Golden Sun: Dark Dawn

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, announced on June 2nd, 2009 at E3 2009, is the third game in the Golden Sun series. Originally shown as "Golden Sun DS", the game was revealed to have the subtitle "Dark Dawn" at E3 2010 on June 15th, 2010.

The announcement of this title comes over five years after the release of The Lost Age in 2003. For information about hoaxes and fan speculation prior to this game's confirmation, see Golden Sun 3 Prerelease Speculation.

Plot and Setting
At present, there remain details of the game's story and setting that are unrevealed; however, the names of the three pictured characters have been confirmed to be Matthew, Karis, and Terrell, and they are confirmed by a 2010 press release to be the children of the previous Golden Sun characters. In addition, one screenshot released by IGN confirms the existence of a fourth playable character named "Crown", though who they are is not displayed on screen in that shot. Nintendo Power magazine had claimed that Matthew is the son of the previous games' hero, Isaac. What has been revealed about the plot from E3 2010 is that it will revolve around the failure of the Golden Sun to restore peace to the world, apparently due to something "going wrong" with the Golden Sun during its return to the world of Weyard.

The press release at E3 2010 confirms that the playable characters are the children of the previous games' heroes, and that the game takes place 30 years after Golden Sun: The Lost Age. In E3 2009, prologue text was released, of which the known text reads:
 * ...of a disaster the likes of which had never been seen before.
 * The heavens stormed. The lands quaked. The seas raged. Across the land, people prepared for the end of the world.
 * The tale spread that this calamity was caused by some unknown soul who had released a forbidden power upon the world.

E3 2010 saw an extended trailer, revealing more dungeon and battle gameplay, more footage of summons that are new yet are based on summons from previous games, some Psynergy effects, and showing more of its initial premise through a series of taglines:


 * "A generation has passed since the Golden Sun rose above Weyard..."
 * "The world has been reborn."
 * "The Golden Sun was supposed to bring life back to the world. But something has gone wrong."
 * "A new generation must rise to the challenge."
 * "And they must do everything in their power to drive back evil."

The first and fourth taglines appear to substantiate the claim that the new characters are the direct descendants of the original cast. The E3 2010 trailer also revealed the game's subtitle, Dark Dawn.

The trailer seems to show that the embodiment and/or result of whatever it was that "has gone wrong" is the appearance of dark spheres across Weyard that may be akin to black holes, such as near one town that the playable characters and some NPCs are seen watching.

Gameplay
The game features a world with 3D environments and entirely 3D battles, and it will feature touch-screen controls that are described by official sources as "pushing the boundaries of intuitive touch-screen controls". The trailer for E3 2010 demonstrates how the stylus is used to direct Psynergy such as Move and other unnamed utility Psynergy.

Attendees to E3 reported that the demo of the game that was available on the show floor consisted entirely of a short playable segment where the protagonist could be controlled to walk around, but do little else other than cross a bridge. As soon as the end of the area is reached, the demo fades into the gameplay trailer. The trailer itself shows the protagonist walking through various cavernous and rocky locations in 3D, and shows several battles in 3D as well, featuring completed models of the three known playable characters as well as models of various monsters, some appearing familiar and otherwise.

The primary aspect of the battles shown in both the initial trailer and the hands-on trailer are several summon sequences, and from what is discernible from one video of the hands-on trailer, the top screen of the DS shows the party's Djinn walking around in 2D while the battle takes place in 3D below. When a summon sequence is used, Djinn from the upper screen visibly disappear, as though that is how the game represents Djinn On Standby being used up for summons. Summons shown are Ramses, Atalanta, Eclipse, and what appears to be a water-based summon resembling a woman on a Hippocamp riding in and calling forth a tidal wave to wash over the enemy monsters; portions of the fan community allege this to be a redesign of Nereid, particularly because two Mercury Djinn on the top are seen disappearing when she is summoned, which was the same amount and element of Djinn needed to summon Nereid in the previous two games. This and other aspects of the game remain unconfirmed, though.

E3 2010 Press Release
The official press release contains the following text:

It’s Always Darkest Before the Dawn A classic role-playing game branches out with a new look, countless adventures and heroic battles. The game picks up 30 years after the first two games in the series left off. At the end of Golden Sun: The Lost Age, the heroes succeeded in bringing the world-healing power of the Golden Sun back to the world of Weyard. In the years since, the immense power of the Golden Sun has changed nearly everything. Continents have shifted. New countries have emerged. New species have appeared. But the world is now imperiled by a new threat. Psynergy Vortexes, which suck the elemental Psynergy from both the land and power-wielding Adepts alike, are spreading across the world. The new generation of heroes – the children of those from the previous games – are drawn into the mystery behind the vortexes, as they cross a chaotic world that is succumbing to a new evil."

FEATURES: • Amazing graphics and beautifully animated summoning abilities that span both Nintendo DS screens let players experience the game like never before. • The story takes place 30 years after the final events of the second game, when the Golden Sun Effect occurred. The main characters are the descendents [sic] of the previous game’s heroes. • Intuitive touch-screen control has been implemented throughout the game, controlling character movements and the release of Psynergy – magical abilities with powerful effects over people and the environment. Touch control also streamlines battle commands and gives players a stronger tactile connection to the action on the screen. • Players will explore a vast and beautifully rendered world where they will find many treasures, encounter dangerous creatures and manipulate objects blocking their path. Players will also hunt for and collect Djinn, mysterious elemental creatures used to summon powerful spirits in battle.

Extended Gallery

Trivia

 * The August 2009 issue of the U.K.-circulated Official Nintendo Magazine made the erroneous claim that the main playable character seen in the E3 trailer was Isaac himself, rather than a descendant of Isaac as confirmed by the E3 press release. Nintendo Power reported him to be Isaac's son beforehand.
 * A Spanish-language site provided Golden Sun DS a subtitle, "A New Dawn", late September 2009. Of course, since the source of this claim is not Nintendo or Camelot, this cannot be taken as reliable information on the game's full title until further notice, considering in particular its resemblance to what Reggie Fils-Aime metaphorically referred to it at the unveiling of the sequel at E3 2009 (i.e. "2010 will bring a new dawn with Golden Sun DS").