really fun for people of all ages.

    So in conclusion, I'd rate this game 11/10, and it's probably the most underrated game ever.    … Expand
  60. Jasse
    Jun 8, 2018
    9
    The ones to rewiew this game, must have the same attention span as a goldfish. This game is fantastic, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
  61. Spad
    Aug 24, 2018
    10
    This is my #1 favorite game of all time. And there is a good reason for that. The soundtrack for one, is absolutely AMAZING!
  62. ND-Bringer
    Dec 10, 2022
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Let's talk about the deluxe version. Carrying the spirit Pokemon Platinum, a new part of the postgame is introduced with both springtime & underworld themes attached to the levels. I think what's really soothing about these games is that they capture the themes of each generation better than the core series at times. Time resembles the main story & Dialga. While Darkness represents the post game story & Palkia. While Sky has a focus...on a few new features & Shaymin's ego. It's not bad by any means, clearly the story is staying far away from the annoying Sky Warrior movie. But I say the best of this game comes from the other new features. The Spinda Cafe offers all sorts of new luck based rewards, whether they be major or minor, sometimes they can just make your day. By giving Gummis to Spinda, he can turn them into nice drinks that may greatly boost your stats if you're lucky. And the Recycle Shop gives a use for all of your extra 1 scent items. Your teammates can even chill out at the Cafe while they're waiting. "Hey Dialga? Want a Royal Gummi Shake?" I think this game serves as another reason to replay the game, with that epic story to revisit & the inspiration to create an even better team makes it worth while. Got stuck on the last game? Maybe a fresh start will help. Other new features include Beach Bottles that contain extra requests & the Secret Bazaar is PMD heaven. Especially since Mime Jr. can completely heal your team for a simple 100 coins. Its great stuff & all, but let's talk about the post game. While it's basically the same if you take out the Shaymin quest, its still one of the greatest post game stories I've ever seen. The hilarious Guild Graduation Test, going on a quest on Blizzard Island to save a senior explorer, venturing through deep sea levels, parenthood, a team up expedition with PKMN's version of Charlie's Angels, & let's not forget that epic final chapter revealing the true final boss! I think Darkrai is good choice for the arch villain, it may seem like a stereotype choice in writing revealing him to be the cause of the destruction of Temporal Tower & the player's amnesia, but I think it just plugs up plot holes nicely. He's not the kind of villain that boasts power, he works from the shadows & pulls the strings. I'd even say he's the toughest opponent in the game. His dungeon Dark Crater, as awesome as it is, isn't the most challenging dungeon in the game compared to the legendary PKMN dungeons. But while you can gain up up on the legendaries with 4 strong PKMN, you're forced to bring yourself, your partner, & Cresselia to this dungeon alone, because an army of explorers would scare Darkrai away. And gets dicier...you can't evolve your starters, Darkrai summons a monster house, & if just one of your teammates gets knocked, out including Cresselia, without a Reviver Seed its an instant defeat! And this Darkrai knows a pesky Ominous Wind attack that can sweep your whole Team if you're not careful. Toss some Sleep Seeds at him & be careful. This is not a battle of brawn, its test to see if you actually use throwing items. And afterword Darkrai tries to escape through a Dimensional Hole, but your former assassin Palkia comes to save the day, by launching a badass Spacial Rend attack at the vortex. The definition of epic. And that's that for the story. Of course you have those crazy long dungeons to take on, but I find them kind of irritating with a lack of check points & there are clearly too many of them. Making 100% game completion take an eternity even for a master level speed runner. It gives you a lot to do, but it can feel like the same thing every time. Again the main strength of this game is story, the kind that teaches the meaning of trust & accusation with great characters like Grovyle & Dusknoir representing that. Heck, we even get to team up with Drowzee int he final chapter. And he's one the first boss of the game! Of course, this game is the easiest of the 3 Explorers. And I've realized that's because of the special episodes. Your storage is linked with the main story's & you can even use these extra profiles to rake in free items in case your stuck on certain levels. These episodes are nice & all, but they feel restricting in the Team Charm episode. I'm not willing to risk my entire Reviver Seed storage just to beat Aggron's crew, I'm astonished that Team Charm is Master Rank with those puny levels & those weak move sets. Still, these Episodes are a nice change of pace, but I think it's only worth your time to play through the Grovyle Episode. Who doesn't want revisit those awesome Dead Future levels?! Well many claim this game to be perfection, I'd rather think of it as near perfection. DX may be the current best PMD game in the series, but once Explorers gets a remake...its going to be incredible! Why not have a PMD remake to go with the Diamond & Pearl remakes? Overall, this game brings joy to my heart. One of the best DS games if I'm being honest with you(:… Expand
  63. Akurai
    Oct 9, 2017
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky, is basically the same as Darkness and Time with upgrades.
    So I’ll start with its story and lore. In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky the main storyline line and postgame story are exactly the same. This will ultimately stop most people from buying Sky if they have a previous version. The storyline follows your adventure of joy and heartbreak with you partner Pokémon. The characters evolve chapter by chapter, with every event building a closer bond. In fact the character with one of the highest if not the highest growth rate personality wise was your partner. After the postgame in the previous games you would probably stop playing after a while for there are no new events of great importance. However in Sky 2 big story items are added. First the Special Episodes where you get backstory on some of Pokémon you’ve met previously and even some introductions to some new ones with ties to the old. Secondly the Shaymin Village event where there’s some bonus story added into the mix but I won’t spoil it.

    Next is the gameplay as you might expect from a dungeon crawling RPG the actual combat system is less than ideal moreover the endless repetitiveness of it all can sap the life out of you. So if you decide to play this you must admit there will be times when it seems repetitive and boring. This form of gameplay is done so that the creators can spend more time crafting a heart-wrenching story than a good combat system. With the addition of Spinda’s Café the dungeon grinding can become a bit easier by using its services to the fullest. In fact it’s possible to advance through the main story with only a few defeats on your first attempt.

    Other new things:
    New challenge requests
    Secret bazzar and treasure rooms

    Disappointments:
    Not worth the cost if you have a previous game
    the dungeons are still repetitive
    no improvements to the main story

    So in my opinion this game is worth it you like either Pokemon or dungeon crawler games.    … Expand
  64. NegaMega
    Feb 10, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ¡Es una Joya!
    ¡es Devon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    … Expand
  65. itsamamaluigi
    Dec 6, 2018
    4
    Pretty meh game. The dialog is repetitive and sounds as though a child wrote it. The gameplay is also very repetitive. I got bored really quickly and nothing about the game was even slightly exciting or gripping. I could see it appealing to Pokemon die-hards, especially younger kids, but it's really not worth playing otherwise. Stick to the mainline Pokemon games.
  66. porcodidio
    Dec 6, 2015
    3
    First mystery dungeon title I play, I quit after around 4hours. Plot is mentioned as a strong point of this game, and I could feel that it was actually going somewhere (which is something not usually expected in a pokemon title) but the game mechanics were just a huge turn off.
    Terrible grinding, combat is uninteresting and flat, moving through randomly created dungeons is boring as hell    First mystery dungeon title I play, I quit after around 4hours. Plot is mentioned as a strong point of this game, and I could feel that it was actually going somewhere (which is something not usually expected in a pokemon title) but the game mechanics were just a huge turn off.
    Terrible grinding, combat is uninteresting and flat, moving through randomly created dungeons is boring as hell (dont do the random generated thing again. Wasnt .hack enough as a lesson??). Just go trough dungeons, enemies will swarm you, use same moves again and again, rinse and repeat. The dashing is horrible (while does your character stop all the time you entered a new area?) and the controls are painful (kept coming up the wrong menu out because how buttons are layed).
    Art direction is ok, music is actually GREAT, graphics are passable.
    If this is supposed to be the best Pokemon Mystery Dungeon title, dont bother playing the series. Stick to the original games(which are awesome).    … Expand
  67. thealexmott
    Mar 26, 2017
    4
    As a die-hard Pokémon fan, I really wanted to love this game. I heard tons of good stuff about it and had never played a PMD game before. But it turned out to just be randomized busywork and LOTS of dialogue. I played for 5 hours waiting for it to get fun.

    It never got fun.
  68. Kick454
    May 22, 2018
    2
    I usually enjoy RPGs, but this is RNG bs. There, I summarized the main gimmick of Mystery Dungeon games in two words. I was hoping that I'd find a fun time waster with this game but nope.

    Cons: - Gameplay: While I don't mind RNG, as it can be great when done correctly, I just don't want an entire game depending on it. - Soundtrack: Horrible, not memorable. - Characters: I don't like    I usually enjoy RPGs, but this is RNG bs. There, I summarized the main gimmick of Mystery Dungeon games in two words. I was hoping that I'd find a fun time waster with this game but nope.

    Cons:
    - Gameplay: While I don't mind RNG, as it can be great when done correctly, I just don't want an entire game depending on it.
    - Soundtrack: Horrible, not memorable.
    - Characters: I don't like a single character from this game.

    Overall, Explorers of Sky is a horrible game that not even Pokemon deserved and warrants a 2/10 from me.    … Expand
  69. Ryleemuffin
    Jul 1, 2013
    10
    What kind of child didn't want to be right next to their favorite video game character? Here, Game Freak gives you a chance to. You start off answering some questions, by the way I got Eevee, to determine what pokémon you are. If you answered truthfully, you might find the game describing who you were. Then, you were thrown into the game. You are started with some startling text. It is aWhat kind of child didn't want to be right next to their favorite video game character? Here, Game Freak gives you a chance to. You start off answering some questions, by the way I got Eevee, to determine what pokémon you are. If you answered truthfully, you might find the game describing who you were. Then, you were thrown into the game. You are started with some startling text. It is a conversation between two people, or pokémon, and someone couldn't hold on.

    You are introduced to your partner, mine was Vulpix, who is pacing around and gets scared by the voice in the grate.

    Only with you, does your partner muster up the courage to become an explorer. I grew to love my partner as a friend. But the ending. There is no future for you, so you end up getting wiped from the face of the Earth. You knew it was coming. But when your partner finds out, she he breaks down in tears and begs you not to leave. After you disappear, your partner forces themselves to move on, to tell your story, the story of the sacrifice you made. Dialga feels your partner's pain and suffering from the Imperial Tower. "I have felt your pain and suffering from here... If Rylee (the name you entered) wishes to come back as well. He she will come back..."

    This game made me cry. Any game, in my book, that makes me cry is beyond amazing. Game Freak, you deserve a medal for this amazing game.    … Expand
  70. DaEpikDude
    Nov 1, 2015
    9
    Hoo boy...
    Where do I even start?
    First, the negatives. Ok, so the story doesn't start out very interesting, and the gameplay can get boring, but I compare this game to Super Paper Mario. Get past the boring-ness of the first couple of chapters and you end up IN SPACE!!!!!! ...Or in the future. Either or. The music in this game is great: but it's Nintendo, kind of expected. The    Hoo boy...
    Where do I even start?

    First, the negatives. Ok, so the story doesn't start out very interesting, and the gameplay can get boring, but I compare this game to Super Paper Mario. Get past the boring-ness of the first couple of chapters and you end up IN SPACE!!!!!!

    ...Or in the future. Either or.

    The music in this game is great: but it's Nintendo, kind of expected. The variety of dungeons is great, from seaside caves to gloomy forests to a crumbling time tower. And the story.

    I'll say this much.

    AMAZING.

    10/10, minus one for the minor flaws I listed above.    … Expand
  71. StormCloud
    Dec 24, 2014
    9
    After red rescue team's bad score from critics i didn't think the series would survive but Nintendo decided they give more of a crap about what the users think then the critics and spawned a new mystery dungeon. Bringing in my favorite pokemon lucario, more dungeons, more post game, AND MORE BIDOOF. And the character side quests game the game even more gameplay. This game took forvever toAfter red rescue team's bad score from critics i didn't think the series would survive but Nintendo decided they give more of a crap about what the users think then the critics and spawned a new mystery dungeon. Bringing in my favorite pokemon lucario, more dungeons, more post game, AND MORE BIDOOF. And the character side quests game the game even more gameplay. This game took forvever to complete 100% and i love it. This game also introduced Primal Dialga (or Dark Dialga in the japanese version) a scary version of Dialga who's completely lost his ****. I was level 100 due to magical wonder cheats and it even scared me, espessialy with his ridiculously strong Roar of time that hits everyone. A bit broken but i expect myself to be at a disadvantage in a final boss. It makes the fight a nail biter and perfect. I love this game to bits and was sad to see it get spat on by critics and it's inbred child Gates to Infinity… Expand
  72. Weesum
    May 31, 2015
    10
    There is literally nothing that i can say that I didn't like about this game. So i cried a little inside for my second favorite pokemon game, trailing just behind platinum, being rated as worse than my most hated pokemon game, gates to infinity.
  73. rabbitdog321
    Aug 22, 2015
    10
    Absolutely brilliant in every aspect, the plot, the mechanics, the feels, just absolutely everything. If you are a fan of Pokemon it makes it even better.
  74. Sontate72
    Aug 15, 2015
    9
    As a person who rarely likes combat gameplay, this game was a lot of fun. It's a story-heavy RPG, so it's not for everyone, but the music, plot, characters, and general mood of the game are all top-notch here. One of my favorite games for the DS.
  75. ggCodgg
    Nov 28, 2015
    10
    Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky is the pinnacle of the Mystery Dungeon Spin Off Series. With the combination of graphics, story, game play and music this game is one of the best Pokemon Spin Off games in history. The main story and endgame content can leave you with countless hours of entertainment, and despite its age, still reels me back into playing even into this day. In termsPokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky is the pinnacle of the Mystery Dungeon Spin Off Series. With the combination of graphics, story, game play and music this game is one of the best Pokemon Spin Off games in history. The main story and endgame content can leave you with countless hours of entertainment, and despite its age, still reels me back into playing even into this day. In terms of pros and cons:

    Pros:
    -Beautiful Cut-scenes
    -Fantastic Story
    -Beautiful Music
    -Great Game play
    -Memorable Locations
    -Fantastic Character Development
    -Great twists and turns
    -Unpredictable environment
    -Very High Replay ability
    -Many Dungeons to Explore
    -Many Pokemon to Face(Up to Gen IV)
    -Adds additional stories explaining characters and situations from Time and Darkness

    Cons:
    -Remake of Time and Sky, some players may feel shafted

    Overall, if you are reading this review today, and have not played this game, you should find this game somewhere on ebay and purchase it. This game offers an entire experience no other game has left me, from a fantastic story and memorable locations, along with hours of content, I found little to no time of where I felt bored. This game is simply put the best game in the Mystery Dungeon Series, and is highly underrated. With how modern gaming industries are working, this game shines a light in the darkness of how a simple DS game can generate the best experience of a lifetime, at such of little cost, with the bountiful amount of content. Please go out and purchase this game yourself, you will then know of the feelings I am speaking of as I wrote this review. Its a 10/10 game!    … Expand
  76. LeikMudkips
    Jul 10, 2016
    8
    I've seen some people say that if you own a copy of time/darkness then don't bother with sky but I say sell time/darkness and buy sky. As an improvement on darkness/time, sky doesn't offer that much extra apart from bonus content like Spinda's café, special episodes and a MEGA improvement to the Crogunk swap shop, but enough of how it compares to Time/Darkness and onto the game itself.
    So    I've seen some people say that if you own a copy of time/darkness then don't bother with sky but I say sell time/darkness and buy sky. As an improvement on darkness/time, sky doesn't offer that much extra apart from bonus content like Spinda's café, special episodes and a MEGA improvement to the Crogunk swap shop, but enough of how it compares to Time/Darkness and onto the game itself.
    So the first thing to happen when you start the game is some pointless migraine inducing quiz to choose your starter Pokemon. Why we couldn't just choose right off the bat rather than having to find an internet help page for how to get Riolu is beyond me but eventually we get into the actual game and the opening to the story is quite strong for a Pokemon game but doesn't really stand out much and that's the point. The story telling is almost in the style of J.K. Rowling in that the story starts quite slowly, but it mentions many small things that turn out to be major plot points in the story ahead. I don't want to say much about the story other than it picks up massively around the 14th episode (or chapter or whatever they call it) and the ending is GOOD. Very immersive and very emotional, this is one of fictions greatest stories.
    The game has the second greatest atmosphere of any game ever made, beaten only by Majora's Mask from the legend of Zelda franchise. This is in no small part to the music. Pokémon mystery dungeon: Explorers of sky has one of the most amazing soundtracks of any game. movie or TV show. I could go on to list some of the greater pieces like Temporal Tower dungeon theme or the Time Gear theme but in reality, eachj piece of the soundtrack is perfectly suited to the situation in the story, always making the right contribution to the atmosphere.
    The gameplay is...fine. It's not bad as many people who're less used the the mystery dungeon franchise believe but it's not fantastic. My opinion is that it's slightly above par, it is, in essence, Pokémon just on an odd layout. It can be very fun at times but some of the longer dungeons can get a bit exhausting. I understand that the game is trying to give an actual feeling of exploration but some aspects can really drag down the gameplay. For one, PP consumption is a big problem in this game and I often feel like I can't use moves as often is I would like and end up resorting to a regular attack. The whole belly mechanic can get in the way as well but both of these problems clear up a bit more as you open the sixth slot in the treasure bag and are more able to stock up on apples and max elixirs. The special episodes are mostly OK, the dungeons are kept short and sweet which is quite nice and some of the stories are quite well written, namely 'igglybuff the prodigy' and 'In the future of darkness.' Still, I wasn't really as interested in Bidoof's self-esteem as I was in Wigglytuff's origins and funnily enough, bidoof's wish is the hardest part of the entire game, as you're given a bad pokemon with bad moves and a low level and you're told the fight Jirachi with tackle but if you find dig in the main story, this becomes less of a challenge.
    Overall, the gameplay can be fun for fans of the pokemon franchise but the game really shines in it's story that after years of criticising games that have much better story than gameplay, I say that this game is worth playing, even if just for the story. Or maybe you can just find a let's play and wonder why on earth are people still making these videos on their own if they're going to add bugger all in commentary.    … Expand
  77. Dracoshi
    Mar 3, 2019
    10
    I will NEVER understand the poor reviews this masterpiece of a game received at its launch. It has been almost a decade since it released, and it is still my favourite game of all time. I can replay it endlessly, and always get the same huge amount of enjoyment from it every time.

    Story: This is where the game truly shines. The plot/story is honestly incredible. I can't even put into    I will NEVER understand the poor reviews this masterpiece of a game received at its launch. It has been almost a decade since it released, and it is still my favourite game of all time. I can replay it endlessly, and always get the same huge amount of enjoyment from it every time.

    Story: This is where the game truly shines. The plot/story is honestly incredible. I can't even put into words how the story of this game made me feel. There's so many big moments and plot twists and the build-up to the ending (and the ending itself) are absolute roller-coasters. This game stands out to me as one of the best stories I've ever seen in my life.

    Music: The music/soundtrack is also fantastic; I find myself listening to it frequently even after all these years. Sometimes during the game I'll stop progressing because I want to sit and listen to the music, which shows how amazing it is.

    Gameplay: Although the gameplay is unusual and takes a small amount of time to get used to, it becomes very enjoyable and offers a very unique RPG experience.

    Characters: I never thought a Pokemon game would create some of the most interesting, diverse, unique characters I've ever seen. The character development for both main and side characters is incredible. This is another area where the game is just perfect.

    Content: The amount of content in this game is huge. The main story takes me - on average - around 25 - 30 hours, although this could be much higher if you enjoy exploring everything the game has to offer. There's also a very long post-game, which could easily boost your playtime to over 100 hours. I've played through the game at least ten times, and yet I still find things I haven't done before in every playthrough.

    Art-style: The graphics/art-style, although pixelated, is beautiful. The sprites of the characters and the backgrounds and the pixel arts are just so full of character, and suit the style of the game perfectly. I really wish the newer Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games kept this art-style.

    Overall, I cannot emphasise enough how incredible this game is. It is so so so underrated and honestly a gem. Almost everything in the game is perfect. This game - for me - ranks far above the main-series Pokemon games, and ranks far above the other spin-off games. This truly is the pinnacle of Pokemon.    … Expand
  78. pokemonfani
    Apr 21, 2017
    9
    This is so far my favourite Pokémon game and game is very underrated. The storyline alone managed to bump up my score to 9. For the negatives the story has some pacing issues at the beginning and has some awkward dialogue throughout the whole game. For me personally the gameplay gets very bland and repetitive. It's pretty much the same thing throughout the whole game with nothingThis is so far my favourite Pokémon game and game is very underrated. The storyline alone managed to bump up my score to 9. For the negatives the story has some pacing issues at the beginning and has some awkward dialogue throughout the whole game. For me personally the gameplay gets very bland and repetitive. It's pretty much the same thing throughout the whole game with nothing interesting. Item management can get annoying like how your inventory is always full and is just a mess. The menus too are pretty bad, I have to access the menu everytime i want to use an attack where you can only set one of them to a quick key. I hated exploring very bland randomly generated dungeons. The only thing that kept me going was the storyline. I always wanted to see more of it, it was surprisingly good and got pretty deep too for a Pokémon game. Music too is top notch here. I am glad that I played the game to the end. Without the storyline I would give this game a score of 3 or something. You don't want to miss out on this game if you are a Pokémon fan or a fan of story heavy games.… Expand
  79. aditya1101
    Jan 6, 2018
    8
    This was definitely a really well made game - it has a ton of content, the battle system is designed well, and it overall is just a good successor to the previous pokemon mystery dungeon game. But despite that, there were many parts of the game that I felt dragged too much, and I don't think the levels were different or interesting enough to justify the amount of grinding that I had to doThis was definitely a really well made game - it has a ton of content, the battle system is designed well, and it overall is just a good successor to the previous pokemon mystery dungeon game. But despite that, there were many parts of the game that I felt dragged too much, and I don't think the levels were different or interesting enough to justify the amount of grinding that I had to do to beat the game.… Expand
  80. 1_skydarktime
    Jan 7, 2018
    10
    In many ways, it's almost a masterpiece. The mystery dungeon games have great story for what they propose themselves too, reaching one of its peaks here. Many additions in this version made the Dark and Time versions almost unplayable because this one has all they have and so much more. Gameplay is fun if you enjoy the mystery dungeon series gameplay, which is not exclusive to the pokemonIn many ways, it's almost a masterpiece. The mystery dungeon games have great story for what they propose themselves too, reaching one of its peaks here. Many additions in this version made the Dark and Time versions almost unplayable because this one has all they have and so much more. Gameplay is fun if you enjoy the mystery dungeon series gameplay, which is not exclusive to the pokemon titles, exploring dungeon-like areas and completing missions while managing your resources along the way.… Expand
  81. JmanTheHitman
    Aug 8, 2018
    10
    At first this game may seem kinda redundant if you played time/darkness, but not everyone can delete that save file that gave so many awesome feels that these games gave. while the story may not have changed you are given lots of new features as well as all the legendary Pokemon locations(eventually) that were locked through wonder mail in the last games. Music in this game is stillAt first this game may seem kinda redundant if you played time/darkness, but not everyone can delete that save file that gave so many awesome feels that these games gave. while the story may not have changed you are given lots of new features as well as all the legendary Pokemon locations(eventually) that were locked through wonder mail in the last games. Music in this game is still amazing and if you have never played a mystery dungeon game before this should be your first. User score truly is the only credible rating for this game… Expand
  82. takua09
    Aug 16, 2018
    10
    I literally made an account specifically so I could rate this amazing game the 10/10 it deserves (even though I'm about 9 years late). It's critically underrated and, although no one will act on this review's request, let alone READ it, I highly recommend this game to anyone and everyone. This is one of those experiences where I wish someone would invent a time machine specifically so II literally made an account specifically so I could rate this amazing game the 10/10 it deserves (even though I'm about 9 years late). It's critically underrated and, although no one will act on this review's request, let alone READ it, I highly recommend this game to anyone and everyone. This is one of those experiences where I wish someone would invent a time machine specifically so I could go back in time and play the game without any knowledge of it again.… Expand
  83. Daroach
    Nov 11, 2018
    10
    Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky is the only video game. play it now
  84. JetThePokeGuy
    Feb 21, 2021
    7
    I've got to be honest, I love no, ADORE Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky. The game is filled with interesting and compelling characters, with a surprisingly deep and open-ended story. While the story itself has a definitive ending, there are so many elements of the story that are still shrouded in mystery and hasn't been fully explored, this doesn't make the story bad but insteadI've got to be honest, I love no, ADORE Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky. The game is filled with interesting and compelling characters, with a surprisingly deep and open-ended story. While the story itself has a definitive ending, there are so many elements of the story that are still shrouded in mystery and hasn't been fully explored, this doesn't make the story bad but instead it leaves room for interpretations and theories to explain several plot holes or even explain parts of the story that were already explained thoroughly but can be connected with other parts of the story, making things so much more interesting. But the deep lore isn't the only reason the story is great, the story itself is just so well-written and so wonderful and really sad at certain points. However, this being a Pokemon game hurts more than it helps, as people are less likely to appreciate the story of a Pokemon game as unprofessional critics or people with a prejudice against Pokemon will simply dismiss the story as a basic story for kids. Of course, there are people who aren't so quick to judge, but they will most likely be turned off by the repetitive gameplay. Speaking of which, the gameplay can feel super repetitive and the dungeons being randomly generated can lead to ridiculous and irritating scenarios, dungeon floors can be insanely fast to go through or could take a millennia to traverse; not to mention, some enemies will randomly ambush you, while I'm fine with this, if one of your teammates get ambushed by an enemy, it's really annoying as every turn you move, the camera moves over to your teammate; but the game does require strategy and needs you to preserve max elixirs and restorative items and when to use items that can help you in boss battles, which is nice; oh, and one more thing, the A.I. of your teammates can be stupid at times which will could cost you a reviver seed and that's never fun. So, in conclusion, this game has a wonderful story with rich characters and deep lore, but is held back by it's repetitive gameplay and annoying quirks. If you are considering to play this game and you're a Pokemon fan, then you'll most likely like this game, it borrows a few features from the mainline series so it should feel a little familiar. If you're not a Pokemon fan, then this game might not be for you, however if you are interested then please don't dismiss this game right away, you might end up enjoying this game.… Expand
  85. FixR
    Jun 22, 2020
    10
    There aren't a whole lot of games out there that make me sad that I didn't play them years ago when they first came out, but this game is an easy exception.

    Explorers of Sky takes the formula established by Rescue Team, mixes it with the improvements Time and Darkness made, adds its OWN improvements, and puts it all together to create a glorious game. With many mechanics retooled to    There aren't a whole lot of games out there that make me sad that I didn't play them years ago when they first came out, but this game is an easy exception.

    Explorers of Sky takes the formula established by Rescue Team, mixes it with the improvements Time and Darkness made, adds its OWN improvements, and puts it all together to create a glorious game.

    With many mechanics retooled to work better, item drops and Pokémon encounters unified, gameplay that feels even better to get into and master, even MORE content than its predecessors offered, in addition to bonus episodes starring other memorable characters and enhancing the world's lore, graphics that are great for their system and that you won't forget, a soundtrack among the best soundtracks in all of gaming, and countless other details that anyone will enjoy.

    To be honest, there wasn't an awful lot in favor of making a third version of Time and Darkness. But it exists, and it's easily the definitive game of the three.

    And that's not even mentioning the story. The story that proves games intended for younger audiences can still have themes, gray morality, consequences, characters with real motives, and emotion.

    Nothing in this universe is perfect. But Explorers of Sky? It comes pretty close.    … Expand
  86. Grumos
    Oct 18, 2022
    0
    Probablemente la saga mas infravalorada de la historia. Nunca antes he visto una desproporción tan grande entre el amor dedicado a un juego y su nota.
  87. srx
    May 2, 2021
    10
    hard to find flaws with this game. I guess if you want to be technical, the story is logistically impossible, but I won't get into that. Brilliant story, brilliant character, brilliant soundtrack, solid gameplay, great sprites and portraits. I love every game of this series but this one takes the cake as the top dog.
  88. Kchewz
    Jan 24, 2021
    10
    Make. A. Sequel. Or. Remaster. This is undoubtedly the apex of this series.
  89. moss69
    Mar 4, 2020
    10
    Not only the best mystery dungeon but my favorite pokemon game. A game where you can actually "catch" them all.
  90. TurtleGames
    Feb 18, 2022
    10
    Man this game is actually one of the best spin offs of the franchise, its a shame that it has such a low score
  91. Ben37
    Dec 29, 2019
    10
    Easily one of the best Pokemon games to exist. Granted not everyone will like the dungeon crawler aspect but I loved it, and between the ridiculous amount of story and Pokemon available and a near endless amount of missions it's a Pokemon game that is very worth the time.
  92. MrGreenBanana
    May 27, 2019
    10
    My first review on Metacritic was of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness. I said it was the best game I had ever played. Then I played Explorers of Sky, it's enhanced third version (somewhat like the Yellow to Red and Blue or Emerald to Ruby and Sapphire). Sweet Jesus, I take back what I said. This is the best game I've ever played. It retains everything great from the first twoMy first review on Metacritic was of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness. I said it was the best game I had ever played. Then I played Explorers of Sky, it's enhanced third version (somewhat like the Yellow to Red and Blue or Emerald to Ruby and Sapphire). Sweet Jesus, I take back what I said. This is the best game I've ever played. It retains everything great from the first two games (Time and Darkness) with some extra content thrown in. There's the Spinda Cafe where you can recycle items in trade for others as well as use certain items to make drinks (although I have absolutely no idea what they do. Probably raise your stats or something). There's artwork for the chapter start screen now. And there's special episodes, small chapters that you unlock by playing the main story that explore the stories of some of the other characters like Bidoof, Wigglytuff, Sunflora, Team Charm, and Grovyle and Dusknoir. Overall, this game is the very definition of a definitive edition.… Expand
  93. TweniThree
    Aug 5, 2019
    10
    To the people saying that it's only a slightly better version of time/darkness; have you played pokemon before? This was meant to copy the third version pattern that the main series games have had in the past; red/blue - yellow, gold/silver - crystal, ruby/sapphire - emerald, diamond/pearl - platinum. The story is great, and from what I'm seeing, most professional game critics have givenTo the people saying that it's only a slightly better version of time/darkness; have you played pokemon before? This was meant to copy the third version pattern that the main series games have had in the past; red/blue - yellow, gold/silver - crystal, ruby/sapphire - emerald, diamond/pearl - platinum. The story is great, and from what I'm seeing, most professional game critics have given it a much lower score than almost all of the normal people who have actually played the game to enjoy it and not just first-playthrough-speedran it just so that they can get a review on it.

    Just look at all the good reviews. To summarize, [3/3 people found this helpful]
    But the bad reviews (0/6 people found this helpful]
    The game is great if you play it normally    … Expand
  94. Auto
    Nov 26, 2018
    10
    One of the, if not THE best game ive ever played.

    Everything here is amazing, the gameplay is absolutely fantastic, it mixes extremely well Pokémon gameplay and Dungeon Crawler gameplay, the result is a blast.

    The senario is absolutely amazing, but its no surprise considering it was made by the guy who wrote the senario of 9 Persons 9 Hours 9 Doors

    graphics are amazing.

    musics : god-like.
  95. sebastianali
    Mar 19, 2020
    8
    Pokemon Mundo Misterioso Exploradores Del Cielo es sin duda alguna... una obra maestra. Ya habia reseñado el Equipo De Rescate Rojo original por la salida del remake, asi que veamos como le fue a la secuela... Habra logrado superar las expectativas? Veamos...
    No hay mucho que decir en cuanto al apartado gráfico y sonoro, son sobresalientes, la música esta al mismo nivel que el original    Pokemon Mundo Misterioso Exploradores Del Cielo es sin duda alguna... una obra maestra. Ya habia reseñado el Equipo De Rescate Rojo original por la salida del remake, asi que veamos como le fue a la secuela... Habra logrado superar las expectativas? Veamos...
    No hay mucho que decir en cuanto al apartado gráfico y sonoro, son sobresalientes, la música esta al mismo nivel que el original por lo que es un gran acierto. Pokemon siempre tuvo una de mis bandas sonoras favoritas del mundo de los videojuegos y esta entrega lo demuestra enormemente.
    En cuanto a la jugabilidad, tampoco hay mucho que decir, ya que es casi la misma que el juego anterior con la rejilla y demás que por cierto reseñe, así que comentare las mejoras y nuevos añadidos que tiene. Posee algunos minijuegos extras entretenidos para ganar objetos ya sea potenciadores para los Pokemon, que por cierto, estos minijuegos son adictivos, así como arreglos en el sistema de combate, incluyendo unas estadísticas que si bien siguen siendo distintas, están mas equilibradas, dando una dificultad mucho mejor elaborada que la del juego anterior, ademas de que ahora se puede reclutar Pokemon sin la necesidad de tener un hueco en el equipo. Ademas de haber mas espacio en el inventario y una mejor gestión del equipo, ya que no tenes que estarlos visitando a cada rato por cada misión que terminas. Una jugabilidad que si bien es la misma esta mucho mas pulida y con nuevos elementos como la crianza que lo hacen un juego con mucho contenido.
    Uno de los pilares fundamentales que tiene este juego es la historia... La historia, sin duda alguna es una de mis tramas favoritas del mundo de los videojuegos, muy elaborada, emotiva y bastante larga, contando con un contenido post game que considero perfecto, ademas de contar con capítulos opcionales que cuentan la historia desde otro punto de vista encarnando a otro personaje. Si bien, la jugabilidad en estos capítulos puede llegar a ser algo aburrida y no es la gran cosa, la historia te engancha y te sienta muy bien completarlos todos, en especial el ultimo que es donde esta la chicha, ya que te revelan todo y créeme que estarás muy contento de jugarlo, en especial si terminaste la post aventura.
    Sin duda alguna, este juego mejoro todo lo que tenia el anterior, y a un nivel muy notable. Las cuevas de nivel 1 siguen estando, pero que yo sepa no hay Pokemon exclusivos de esas cuevas y los objetos no son tan imprescindibles, por lo que no es algo grave a comparación del anterior. Exploradores Del Cielo es mi juego favorito de la Nintendo DS, uno de mis juegos favoritos de la saga, y uno de mis juegos favoritos de todos los tiempos. La verdad es que si que se lucieron con este juego, puliendo muchos elementos frustrantes del anterior, y si bien la curva de dificultad sigue estando a veces medio mal (principalmente por el hecho de que las penalizaciones por perder siguen estando, y conseguir de vuelta los objetos raros puede llegar a ser una locura), lo puedo recomendar tanto para los amantes de Pokemon, para los amantes de los Roguelike, como para la gente que simplemente quiere disfrutar de una buena historia en general.
    Pd: No es una reseña tan completa, ya que en parte se complementa con la anterior que hice de Equipo de Rescate Rojo, les recomiendo que la vean.    … Expand
  96. ShawnEXE
    May 3, 2019
    9
    Music: 5/5
    Game Play: 4/5
    Graphics: 4/5
    Story: 5/5
    Time-Value: 5/5
    Overall: 4.5/5
  97. Tamsmit
    Jul 6, 2019
    10
    Honestly it's kind of disgusting how low this is rated by critics, aside from slightly repetitive gameplay, the game is a masterpiece. It has beautiful graphics, a super amazing story (honestly better than any of the mainline games), and a phenomenal soundtrack. Definitely not deserving of a 54 rating by metacritic
  98. Ivanchu
    Jul 15, 2019
    10
    The best game of Pokémon
    El mejor juego de Pokémon

    The best game of Pokémon
    El mejor juego de Pokémon
  99. patinete92
    Jun 18, 2021
    9
    Maravilloso, tanto la trama como sus personajes. El contenido extra respecto a las otras versiones te invita a rejugarlo, merece la pena.
  100. iDraxigy
    Aug 23, 2019
    9
    I felt this game was brilliant. This strategy-based RPG had me addicted to literally every second of gameplay. I found this game to be completely intoxicating with its simple yet intriguing storyline, which I felt was the best part of the game. Unlike with other Pokemon games, this game makes you actually form emotional attachment with your Pokemon, which makes every emotional scene everyI felt this game was brilliant. This strategy-based RPG had me addicted to literally every second of gameplay. I found this game to be completely intoxicating with its simple yet intriguing storyline, which I felt was the best part of the game. Unlike with other Pokemon games, this game makes you actually form emotional attachment with your Pokemon, which makes every emotional scene every bit more emotional. The gameplay itself is simple, challenging, and fun, however it can get VERY frustrating when you get knocked out near the completion of a dungeon. Overall this is a great game. It's quite grindy, and takes you quite a while to complete, but it makes everything SO much sweeter.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Most Discussed DS Game of 2009
3
#3 Most Shared DS Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
54

Mixed or average reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 26
  3. Negative: 9 out of 26
  1. Da Gameboyz
    60
    I just can't recommend Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky to anyone that has played the previous games in the series. It looks like a GBA game, and is chock full of lazy and somewhat dated gameplay.
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  2. Cheat Code Central
    60
    While Explorers of Sky would be a decent game if it were judged in a vacuum, when viewed alongside Explorers of Time / Darkness, there simply isn't enough unique, quality content to make it relevant. This is perhaps one of the worst values in gaming I've ever seen.
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  3. Gaming Age
    42
    The story isn't interesting enough to keep you involved, and the gameplay doesn't elevate past mashing attacks for combat. All together, it's a disappointing title, and not one that I suggest checking out.
    Read full review
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