The Turbo-Grafx 16 library may seem anemic to most people, but to those who bought the system when it first came out and followed it through the early 90's know what a wonderful selection of RPGs the console had available. Everyone knows about Y's book 1 &2, and they have probably heard a thing or two about Cosmic Fantasy, but has anyone ever seen Dungeon Explorer 2?

This review will attempt to both entertain and enlighten you about my favorite TG-16 game of all time.

Gameplay:

Dungeon Explorer 2 is everything an action RPG should be. Although the purchase of weaponry and the reliance on dropped potion bottles may seem like an archaic practice when compared to modern Action/RPGs, Dungeon Explorer 2 has a very low annoyance factor. First of all, the game allows you to "Gamble" for extra lives by playing a game of Blackjack with the Grim Reaper himself. Win, and you gain a life, get Blackjack and you gain two lives, Lose, and…well… you know the rest.

As for Combat, Dungeon Explorer 2 borrows a few pages out of Gauntlet's book by having your character throw his or her trademark weapon across the screen with each button press. Dungeon Explorer 2 also spawns its enemies in each dungeon by way of "Monster Generators" that constantly spew out beasts until they are hacked to bits.

Sounds simple, doesn't it? It is, and as a matter of fact, the only difference between this game and Gauntlet would be the fact that you gain levels by defeating bosses and grabbing the crystals they leave behind. The crystals flash four different colors, and depending on the color the crystal is when you run to it, the statistic that the color represents will increase one point. What could be more simple then that?

Action RPGs are meant to be over-simplified, and Dungeon Explorer 2 manages to stay uncomplicated without becoming too boring, thanks in part to the multitude of character classes you can play as. Not only do you get such RPG stalwarts such as the Dwarf, Cleric, and Wizard, but you can also find "hidden" classes such as a Monk, Princess, Witch, and even a Robot (although the Robot resembles a metal penguin.)

Gameplay: 90%

Graphics:

Dungeon Explorer 2 won't exactly wow you with it's special effects, but considering the hardware it runs on, and the other games in the Action/RPG genre at the time (Popful Mail, Mana) I'd feel confident saying that Dungeon Explorer 2 does just fine in this department.

There is quite a bit of palette swapping, and you'll probably encounter 3-5 different colored versions of each monster during the course of the game, but this is not uncommon, even today. Instead, where Dungeon Explorer 2 excels is in the "presentation" department.

The excitement you feel when watching Phades Slay the king's knight in one cut-scene, and then the appearance of Lord Natas in the next cannot be described in words. Even with the limited ability of the TG-16 hampering the frames of animation that can be displayed in each cut-scene, Dungeon Explorer 2 certainly does great with what it has.

Graphics: 85%

Story:

Your first mission, which starts out with the typical "Rescue the Princess" plot, soon becomes a race to find the Ora stone which was stolen by Natas and has the power (Of course) to destroy the world. During the course of the game, you'll go through dungeon after dungeon (what else do you expect from a game called Dungeon Explorer?) chasing after whatever mini-boss holds sway in the local area, nabbing his "level-up" gem in the process.

You'll cross Deserts and Explore Pyramids, battle a Vampire in his castle, and even search through a large Super-computer created by an intelligent race that existed eons before your own people. Naturally, every weird dungeon is somehow reached by a strange red-robed fellow who gives you cryptic clues as to where you should go next, his identity only revealed towards the end of the game.

Dungeon Explorer 2 may not have the world's greatest plotline, but me and my friends remember fondly the battles we had against Phades and Natas, and we wouldn't trade them for anything. And I believe, neither will anyone else who experiences them.

Story: 80%

Sound/Music:

Ahhh… this is where Dungeon Explorer 2 goes from being adorably ancient to downright legendary. Like many of the TG-16's CD games, Dungeon Explorer 2 has some of the greatest music ever heard of in a game. It's so good, that after I received a Japanese "Best of the PC Engine" soundtrack collection back in 93, 3 of the 10 songs on it were from Dungeon Explorer 2.

There is nothing quite like walking through a watery underground cavern and hearing the constant dripping of water mixing in with the wispy background music. Or the foreboding sound of a piano playing while you walk up the steps of a haunted manor. Music in Dungeon Explorer plays an important role in the overall fun of the game, and anyone who owns the original CD probably owns a cassette with all of the game's music tracks recorded onto it.

Sound/Music: 100%

Control:

As I stated before, Dungeon Explorer 2 plays very much like Gauntlet. You have a button for attacking, and a button for magic. No other input is needed, and to be honest, that's what makes the game so charming.

Each boss has it's own predictable pattern, some even have a few "Weak points", and anyone who enjoyed playing top-down action games will find Dungeon Explorer 2 very familiar.

Each character has his or her own special versions of black and white magic, and knowing when and where to cast your spells is as important as gambling for lives at the Grim Reaper's shop.

There is definitely something to be said for games that only require two-buttons!!

Control: 85%

Overall:

Dragon Slayer, Cosmic Fantasy 2, Exile, Dynastic Hero, Beyond Shadowgate, all three Y's games…the TG-16 wasn't the "Gaming desert" the magazines of the time made it out to be, and if you are lucky enough to see a copy of Dungeon Explorer 2 for sale, and you enjoy Action/RPGs, you really would be missing out if you passed up the offer to own such a wonderful piece of gaming history.

Overall: 90%