Dragalia Lost
- September 27, 2018
- Nintendo EPD
- 5h median play time
"Dragalia Lost" is a fantasy RPG with swipe-controlled action and transformative dragon abilities. Experience a deep, engaging story with marvelous mechanics and exceptional graphics, accompanied by a memorable soundtrack. Despite some grinding and bugs, the game offers plenty of humor and wholesome moments, making it a unique addition to any gaming collection.
Reviews
- Very well executed game with great artwork and an amazing story.
- Intense challenges and boss battles that keep the gameplay engaging.
- Generous with in-game currency and upgrade items, making it friendly for free-to-play players.
- Requires constant downloads for each level, which can be frustrating and time-consuming.
- Controls can feel clunky and unresponsive at times, especially during combat.
- Gacha rates for obtaining 5-star characters can be very low, leading to disappointment.
- story2,240 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Dragalia Lost" is widely praised for its engaging narrative, rich character development, and emotional depth, often compared favorably to traditional RPGs. Players appreciate the well-crafted plot and the unique backstories of each character, which enhance the overall experience. However, some critiques mention that the story can be predictable and that the frequent need to download content for each mission can disrupt gameplay flow. Overall, the combination of a compelling storyline, beautiful graphics, and enjoyable gameplay makes it a standout title in the mobile RPG genre.
“Great artwork, an amazing story with a heartfelt ending, intense challenges and boss battles, and a diverse cast of characters to choose from.”
“I love this game so much, played since launch and expected a regular gacha game but what I got was an incredible story-rich adventure that made me care about each and every one of the characters.”
“The story is very well set up, the artwork is great and the use of the auto functions eliminate any tediousness that I have encountered in other games.”
“The story is generic and it's laid on very thick in the first few hours.”
“The story is boring and repetitive and quickly found myself not caring about it anymore.”
“The story is predictable but has that certain corny Nintendo charm in the writing.”
- gameplay1,458 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Dragalia Lost is widely praised for its engaging mechanics, smooth controls, and vibrant graphics, making it enjoyable for both casual and hardcore players. Many reviewers appreciate the game's addictive nature, rewarding progression, and the balance between action and strategy, although some express concerns about repetitive elements and the gacha system's low rates for high-tier characters. Overall, the combination of fun gameplay, a compelling story, and generous developer support contributes to a positive player experience.
“Gameplay is addictive and acts as a constant feedback loop: the more you play, the more you are rewarded.”
“The gameplay is smooth and fun with very high-quality graphics.”
“The gameplay is engaging, fun, and even challenging with the raids.”
“The gameplay is boring, the controls are slippery, and for some reason it needs a Wi-Fi or data connection to run even though it's mostly offline.”
“The gameplay is simple, the game is generous on currency, great on updates, and I enjoy all the extras the game has to offer!!”
“The gameplay is fine but the menus are so clunky and poorly optimized that actually getting there is a massive pain.”
- graphics1,125 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many users praising the vibrant, colorful art style and high-quality animations. Players appreciate the attention to detail in character designs and backgrounds, often comparing the visuals favorably to console games. However, some users have noted that the game's graphics can be demanding on older devices, leading to performance issues. Overall, the graphics are considered one of the standout features of the game, contributing significantly to the overall enjoyment.
“The graphics are amazing, the story is pretty standard so far, but come on... 1.08 GB download to start it, then you play for about 15 min through the 1st chapter and another 200 MB to download to continue.”
“The graphics are absolutely amazing and while that's a great plus, controls should have gotten the same treatment.”
“The graphics are stunning, the gacha aspect is moderately satisfying, I just can't get over how the story at the beginning fails to really be that pulling.”
“The graphics offer very little in terms of innovation, relying on lazy chibi-style character models to convey action.”
“The controls are bad, the choices for dialogue are a wince-worthy English dub or no voices at all, and the visuals are cute but nothing special.”
“The graphics glitched for me, the sprites were all pure black and the cutscenes would often have static noise over sprites, run at about 3 fps, or just freeze and force me to skip.”
- music992 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising its catchy, upbeat nature and high production quality. The soundtrack, featuring contributions from artist Daoko, is described as phenomenal and often compared to console-level music, enhancing the overall gaming experience. While some users noted that certain tracks can become repetitive, the majority found the music to be a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's charm and enjoyment.
“The music was phenomenal, there was excellent English voice work, the gameplay was a lot of fun, the graphics were good, and the art was beautiful.”
“The music is amazing, I sometimes just sit there listening to the music.”
“The soundtrack is the best I've heard in a mobile game, period.”
“Last complaint, the music... it is driving me nuts.”
“There is only a few soundtracks to this game and each piece is so short it loops over and over (just like when you waited for this game to download... over and over the same song).”
“The music is the only redeeming point of the game, download sizes are stupidly big (having to download more with every chapter what?) overall a fail of a game, hopefully nintendo's next release will do better than this letdown of a title.”
- grinding232 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
The game is widely regarded as grindy, with many players noting that it requires significant time investment to progress, particularly in farming materials and leveling up characters. However, the inclusion of auto functions and frequent events helps alleviate some of the tedium associated with grinding. While some players enjoy the grind as part of the experience, others find it repetitive and frustrating, especially in the endgame content where the grind can feel excessive.
“Good combat and voice acting, and grinding isn't too tedious.”
“Fair gacha, easy to get into, not too tedious to navigate, and definitely worth the play.”
“The grind wall eventually becomes unbearable, and almost all bosses have a 'stat check' to make sure you can't skip grinding the same raid a hundred times in preparation.”
“The game unfortunately has become really grindy and power creep on units have become ridiculous.”
“Too grindy, bad gacha system, the building 'facility' area is a cool idea but never really used for much, crafting endgame weapons was such a massive chore that I stopped after 1, events became a grind for summoning stones and the gameplay no longer makes it worth it.”
- monetization152 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 35 % negative mentions
The monetization in the game is a mixed bag, with many players noting that while in-app purchases exist, they are generally optional and not overly intrusive. Some users appreciate the lack of ads and the generous currency distribution, allowing for a fun experience without the need to spend money, while others criticize the high prices of microtransactions and perceive the game as a cash grab. Overall, the game is seen as more ethical in its monetization compared to typical mobile titles, but concerns about pricing and the potential for aggressive monetization tactics linger.
“The monetization is really good too; you never feel like you're missing out by not paying in, and even when you do, you still need to actually play the game to get the most out of it.”
“There are in-app purchases, but it's entirely doable to play the game and have a lot of fun with it without spending money, which I respect a lot.”
“Most mobile games shove microtransactions in your face, but Dragalia keeps the shop as one of its smallest icons and gives you plenty of currency to summon your characters.”
“They are using the mobile games as a cash grab and if they don't fill up their pockets enough they kill it.”
“The only issue I have is the cost of the microtransactions.”
“This game is horribly expensive for the microtransactions.”
- stability104 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 3 % neutral mentions
- 90 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of frequent freezes, crashes, and bugs, particularly during co-op events and tutorials. While some players note improvements and smoother gameplay post-launch, many still experience significant issues that hinder their ability to progress. Overall, the game is seen as fun but is often marred by its instability, leading to frustration among users.
“The controls are tight and consistent with no glitches, the story is gripping at times, the graphics are amazing for a mobile game and the updates are fair and allow for constant improvement.”
“I love the game; it runs smooth and has a graphics setting. It runs great and has great controls.”
“Fun game, runs great on Pixel 3 XL.”
“The game freezes and eventually the phone reboots automatically - can't enter the game at all.”
“Once in the event mode it prompts you to start a lobby, once doing so the game freezes and doesn't allow any other action.”
“The game constantly freezes and I need to restart it.”
- character development95 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
Overall, character development in the game receives mixed feedback. While many players appreciate the beautiful character designs and engaging lore, some feel that the actual character development lacks depth and memorability, often comparing it unfavorably to classic RPGs. Despite this, the game's aesthetic and music are frequently praised, contributing to an enjoyable experience.
“The character development, the lore, everything was incredible!”
“The developers put a lot of thought into character development, which we see with every arc.”
“Deep gameplay, engaging story, and character development.”
“The story is very simple (basically gather the 4 crystals...but instead of crystals, it's dragons). The character development is about one step up from the original Final Fantasy; there is some dialogue, but if you ask me in a month about each of the characters, I doubt I'd remember much about any of them.”
“Character development in the game doesn't seem to make any real difference, and neither does character rank between four-star or five-star.”
“Just another summon a random hero and complete mini quests with no real character development.”
- optimization53 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing performance issues such as frame drops and stuttering, particularly on older or less powerful devices. While some users report smooth gameplay on high-end phones, others note that the game is not well-optimized for various Android models, leading to inconsistent performance. Frequent updates have not resolved these issues for all players, indicating a need for further optimization to enhance the gaming experience across a wider range of devices.
“The game runs smoothly and the luck system is very forgiving and nice on new players.”
“I really like the variety in the game and must say, performance, music, and replayability is top notch.”
“Runs smoothly with quality of life features being frequently addressed by capable developers.”
“My only con is the game isn't very optimized even on high-end phones.”
“There are framerate drops, stuttering on all settings even in the menus.”
“The game itself is great but is poorly optimized for Pixel 4 XL.”
- humor31 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its engaging dialogue, funny character interactions, and cute character designs. Many reviews note that the writing includes humorous quotes and scenarios, contributing to an overall entertaining experience. While some players find the story predictable, the humor and character depth keep the gameplay enjoyable and addictive.
“The dialogue can be funny and the character models are really cute.”
“This is a funny and awesome game with a great storyline and action sequences!”
“Hilarious voice acting and tropey characters.”
- emotional23 mentions
- 96 % positive mentions
- -9 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Players consistently highlight the emotional depth of the game, praising its heartfelt story, charming characters, and beautiful music that evoke strong feelings, often leading to tears. The overall experience is described as wholesome and endearing, with many expressing a deep connection to the narrative and characters, making the game's eventual conclusion particularly poignant. Despite some technical issues, the emotional impact and love embedded in the game resonate strongly with players, leaving a lasting impression.
“I still shed a tear as I see Dragalia fade away... but as a player, I will never forget the treasure and love this game has given me.”
“The game is amazing; I have no complaints about the game design, the graphics are superb, the game controls are easy to use, it made me feel like I wanted to play more of it.”
“Beautiful music, heartfelt story, and charming characters.”
“The story lacks depth and fails to evoke any real emotional response, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“While the gameplay is enjoyable, the emotional connection to the characters and story is severely lacking.”
“Despite the fun mechanics, the overall emotional experience feels flat and uninspired.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its engaging and friendly environment, enhanced by the absence of PvP elements, which fosters a sense of camaraderie among players. Reviewers appreciate the overall enjoyable experience, though some express disappointment with the gacha mechanics.
“However, this game series will forever stick with me, and I wish more people could have experienced the story, gameplay, and generally fun atmosphere.”
“The lack of PvP actually encourages a friendly atmosphere.”
“Pleasant atmosphere, great game, but stingy gacha.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the high replayability of the game, highlighted by the introduction of seasonal events that allow newcomers to participate without long waits. The overall variety, along with strong performance and engaging music, contributes to a consistently enjoyable experience, earning top ratings across multiple aspects, including replayability.
“Event quality keeps going up, and now there are replayable seasonal events so newcomers don't miss out and have to wait a whole year to play.”
“I really like the variety in the game and must say, performance, music, and replayability are top-notch.”
“Graphics, gameplay, story, and replayability all deserve 5 stars.”
“Event quality keeps going up, and now has replayable seasonal events so newcomers don't miss out and have to wait a whole year to play.”