Drakengard implements some fairly familiar game play components of two very different styles, but does it in a way that manages to make both styles more interesting. Now Drakengard does have some reminiscent qualities of the more traditional RPGs by Square Enix, but it is in essence an action game. The game consists of two major game play styles: hack and slash and aerial combat. You may not see how these two styles mesh together well now, but surprisingly they compliment each other quite nicely. Even though this game play style is perhaps not the most innovative system it still manages to stand on its own two feet. Thankfully it doesn't need to because the story is the defining aspect of this game and it certainly doesn't leave you wanting. Drakengard may not have blazed any trails, but its solid game play and unique story are likely to captivate you.
The game begins as a young lord named Caim is engrossed in an epic battle. The battle is being fought between the Union and (the appropriately named) Empire. Quite early on it is apparent that Caim is not reluctant to kill Empire soldiers and is seemingly enjoying himself. Becoming more enrapt with blood-rage he foolishly ignores Empire soldiers as he slaughters others and is mortally wounded from behind. After staggering into the castle courtyard he is confronted with a red dragon that is also near death. The two decide to put aside hostile feelings for each other's races and perform a "pact." The two now saved, but eternally bound together; embark on a journey to overthrow the Empire.
The hack and slash portion of this game ends up being a very straightforward style with only two buttons used in variation and is unfortunately a bit too simple. Basically fighting on the ground means button mashing with an occasional optional combo move prompted by your blade flashing. After enough carnage your magic bar will fill up and you can use a magic ability specific to the weapon equipped. If you yearn for someone besides Caim to use you're in luck because there are also three different allies for you to choose between each level. These characters have very different fighting styles from each other and one in particular is very strong. Just in case all of that wasn't enough you can even control your dragon in low altitude combat above the area and wreak havoc among your mostly defenseless enemies. This game play does dominate the core of the game, but is fortunately not the only style.
The other game play style in Drakengard is exclusively in the air. It is very similar to flying simulator games in one sense and completely different in another. You can lock on to targets and effectively shoot fire missiles at them. Or you can shoot without locking on and you get a much more powerful shot at the price of accuracy. Like ground fighting you charge your magic bar as you kill enemies and you can unleash a very powerful attack when it's fully charged. Unlike ground fighting there is a need to dodge incoming attacks. You can dodge side to side, speed up, slow down, and even turn completely around while maneuvering on your dragon. This style often loosens up the game that can become repetitive with only ground fighting.
Both ground and aerial fighting are capable of being upgraded. On the ground you can implement tons of different weapons. Each with different attack speeds, magic abilities, reach, and combo moves. You can even upgrade each different weapon, by using it to kill enemies; it gains levels just like Caim. As the weapon's level increases so does its overall power. The dragon also becomes stronger and not just by leveling up. As you progress through the story the dragon's body will go through different stages of evolution, each making it stronger and more impressive looking.
Unfortunately even though this game has exponential potential it doesn't seem to have gotten all the attention it deserved from the developers. For instance the missions in the game do vary in their appearance, but they all end up looking rather bland and incomplete. The enemies like the environment are disappointing because rather than act like humans they move in perfect squares and have don't even attempt to appear human. They rarely present a challenge individually, but instead rely on monstrous numbers to overcome the player. Though many compare this game to the Dynasty Warriors series, Drakengard can't replicate the excellent frame rate seen in that series. Quite the opposite is seen in Drakengard as you will sometimes run into enemies without seeing them until it is too late. The flying sequences are much better done graphically speaking with excellent animations and attention to detail. Despite its problems it doesn't look terrible, just average.
Sound in Drakengard evokes mixed reactions from me. Almost as soon as the game begins Caim is effectively muted and therefore doesn't contribute anything to conversation. Fortunately the red dragon speaks for Caim throughout and this voice acting is spectacular. Even though the voice acting is good with almost everyone there is still a general lack of talking between the main cast of characters and truly limits their development. The music is for lack of a better word, perfect. By this I mean it fits like a glove with the dark, violent, and tragic story. So like the game itself the sound of Drakengard is strong and weak at the same time.
Despite its shortcomings Drakengard is hard to simply ignore and in truth shouldn't be. It won't blow your mind, but it will evoke a lot of emotions with its unique story riddled with tragedy, betrayal, and surprise. The game is story driven for sure and most people will be done with it once they beat the game, but it does offer a lot of extras to those diehard fans out there and in my opinion are worth the time unlocking. Hopefully you'll give this game a chance that is deserves by playing it and deciding for yourself if you find the trade offs acceptable. Drakengard is a great game that could have been better, unfortunately a lot of players will be turned off by its simplistic nature and they won't be able to enjoy all it has to offer.
