Licensed games pretty much suck. We've all learned to accept this. Perhaps the Blade of Fate is a commendable handheld fighter, but titles like Spongebob and Wall-E have always been games to avoid. Perhaps Eragon is no different, but it does manage to succeed in
certain areas. As an action title for the DS, it's actually on
the decent side of things.
The gameplay is what save this game from running into the ground.
Spells are done decent and used frequently, and X and Y are used for melee
combat -- L and the touch screen for ranged. While on the easier side
of difficulties, the learning curve is immediate, but the combat is not
necessarily shallow; while button mashing is an option, it will only
get you so far. The enemies are all relatively similar; their AI's are all standard and generic, and there's no strategy or enemy patterns involved in combat. The library of opposition may be cliche, but later on in the game new enemies
do make appearances (bosses, for instance).
The graphics are relatively decent. The game runs fully in 3D, but characters are
faceless and enemies have lines for eyes. There are 2D 'dogfights
(rather dragonfights)' that the player can unlock, as well as a special
mode where you can communicate with Saphira; the latter's graphics look
nice, but for the most part how the game looks is unimpressive.
The comic book styled approach is akin to that of Ninja Gaiden: Dragon
Sword, but don't be fooled. The game's plot unwraps horribly, and the
cutscenes are few and far between. If you liked and understood the
movie, then you'll understand what's going on, but may be upset with
the game's horrible presentation.
As a DS action game, Eragon is decent -- if you can
get it cheap. It has problems and most of it is mediocre, but the
gameplay offers a fun experience on occasion. If you're looking for a
title that utilizes the touch screen well or something with an interesting
storyline, you'll be disappointed, but when all is said and done Eragon's not a bad game -- just not even close to being a good one.
