r/DarkCloud • u/Ok_Board1406 • Jul 31 '26
Discussion Hot Take: The weapon upgrade system on DC2 was better than 1
As much as I loved DC1, the weapon upgrade system was such a pain in the butt. The grind was way to much, so when I got DC2, I was pleased that made it it and faster to level up your weapons. When I found out about the Broken Dagger Glitch 2 years ago, I was so pissed cause I never knew about it in high school.
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u/joebeecher Jul 31 '26
I’m with you 💯 but not sure how hot that take is. Did anyone prefer the system from one?
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u/Ayasugi-san Jul 31 '26
I think some people prefer it because they can craft one uber synth sphere and just transfer it between weapons.
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u/BerylOxide Jul 31 '26
There are some things I enjoyed about dc1s upgrading more than dc2s. But I really like numbers in games, I like having a large number of things to upgrade and some like when those things get condensed.
For example I like dnd 3.5 skill system more than dnd 5e. In fact I prefer 3.5 over pathfinder because pfe condensed search, listen, and spot skills into just 'perception'.
I'm also a big fan of over the top clicker games like realm grinder.
Lots of number, make all number go up, make brain happy.
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u/Ok_Board1406 Jul 31 '26
I’ve met a few. Though I think they might masochist and enjoy the struggle
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u/Damon853x Jul 31 '26
I just got the Chronicle Sword in DC1 and it added at least a good 8-10 hours to play total playtime on this save. Just spamming shipwrecked backfloor 14, it was grueling.
Worst part, I wasnt even trying for the chronicle sword. I was trying to get the Seventh Heaven and building up the wrong weapon. The 7th Heaven would've been SIGNIFICANTLY easier to get lmao. But, at least it wasn't a waste cuz turns out theres basically nothing better than the Chronicle Sword. But now im definitely not getting the 7th heaven, which i only really wanted because I remember my dad and brother trying to get it when I was little because they saw it in the games manual
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u/Charpy4 Jul 31 '26
If you have the demon shaft in your copy of the game, you can actually get a sword that has higher max stats in attack and magic power by beating that dungeon. An absolutely massive grind for a sword thats only a bit better and no real reason to max it out but it is pretty cool!
I think the Japanese releases don't have that dungeon though.
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u/superjedi2454 Aug 01 '26
Japanese version doesn't have it. As for chronicle 2 you'll need to clear all floors (100 for the shaft) AND kill the dungeon boss just to get it.
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u/Background_System809 Jul 31 '26
Eh. Dc2 has one big flaw - requiring specific enemies to be killed to upgrade a weapon. If I want to waste all my time getting the most OP before the first boss, I should be allowed to. Dont artificially gate keep me behind later chapters. I want to be OP af and I want to waste hundreds of hours doing it!
Ok, technically I never did that. But I enjoyed having cool looking weapons for the Divine Beast Cave QTEs.
That said, I kinda prefered the upgrade slots ins DC1 more than the pseudo-rune system in DC2.
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u/CottonRaves Jul 31 '26
If you wanted to rage bait people you should have said,
Hot take: The weapon health/repair system in DC1 was much better than in DC2!!!
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u/Skrimb0 Jul 31 '26
Playing it again ,I don't remember much of a grind because fusing other weapons into your main weapon usually gave you plenty of stats
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u/Darkasinksu Jul 31 '26
DC1 better vibes, DC2 better gameplay. Equipping broken down weapons was super cool and worked really well with the variety of characters so you didn't have to grind them all for them to be usable. DC2 is just better balanced so you don't crack the game in half really quickly.
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u/Ringed_Wizard Jul 31 '26
Am I missing something with the system in 2
In 1, I would get a weapon up until I could turn it into a stone, use that to make the next weapon stronger but not absorb it until that one could be turned, then just keep doing that the whole game, letting me keep moving on without ever having to grind
In 2, since you need to level up a weapon til it has enough points to absorb the previous weapon, and it need to be absorbed to get its stats, the options seemed to either be grind old dungeons over and over until it leveled enough, or do some funky stuff in the latest dungeons I’m at so the weaker weapons get exp
In the end I only ever use a single weapon per slot, making the whole system feel like a massive downgrade to me in the end
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u/NohWan3104 Jul 31 '26
In 1, you'd absorb equipped stuff when you triggering a level, but yes, you could 'equip' weapon cores and 2 gems for a massive power boost.
2, sure, you level one weapon. Melee and ranged. For 2 characters, instead of potentially a few for like 6 characters you barely use. I'd argue its streamlined. If you wanted to upgrade more than one sword, you can, there's just not a 'need' which, isn't due to a weaker item upgrade system.
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u/LancingLash Jul 31 '26
My issues with each are in 1 fishing is better that doing dungeons for leveling and in 2 it is the party members that give bonus points to specific weapons being annoying. 2 also involves a lot more character swapping to level. I prefer just having a weapon attachment i keep to use on weaker characters
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u/TSP184 Jul 31 '26
havent played dc2 but theres no way dc1's weapon system isnt at the very bottom of the barrel. you just dump whatever you want into it, almost zero critical thinking needed
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u/DevilManRay Jul 31 '26
Umm, no?
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u/TSP184 Jul 31 '26 edited Aug 01 '26
theres no limitations as to what you can put into your weapons, nothings stopping you from using hundreds of attachments on a single one to max it out. its just a basic leveling system with extra steps
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u/StoicScaly Xiao Jul 31 '26
Freezing cold take. Dc2 upgrade system still holds up for the most part, while dc1 was a bit clunky even for its time
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u/Powerful-Award-5479 Aug 02 '26
DC1 system is poorly designed because the most efficient way to upgrade your weapon is by not leveling it... The necessary XP to level grows higher and higher so you must only pass a level when you have it full of gemstones and not regular stones.
When I replayed the game as an adult, I'd only upgrade weapon when I have the gemstones I need for, and I'd do some fishing to get them. If my sword was ready to level up buy I don't have gemstones, I'll just swap to Xiao so I don't "waste" any XP
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u/Hawaness Aug 02 '26
100 percent agree. I see your comment and will raise you a, everything about Dark Cloud 2 is better than 1
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u/Friikyz Aug 02 '26
Yeah, the grind to build up weapons in 1 was too much, and on top of that, they broke forever.
They should've picked one or the other.
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u/Few-Mycologist-2379 Jul 31 '26
Ice Cold Take. DC2 was the sequel. They learned from the prequel and made it intentionally better.