Dark Cloud/Walkthrough

Starting a Game
Press Start to get to the start menu, You get previews of the game if you do nothing, Select Start to begin a new game or Load to begin from a previous save. You can also open the options menu.

Note, once you’ve started a game you can’t return to the main menu without resetting the game console. Even if you are defeated in battle you are only returned to the nearest village with a penalty; there is no "game over" screen.

Opening
The game starts with an introduction about the story being found in an old book. This really has nothing to do with the rest of the story though. You can change your name from the default, Toan, here.

The opening cutscene involves a military type, Flag, releasing a genie from a giant urn. The upshot is that once released, the genies uses his magic to destroy much of the world.

Meanwhile you, Toan, leave your house to attend the Harvest F Festival of Norune, your village. The genie attacks just as you arrive and you lose consciousness.

You are awoken by the Fairy King. He tells you that while it appeared that Norune was destroyed, enough so that the genie was fooled, it was actually saved in spheres called Atla. He gives you something called an Atlamallia, which you can use to restore what was hidden in the Atla, The Fairy king gives you some encouragement and a bit of advice, then you can start playing.