Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time

 DS
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 172 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 137 out of 172
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 172
  3. Negative: 12 out of 172
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  1. Darklycan51
    Dec 9, 2013
    10
    This is possibly the most underrated game in modern history, it's the freaking genre of mystery dungeon and they did it DAMN WELL.

    I mean pinball games get rated on pinball games and get a good score if done right, right? Yes FPS get a good score if they're done right, right? Yes Pokemon mystery dungeon 2 is the best mystery dungeon game but nope, sorry it deserves a bad score    This is possibly the most underrated game in modern history, it's the freaking genre of mystery dungeon and they did it DAMN WELL.

    I mean pinball games get rated on pinball games and get a good score if done right, right? Yes

    FPS get a good score if they're done right, right? Yes

    Pokemon mystery dungeon 2 is the best mystery dungeon game but nope, sorry it deserves a bad score because BITTER critics.    … Expand
  2. Plasmaneedle
    May 17, 2014
    9
    Pokémon Mystery Dungeon is a game that's sorely underrated. It transfers the excellent Pokémon turn based combat system to the isometric dungeon crawling format flawlessly. It has what is by far the best plot and story of any Pokémon game. You should reserve judgement for this game until you play it.
  3. Meta_Narwhal
    Apr 27, 2014
    9
    This game is more underrated than any game I've seen in a long time- at least by critics. The story holds great emotional weight without detracting from the game; the ending will make you cry, I promise you that.
  4. Ludbig
    Mar 24, 2015
    10
    This game is not only my favourite DS game but also my favourite pokemon game ever. There is a suprising amount of content and feutures in the game. for example there are sidequests where you rescue pokemon, defeat bandits and find certain items. sometimes enemies will want to join your team when you defeat them and this includes DIALGIA! And do not stop playing when the credits rollThis game is not only my favourite DS game but also my favourite pokemon game ever. There is a suprising amount of content and feutures in the game. for example there are sidequests where you rescue pokemon, defeat bandits and find certain items. sometimes enemies will want to join your team when you defeat them and this includes DIALGIA! And do not stop playing when the credits roll because there is still 40% of the game left.

    But the greatest thing is the story. I never thought a pokemon game could be this emotional and just so...beutiful and so is the music.

    Overall Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time is the most gripping game I have ever played    … Expand
  5. Matt1251
    Apr 29, 2013
    9
    *sigh* All right. How do I compare this with the sequel, Gates to Infinity? You might know I wrote an earlier review on it, saying it was my favorite game ever? I might have been hyping it a bit there, but it still ranks VERY high. Anyway back to Darkness/Time. Essentially, I see them as the same game. And a very good game, at that. But let's start with the negatives.

    First off,    *sigh* All right. How do I compare this with the sequel, Gates to Infinity? You might know I wrote an earlier review on it, saying it was my favorite game ever? I might have been hyping it a bit there, but it still ranks VERY high. Anyway back to Darkness/Time. Essentially, I see them as the same game. And a very good game, at that. But let's start with the negatives.

    First off, the graphics. Really, Nintendo? Three shades of brown for a dungeon floor? Yeah, the graphics could have been a bit more varied. Also, post-story, you have to face FIVE 99-floor dungeons! FIVE! I mean, this is optional, but I tried one, just for the heck of it, and I only got to Floor 57. Keep in mind that I was Level 100, with eight Reviver Seeds. Yeah. The game trolls you with them. And the addition of hunger does not help with the game's already high difficulty.

    Now, the positives. Some of the visuals are stunning (I said some, not all), like the beach and Fogbound Lake. The music is stunning as well, such as Temporal Tower/Spire. And the ending is WAY more of a tear-jerker than the first one, yet heavily outclassed by the third. Also, the scenario is very nice, with you trying to deter the PLANET'S PARALYSIS! Jeez! That is a heavy load on your shoulders!
    The game play is also very similar to the first game, but nowhere near repetitive yet.

    Overall, this game is very fun and entertaining. If you're a Pokemon fan, like dungeon-crawlers, or both, I highly recommend picking this up. Rating: 9.25/10    … Expand
  6. NintendoPlayer1
    Oct 17, 2014
    9
    Such a good game and only a metascore of 60.... Good music, good Story... I love this game. This game is underrated. The Dungeon system is nice and the bosses and other enemys are nice...
  7. rpindar
    Sep 25, 2015
    10
    This is quite possibly one of the best Pokémon games I've ever played - the main series included. Never before have I felt so connected to the world I'm playing in.
    The second generation of Mystery Dungeon games take everything that was great about the first game and expand upon it in this new game.
    The storyline is much more mature than a lot of the other Pokémon games, dealing with a    This is quite possibly one of the best Pokémon games I've ever played - the main series included. Never before have I felt so connected to the world I'm playing in.
    The second generation of Mystery Dungeon games take everything that was great about the first game and expand upon it in this new game.
    The storyline is much more mature than a lot of the other Pokémon games, dealing with a rich cast of characters and plot twists that you don't always see coming.
    Even when you've completed the main story there is still more to do, all with new characters and mysteries to investigate.

    I loved this game and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone.    … Expand
  8. MeowMew
    Nov 4, 2015
    10
    This is an amazing game, but people think it's bad and it gets underrated.
    This is the best game I have ever played and I have played HEAPS of games.
    The combat is balanced so well and the storyline has made lots of people I know cry.
    The point of repeating dungeons makes you better and better at playing!
    Why do people rate this so low?
  9. racheon
    Apr 19, 2016
    10
    The critics score doesn't quite match up with the user score, but for this game, it's for the good.

    Many gamers probably don't even know about this game - I mean, it's a Pokémon spinoff released on the DS. It's been quite a bit since I've first finished the game, but I still haven't forgotten any of it. The music, the story, and, holy ****, the feels. I was very touched when I first    The critics score doesn't quite match up with the user score, but for this game, it's for the good.

    Many gamers probably don't even know about this game - I mean, it's a Pokémon spinoff released on the DS. It's been quite a bit since I've first finished the game, but I still haven't forgotten any of it. The music, the story, and, holy ****, the feels.

    I was very touched when I first played the game, I still was when I played it for the second time, and I still am when I listen to the music or watch scenes from the game online.

    I can only recommend anyone who possesses at least 1 (one) emotion to play this game.

    I'm not sure if it really deserves a 10 (I'd give it a 9 otherwise), but I just can't give it any less after what it's done to me.    … Expand
  10. Yoshiboo118
    Mar 20, 2013
    9
    This game really is enjoyable. Although the dungeons do get repetitive at times, and the AI can be weird with your partners, I find it's not so much the mechanics of dungeons that make this game what it is, it's the story. The animation and sprites are nicely designed for this type of game, and the characters are interesting. The music is also pleasant to listen to. And of course, just theThis game really is enjoyable. Although the dungeons do get repetitive at times, and the AI can be weird with your partners, I find it's not so much the mechanics of dungeons that make this game what it is, it's the story. The animation and sprites are nicely designed for this type of game, and the characters are interesting. The music is also pleasant to listen to. And of course, just the whole idea of becoming a Pokemon in this game is enough to have many people hooked. If you like games with a lot of story content, dynamic characters, and exciting music, you'll probably like this.… Expand
  11. Braquiador55
    Jun 17, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Wow man, this game is awesome. While being a pokemon game, and we all know that means a very poor story and dialogues, it surprise me when i first play through it all, 'cause it has one of the saddest and best develop stories that've seen so far. It actually delivers an incredible complex story, while also developing it characters prettyThis review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Wow man, this game is awesome. While being a pokemon game, and we all know that means a very poor story and dialogues, it surprise me when i first play through it all, 'cause it has one of the saddest and best develop stories that've seen so far. It actually delivers an incredible complex story, while also developing it characters pretty well. It has also an incredible plot twist, god dammit it even has a betreyal within your allies. This game is just AWESOME, please, play it, create your friendship, hate all the unfairness of it world, love the characters, understand their motivations, cry while watching them fall, develop yourself not as a pokemon, but as a living being that is part of the soceity, and most important of all, enjoy what it is in my humble opinion, the best DS title ever made.… Expand
  12. Keepo
    Jun 25, 2016
    9
    As any life-long fan would know, pokemon = story > gameplay + graphics.
    Explorers of time IS repetitive in the gameplay. The graphics are horrible. When I played it though, the story astounded me so much I didn't care about any of the previous two whatsoever. Brilliant characters (mentally, not necessarily visually, although the 3D models in boxes representing their mood are quite well    As any life-long fan would know, pokemon = story > gameplay + graphics.
    Explorers of time IS repetitive in the gameplay. The graphics are horrible. When I played it though, the story astounded me so much I didn't care about any of the previous two whatsoever. Brilliant characters (mentally, not necessarily visually, although the 3D models in boxes representing their mood are quite well done anyway), Various places which all are connected to the action or character on the end somehow (but not always, which adds more astonishing experiences to the game) and finally, the thing we all waited for. The Plot. So far, this game wouldn't be rated very highly, but the plot changes everything. Imagine the plot as a logic puzzle in which you are supposed to connect dots in a specific way. As the plot unfolds, the dots are created and the game gives you tips on how to connect them. At one point, when you are supposed to connect last dots, the game tell you it lied, changes the puzzle completely, it goes out half of your connected dots created a contradiction and two times as many new dots as you've had are created. When I played this game, it was an unforgettable experience. It was astounding to such a degree, that I suppose some of the letsplayers I know would drop on the floor. If I had to somehow classify this plot, I wouldn't say it's good. I wouldn't say it's great. I'd say it's the best plot I've ever dealt with! Even considering the fact that I've played a LOT of games which were supposed to be focused on the plot, none have so far beaten this game. The story doesn't only consist of various twists, from smaller to bigger, but also some moments of happiness and moments which, I admit, made me cry. Another thing, that was the only story that has ever made me burst into tears, so that is also an achievement. Clarifying the game design advantages and disadvantages, I'll get straight into difficulty. Gameplay difficulty, that is. Even considering the easy beginnings the game could still be considered fairly difficult, especially in the end, where you run into a thousand monster houses in which everyone spams agility. People who have played the game already know what I mean. This is another disadvantage of the game, as in ninety percent of the game you have to act stupidly or be insanely unlucky to actually die, while in the other ten percent you can be the best player ever but still try five times before you get through. Normally here I'd get to the graphics, but as it's the mystery dungeon series before gates to infinity we all know what they are like whatsoever. Jumping into the soundtrack... well, it's rather more of a personal opinion, as everywhere, but I'll write mine anyway. The soundtrack is fairly well-made as it is electronic music from 2008, which then wasn't developed that much, we couldn't hear any sophisticated sounds. One very important comment here is that the music fits very well to where it is played. Besides, there still are themes which I like to listen to not even playing the game, for example the final bossfight theme or the very catchy 3/4 Waltz desert theme (note that I don't normally like desert themes).

    The game has a feeling of a friendly and epic adventure, and honestly I have beaten it many more times than one. By FAR.

    +Charming Soundtrack (Purely my opinion);
    + characters... with character;
    +BRILLIANT plot;
    +continues the beloved mystery dungeon series very successfully among players.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------
    +unbalanced difficulty;
    +repetitive gameplay.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------
    OVERALL RATING: 9/10

    Great Job Chunsoft ;)

    ~Keepo    … Expand
  13. Mlg_owott
    Oct 29, 2016
    10
    i love this game and nobody will change that. Read another review if you want a full on review but i will just say, WHY ISN'T THIS A MOVIE YET NINTENDO.
  14. TigerWhisperer
    Aug 8, 2016
    10
    I like this game a lot. This might be my favorite Pokémon game, good music, good story. Other games are not nearly as cool and emotional as this one. Too bad it's so underrated. I have never played a game as tear-jerking as this.
  15. ZeoN
    May 29, 2017
    10
    Lo mejor de esta saga de Mundo Misterioso,criticado por la prensa y querida por los usuarios.Mazmorras perfectamente elaboradas y fantasticamente cuidadas.Punto debil,dificultad en algunos jefes.
  16. sri007venkat
    Jun 3, 2017
    10
    The game-play and graphics are pretty terrible, but the in depth story-line is what the mystery dungeons are known for. The explorers games had, by far, the best story-line and the most in-depth story line out of any of the mystery dungeon games. On the surface, the game seems like any other bland kids game, but under the surface, of this child-targeted game, is so much more, which makesThe game-play and graphics are pretty terrible, but the in depth story-line is what the mystery dungeons are known for. The explorers games had, by far, the best story-line and the most in-depth story line out of any of the mystery dungeon games. On the surface, the game seems like any other bland kids game, but under the surface, of this child-targeted game, is so much more, which makes this game enjoyable for all ages. The game gives interesting back stories to each character, even to the characters that didn't play a big role in the games. The way the plot is presented is really good; there is foreshadowing of many events, which encourages the player to speculate the outcome of the game and to speculate possible theories associated to the games. There is purposefully a lack of information, at times, since the creators are trying to encourage the player to speculate further, which allows the player to have their own perspective on the course of events and their own view over what happened. This game overall is very well made, in terms of story-line, and most of all, the theme tunes are amazing, and some even iconic (for example Temporal tower's theme). I would highly recommend this game, not for its game-play, but for its intricate story-line.… Expand
  17. Sr_PuXiToPuiG
    Jan 3, 2021
    8
    Se le ve bien infravalorado a mi pana. .
  18. Speedwagon
    May 19, 2018
    10
    Uno de los mejores juegos que he jugado nunca, sin duda, el mejor de Pokémon. Infinitamemte menos enfocado al competitivo y al online, es en su modo historia donde golea al resto de juegos de la saga y se sitúa como uno de los mejores juegos del subgénero de mazmorras: una jugabilidad entretenida con bastantes posibilidades, basada en las equivalencias de tipos de Pokémon, una historia queUno de los mejores juegos que he jugado nunca, sin duda, el mejor de Pokémon. Infinitamemte menos enfocado al competitivo y al online, es en su modo historia donde golea al resto de juegos de la saga y se sitúa como uno de los mejores juegos del subgénero de mazmorras: una jugabilidad entretenida con bastantes posibilidades, basada en las equivalencias de tipos de Pokémon, una historia que va de menos a más y que acaba siendo increíblemente buena, una banda sonora espectacular, y...
    ¡centenares de Pokémon que reclutar! Su apartado gráfico 2d es sencillo pero encantador, y cumple con solvencia para ser un spin-off de menor presupuesto. Recomendado al 100% a los amantes de Pokémon y los buenos RPG.    … Expand
  19. GeorgeS.
    Aug 26, 2008
    9
    A superb game. The one point deducted is because the game isn't as good as pokemon diamond or pearl.
  20. obi12323
    Jun 25, 2020
    10
    The greatest game ever created. This game has music, characters and a story that can only be described as flawless.
  21. CrazyGamer701
    May 25, 2018
    10
    i like this game so much its so great its so underaterd best mystery dungeon of all the series
  22. GrenNSW
    Aug 11, 2020
    10
    This game is the best one in the series. The story is absolutely phenomenal, the gameplay is tweaked in ways to improve it and the music is the best in the series. I 100% recommend you buy this game, you won’t be disappointed.
  23. Sharp8
    Apr 20, 2021
    10
    The story, the combat system and the handling of objects make this game, for me, one of the best ever.

    You will think that because it is called Pokémon, you will not like the game because, generally, people associate Pokémon with minors or games designed for children. ERROR. It may be that the story is a bit "childish", but that's because of Pokémon, but in this case I don't think    The story, the combat system and the handling of objects make this game, for me, one of the best ever.

    You will think that because it is called Pokémon, you will not like the game because, generally, people associate Pokémon with minors or games designed for children. ERROR.

    It may be that the story is a bit "childish", but that's because of Pokémon, but in this case I don't think so. The story goes deeper than you think, believe me.

    Aside from enjoying a dungeon-crawler, the game outperformed previous games, Red / Blue Rescue, in both sales and popularity.

    What else do you want me to tell you? You have a good story, a good combat system so you never get bored, hundreds and hundreds of hours to play or to choose your protagonist in the damn test, xD.    … Expand
  24. hector_bcn98
    Nov 7, 2022
    8
    Por alguna razón que desconozco, esta secuela fue mucho mejor por la prensa que el original. Incluye la cuarta generación pero no innovaba en nada. Muy buena historia, eso sí.
  25. Atonnie
    Sep 5, 2023
    10
    Jeu pokemon très sous estimé a sa sortie car jugée "trop répétitif" bref pas vraiment objectif,

    Le jeu malgré le fait qu'il soit dirigé vers un jeune public a un niveau de difficulté assez élevée quand on ne prend pas en considération toute les mécanique et qu'on se contente bêtement d'avancer et taper avec les compétence fournis il sera d'ailleurs nécessaire de prendre en compte cela    Jeu pokemon très sous estimé a sa sortie car jugée "trop répétitif" bref pas vraiment objectif,

    Le jeu malgré le fait qu'il soit dirigé vers un jeune public a un niveau de difficulté assez élevée quand on ne prend pas en considération toute les mécanique et qu'on se contente bêtement d'avancer et taper avec les compétence fournis il sera d'ailleurs nécessaire de prendre en compte cela selon votre starter et coéquipier qui sont plus ou moins désavantager selon lequel vous prenez.

    Il est graphiquement incroyable tout au long du jeu vous trouverez des scène sublime qui vous feront voyager ainsi que des musique tous aussi qualitative.

    L'histoire bien que simple est très bien utilisé en effet le storytelling sera vous plongé dans l'histoire et est très bien dosé (encore mieux dans la version ciel).    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

11
#11 Most Discussed DS Game of 2008
20
#20 Most Shared DS Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
60

Mixed or average reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 29
  3. Negative: 5 out of 29
  1. PTGamers
    55
    Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers is more of the same, and that won't disturb those who appreciate the franchise.
    Read full review
  2. Cheat Code Central
    76
    A complex and challenging dungeon crawler that has a lot to offer. Even though the dungeon crawling aspect is very repetitive, the connectivity features, the vast number and variety of Pokemon, Wonder Mail, hours of gameplay, difficulty, etc. makes this pure kiddy-crack!
    Read full review
  3. IGN
    65
    The game's menu system is incredibly clunky and feels like an unfixed relic from the Game Boy Advance version.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »