Metacritic Games

Golden Sun: The Lost Age (GameBoy Advance)

The Lost Age will be far more expansive than its predecessor, and players have the ability to meet and join parties of other characters, with party members coming and going as the story progresses. The gameplay includes action outside of the turn-based combat, and players will have the ability to collect djinn, which can be used in battle to solve the game's puzzles.

Nintendo
Role-Playing Game
Players: 2
E (Everyone)
Developer: Camelot Software Planning
Released April 14, 2003

Overall Metascore

This is a weighted, normalized average of all individual scores given by critics, on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

86 / 100

Critic Reviews

100 G4 TV
Lives up to its exceptional pedigree. Not only does this sequel bring back all that was great about the original, but it's longer, harder, and more involved.
100 Gaming Age
With a pleasant mix of a fantastic storyline, great character development, good pacing of action and adventure, pleasing graphics, and challenging, but fun puzzles, makes Golden Sun practically the “dream” game for fans of the RPG genre.
96 Nintendo Power
Not only is this a fantastic RPG, but it's arguably better than the first game. Add to that the best graphics on the GBA, a gigantic sound track and a massive, twisting story line and you have a winner. [Apr 2003, p.133]
95 NintendoWorldReport
A surpremely playable RPG. It has an interesting plot, a refined fighting system, beautiful graphics, a superb soundtrack, and intuitive controls. What's more, it's a long game.
95 Nintendophiles
Simply put, The Lost Age is the best role-playing game available for Game Boy Advance. However, I highly recommend playing the second best RPG, the original Golden Sun, before you play this continuation of it.
94 Inside Gamer Online
A flawless RPG with a great continuation of the original cliffhanger. It’ll boast about 30 hours to beat your first time through.
91 Cinescape
Camelot made a great game engine, and until someone can come along with something better, this is the game to beat.
90 Nintendojo
A fine continuation of what's shaping up to be quite an epic RPG series.
90 netjak
The slight flaws of the second are easily drowned out by the overall brilliance of the game play and intriguing storyline. While overall GS2 didn’t match the overall excitement I had for the original it did satisfy my RPG tooth until "FF Tactics Advance" comes out.
90 Pocket Games
You won't find a more ready graphical or gameplay showcase for the powers of Nintendo's little handheld that could. [Summer 2003, p.40]
90 All Game Guide
Camelot Software obviously knows the importance of not trying to fix something that is already working on all cylinders, but to enhance its performance by adding just the right amount of grease to its working parts.
90 GamePro
The best thing you can say about The Lost Age, though, is that it's Golden Sun—except more of it. A good 35 hours more, even. If you've played the original, then this is a must buy.
90 Cincinnati Enquirer
If you liked "Lord of the Rings," then you'll love Golden Sun: The Lost Age.
90 IGN
Its extended storyline and slight additions to the gameplay are more than enough make it an extremely enjoyable (and lengthy) adventure.
89 GameZone
A spectacular game... It's very lengthy, very deep, and has some obvious (yet confusing) puzzles that'll drive you nuts! The story is good, too, and the music is extremely enjoyable.
86 GameSpy
It's every bit as stellar as the original, though it's best played and appreciated by those that have gone through its predecessor.
86 GameSpot
Makes some solid refinements to the series' gameplay, features a longer quest, and makes some nice tweaks to the series' presentation.
85 Deeko
Fantastic. While not many improvements were made over the original Golden Sun, the Lost Age proves that you can remain true to the original formula and still be succesful without changing much.
83 GameNow
The brain teasers are deviously well designed and they are perfectly suited for a portable adventure. [May 2003, p.37]
82 Electronic Gaming Monthly
Age sports some remarkably tricky puzzles and labyrinths. I'm a sucker for difficult dungeons, so these brain-benders kept me enthralled (and occasionally baffled) throughout. [May 2003, p.138]
80 Play Magazine
This one doesn't take you by the hand and lead you from plot point to plot point. Instead, GS: TLA is filled with an exhilarating sense of freedom. [Apr 2003, p.65]
80 Eurogamer
A thoroughly enjoyable game that matches its predecessor in every way. It's true that the plot never becomes as epic as Golden Sun hinted it might, and it's also true that the game will be a little too 'freeform' for some RPG fans, but it is basically the middle of a story - and thus plays as such.
80 Game Informer
It would have been nice to see some new innovations, especially in the gameplay department. [Apr 2003, p.98]
80 TotalGames.net
Bigger, more intricate and rather more absorbing that the first half of the story, The Lost Age is not only a great continuation of the Golden Sun saga but also a deeply satisfying game in its own right.
80 Yahoo! Games
A good, solid RPG that's right in step with the classic formula, sometimes to its own detriment.
80 GMR Magazine
Seriously, if you haven't finished the first installment of Camelot's sprawling GBA epic, it's likely you'll be baffled, at least initially, by this direct follow-up. [May 2003, p.73]
70 GameCritics
Beating The Lost Age is going to require at least 30 hours (and more if the player wants to do all of the side-quests and find all of the hidden goodies) and maybe more if gamers aren't good at puzzles. There's nothing inherently wrong with a game lasting this amount of time (although it does seem long for a handheld RPG) as long as the gameplay warrants it. Too bad for The Lost Age that it shows all of its tricks in the first 12 hours or so...
70 Gamestyle
The story does finally wrap itself up nicely, and the way you meet up with and fight against your former selves is a rarity handled well. Not a classic game, but very solid nonetheless.
60 Edge Magazine
Whilst some of the novelty of seeing a stalwart RPG on GameBoy Advance has worn off, The Lost Age is still slick, practised and enjoyable. Fans will lap it up. [June 2003]

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