Golden Sun returns after nearly a decade, and the new generation definitely brings home the bacon.
The gameplay is very good. The usual that is of the series returns with some new surprises: Weapons skills now level up, unlocking various and awesome critical attacks with different effects. It's a great addition to the gameplay as it gets rid of the shallow cycle of the same type of attacks. The djinn are back with newer looks and have more creative uses than their previous counterparts. The summons of the game returns as well, but in totally different animations and new ones join the party with their own unique abilities.
The puzzles in the game are quite challenging, as they'll take plenty of time to be completed. The bosses and regular enemies themselves are even stronger and require smarter tatics and strategies to conquer, which is good as it keeps the battles long and fun. Not only that, but rewarding indeed with lots of money, experience and items to help you survive.
The story of the game is great and continues decades after the original events. Cutscenes are a bit lengthy, but enjoyable. The new generation of the Warriors of Vale obviously resemble their parents, but their individual characteristics do not make the story dry at all. It's a bit darker, but lightens up a lot in many scenes. You'll see a lot of familar faces (though some you really want to see don't return, unfortunately, but are spoken of) and they make the story lively. The villians are more relentless than the predecessors and puts the dark side of the plot in place.
The graphics are amazing. The characters are displayed well in 3D. The cities and dungeons are designed very well and have a lot to explore in. The best animations are the summons and Djinn: they have interesting entrances and attack to the battles.
The music is great. The soundtrack consists of mostly new, but memorable tunes and return of a few classics from the previous installments. Great scores definitely brighten up the story.
The downsides are....I wish the story was longer and some of the few plotholes were filled. Also, I wished a few more of the old songs were back. Other than that, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn is one amazing RPG game you should try.