Dragon Fantasy: The Volumes of Westeria
- April 9, 2015
- Muteki
Get on Steam"Dragon Fantasy: The Volumes of Westeria" is a nostalgic RPG that pays homage to classic console games. You play as Ogren, a brave knight, on a quest to save the kingdom of Westeria from a dark and sinister force. With turn-based battles and pixelated graphics, this game offers a challenging and engaging experience for fans of old-school RPGs.
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Reviews
- The game successfully captures the nostalgic feel of classic JRPGs like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy, appealing to fans of the genre.
- It features quality of life improvements such as the ability to save and exit at any time, and the option to see enemies in dungeons before engaging in battle.
- The writing includes humorous references and light-hearted dialogue, making the game enjoyable for those who appreciate a comedic take on traditional RPG tropes.
- The gameplay can feel repetitive and grindy, with a lack of depth in combat mechanics that may bore players over time.
- The chapters are short and often end abruptly, leaving players wanting more closure to the storylines.
- Technical issues such as crashes and bugs have been reported, which can detract from the overall experience.
- story32 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story of "Dragon Fantasy" is a humorous homage to classic JRPGs, centered around the abduction of a crown prince and the quest of an aging hero to rescue him. It features a central narrative interwoven with three shorter sub-stories from different NPC perspectives, all presented in a retro style reminiscent of beloved titles like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. While the plot is simple and somewhat short, it is engaging enough to keep players invested, with a lighthearted tone and creative dialogue that adds charm to the experience.
“The main plot revolves around the abduction of the crown prince, and the aging hero of the kingdom that sets out on a quest to rescue him.”
“Just a fun little story... well, technically four little stories all tied together.”
“The game is a little short but still manages to deliver a satisfying story.”
“Looking at how this title plays, you'll go from one town to the next, speaking to all of the locals in case one of them advances the storyline, as it's not necessarily clear what needs to be done to progress the plot.”
“There's no quest markers or clues to focus on.”
“A very bland Dragon Quest clone that doesn't do anything special.”
- humor14 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of light-hearted references and quirky dialogue, reminiscent of classic JRPGs, which some players find enjoyable and refreshing. However, opinions are divided; while some appreciate the comedic elements and character interactions, others feel the humor falls flat or is inconsistent, with a few even deeming it a "lame attempt." Overall, the humor adds a unique flavor to the game, but its effectiveness may vary among players.
“As somewhat expected of an indie title, there's plenty of references and humor in the writing.”
“The humor is light and makes the game fun, but it might not be everyone's cup of tea.”
“By far the better of the two games, very old-school Dragon Quest feel to it, but with an odd sense of humor interjected into the story to keep it feeling fresh.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of retro-style mechanics and modern updates, offering a blend of simplicity and nostalgia that appeals to classic RPG fans. While combat can feel repetitive and archaic, the inclusion of quality-of-life improvements and interesting mechanics in later chapters helps maintain engagement. Overall, the game is reasonably short and accessible, making it a worthwhile experience for JRPG collectors despite its limitations.
“Gameplay is reasonably short and not too grindy (with the exception of the main story, where you need to take a bit more time to develop the hero) and can be finished in a few hours, and the price is reasonable, certainly worth buying if you are a JRPG collector.”
“There are a few quality of life improvements, like a dash, bestiary, and the ability to switch between retro and enhanced music, visuals, etc. Chapter 3 and the interlude also bring some interesting mechanics and structure into it, so it keeps things fresh.”
“Great gameplay, fun plot, and interesting mechanics.”
“The combat is uninspired and repetitive, which is a large component of the gameplay.”
“There are funny jokes here and there and some character sprites are neat, but the gameplay is just too... archaic.”
“Gameplay is reasonably short and not too grindy (with the exception of the main story, where you need to take a bit more time to develop the hero) and can be finished in a few hours.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are described as simplistic and retro-style, appealing primarily to fans of old-school RPGs, but criticized for being lazy and incohesive, with a limited tiling system that detracts from the overall visual experience. While there are options to enhance the visuals, many reviewers feel that the graphics do not meet modern standards and are more of a nostalgic cash grab than a polished feature. Overall, the visuals are considered acceptable for casual enjoyment but not for players seeking depth or quality in graphics.
“Game features simplified combat mechanics which is slightly different for each story, retro-style graphics and music.”
“There are a few quality of life improvements, like a dash, bestiary, and the ability to switch between retro and enhanced music, visuals, etc. Chapter 3 and the interlude also bring some interesting mechanics and structure into it, so it keeps things fresh.”
“So I recommend this for old school RPG fans for the graphics and gameplay.”
“Graphics have problems - the tiling system used on maps is very limited and creates an incohesive mess; even RPG Maker engines do this better.”
“Regardless, this is still just a cash grab driven by nostalgia; the graphics are very lazy retro-pixel (it's 2018 now, let pixel graphics die).”
“I do not recommend for someone that wants graphics and a deep storyline.”
- music10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game features a classic medieval style that complements the environment, with sinister tunes for dungeons and upbeat melodies for the overworld. However, many users criticize the quick looping of tracks, particularly the battle music, which can become annoying over time. Players appreciate the option to toggle between 8-bit and enhanced music, allowing for a more personalized experience.
“One positive is that the music has a classic medieval style to it, with tones that suit the environment well.”
“What I mean by this is that while exploring dungeons, a sinister air comes through with the tune, while the overworld music is lighter and more upbeat, as if you're just heading out on a grand adventure.”
“I myself prefer the 8-bit mode to enjoy this game, as being in my 30s I've been raised on the 8-bit genre - but you can enjoy this hidden gem in 8 or 16 bits (music and graphics toggleable separately in the config screen).”
“Unfortunately, even though it had potential, the music has some serious flaws that would get old over time.”
“Something that's very harmful for the songs is how quickly they loop upon themselves, and the battle music is especially bad.”
“The music is cute, but in some cases it's poorly looped and annoying.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
Overall, the grinding aspect of the game is described as manageable, with some players noting it can be a bit grindy, particularly in the main story. While the gameplay can be completed in a few hours, those who engage in early-level grinding may find it less tedious later on. Nostalgic elements of level-grinding and random battles evoke a classic JRPG feel, appealing to collectors and fans of the genre.
“The gameplay is reasonably short and not too grindy, with the exception of the main story, where you need to take a bit more time to develop the hero. It can be finished in a few hours, and the price is reasonable, certainly worth buying if you are a JRPG collector.”
“It's a bit grindy at times, as you'd expect, but if you're diligent in the beginning, you'll do just fine with few stops for more.”
“A bit grindy, but that's how it was back in the day.”
“It took me about 10 hours with roaming around, farming experience and exploring, including going back 2 times in completed chapters for a couple of minutes to grab missing achievements.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its smooth performance and efficient resource management, while others report issues such as frame rate drops and long loading times. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary significantly across different hardware configurations.
“The game runs poorly on even high-end systems, making it frustrating to play.”
“I constantly experience frame drops and stuttering, which ruins the immersion.”
“The optimization is so bad that loading times are excessively long, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while players enjoyed over 10 hours of gameplay, concerns about abrupt chapter endings and potential bugs in the sequel have been noted.
“The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
“I encountered several bugs that disrupted my gameplay, which was really frustrating.”
“The stability issues made it impossible to progress in certain areas without restarting.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized as a cash grab that capitalizes on nostalgia, with some users expressing disappointment over the outdated and lackluster retro-pixel graphics.
“This game feels like a cash grab driven by nostalgia, with lazy retro-pixel graphics that should have been left in the past.”
“The monetization strategy is overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
“It's disappointing to see such a great concept ruined by a focus on profit rather than player experience.”
