Dragon Chronicles: Black Tears

74%
Game Brain Score Based on 35 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Dragon Chronicles: Black Tears Game Cover
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In "Dragon Chronicles: Black Tears," a turn-based RPG, players build their own decks of heroes and artifacts to complete missions and save the world from the Black Tears. With fast-paced, strategic combat and countless possible deck combinations, players must recruit, train heroes, and discover powerful artifacts to devise the ultimate strategy and overcome the unique challenges of each region. The game features an active turn-based combat system and a wide variety of heroes, artifacts, and imprint items to mix and match.

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Reviews

74%
Audience ScoreBased on 35 reviews
graphics9 positive mentions
gameplay3 negative mentions
  • Stunning graphics and impressive visual effects that enhance the overall experience.
  • Engaging and addictive gameplay with a unique blend of RPG elements and strategic combat.
  • Well-designed character combinations and a variety of heroes to choose from, making for interesting team dynamics.
  • Misleading tags and descriptions, as the game is not a traditional deckbuilder or card battler.
  • Grindy gameplay with a lack of content and replayability, leading to a potentially frustrating experience.
  • Weak story and character development, with repetitive quest lines and minimal narrative depth.
  • story14 mentions

    The game's story is criticized for being disjointed and lacking depth, with heroes portrayed as one-dimensional and quest lines often feeling repetitive. While some players find the sparse narrative somewhat interesting, many agree that it is a weak aspect of the game that could benefit from significant improvement. Overall, the storytelling is seen as mediocre, overshadowed by solid gameplay mechanics.

    • “What story is there is a bit sparse, but I thought what was present was interesting.”
    • “Game / story was decent all the way through.”
    • “The story and cards are in proper English; I haven't found any bad translations so far.”
    • “The main story is all over the place, heroes have no character or personalities, the narration is unconvincing, and the quest lines can be repetitive.”
    • “You can tell it was put through a translator, but the story is kind of dumb and doesn't matter anyway.”
    • “I think this is probably the area that could be improved the most since none of the heroes have much story.”
  • graphics12 mentions

    The graphics in the game are consistently praised for their stunning visuals and impressive art style, often receiving perfect scores. While the visuals are highlighted as a standout feature, some reviews suggest that they alone may not be enough to elevate the overall gaming experience. Overall, the graphics are a major highlight, contributing significantly to the game's aesthetic appeal.

    • “The visuals in Dragon Chronicles: Black Tears are stunning, with every frame painted with a palette of emotions.”
    • “The encounters are fun and engaging, the combat is very fun, the graphics are outstanding.”
    • “Graphics and animations are very impressive!”
    • “Outside of combat and pretty graphics, there is really nothing else that recommends this game.”
  • gameplay12 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by an addictive loop that is smooth and easy to grasp, avoiding excessive grind while offering a forgiving death mechanic that encourages experimentation with strategies. However, some heroes lack unique synergies, which can lead to a feeling of imbalance, and comparisons to titles like "Slay the Spire" and "Darkest Dungeon" suggest that the gameplay may become repetitive over time. Overall, it blends elements of turn-based RPGs with deck-building mechanics, though some players find the rewards and equipment options somewhat limited.

    • “The gameplay is smooth and mostly easy to understand, and it largely avoids the grindiness of other games.”
    • “Thankfully, the death mechanic is pretty forgiving, even after a party wipe, so you can easily redo the same fight and try a different strategy.”
    • “Heroes without massive synergy or unique powers (I think Vena suffers the most here since her gameplay is being a pseudo dodge tank that spreads the mark debuff) are left behind a bit.”
    • “The gameplay is different compared to titles like Slay the Spire or Darkest Dungeon in that you need to think about what kind of composition you want your deck (or party) to be from the start and feels more like a turn-based RPG.”
    • “Gameplay is just a Slay the Spire tower; rewards are just materials to upgrade units - artifacts are just another name for armor/weapon equipment - you can only equip one type of artifact (like a weapon) but the game will give you three different weapon artifacts that pretty much all do the same thing - 10% damage after you attack.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    The reviews indicate that the game has a noticeable grind, with some players finding it excessive and potentially off-putting, while others appreciate the smooth gameplay despite the grindy elements. Suggestions for improvement include reducing the grind early on to enhance player retention. Overall, the grinding aspect is a mixed bag, appealing to some but likely deterring others.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “This game has been converted from a mobile format to a standalone format and, while grindy, is still good.”
    • “I could probably easily tighten that down to about 15 hours if I played more aggressively and did less grinding.”
    • “It's pretty grindy and I know it will not be for everyone; reducing some of the grind early on and then ramping it up will probably make people play it longer instead of abandoning it within 2 hours.”
  • music3 mentions

    The music in the game is highly praised, with reviewers highlighting its haunting and melancholic qualities that effectively enhance the somber atmosphere, earning it a perfect score of 20/10.

    • “The music, haunting and melancholic, sets the perfect tone for the somber atmosphere of the game.”
    • “Music: 20/10”
    • “Music is good.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    Overall, players express significant concerns about the game's replayability due to poor balance, limited content, and the requirement to complete easier modes before accessing harder ones. While there is potential for future improvements and additional playable characters, the current state of the game offers little incentive for repeated playthroughs.

    • “It would be great to unlock more playable characters to add to your squad as the game develops.”
    • “Horrible balance, lack of content, and lack of replayability. The developers have locked multiple heroes and content in hard mode, but you need to finish a playthrough on easy/normal first, which is already a slog. Nothing changes in hard mode other than the locked content.”
    • “The main question at this early stage is the amount of replayability.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is generally considered shallow and mediocre, with players feeling that it lacks depth despite the solid combat mechanics. While the game may appeal to fans of the genre, those seeking rich storytelling and character growth may be disappointed.

    • “Otherwise, it's worth a try if you are into these kinds of games and can be satisfied with solid combat mixed with mediocre storytelling and shallow character development.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Players report a stable experience in the early access version, highlighting the absence of bugs and glitches, which allows for a smooth gameplay experience that encourages strategic planning.

    • “It's challenging and requires strategic planning, but I've been playing the early access for the past few days, and my game is bug-free, with no glitches or issues whatsoever.”
    • “The stability of the game is impressive; I haven't encountered any crashes or major bugs during my playtime.”
    • “I appreciate how smooth the gameplay is; it really enhances the overall experience without any interruptions.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by a haunting and melancholic musical score that effectively enhances its somber tone, immersing players in a deeply evocative experience.

    • “The music, haunting and melancholic, sets the perfect tone for the somber atmosphere of the game.”
    • “The visuals are stunning, creating an immersive world that draws you in and makes you feel part of the environment.”
    • “The ambient sounds enhance the experience, making every moment feel alive and filled with tension.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
5-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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