Dragon Is Dead

About

In "Dragon Is Dead" , take on the role of the Dragon Slayer, tasked with defeating the last dragon, Guernian, who has become corrupt and is wreaking havoc on the world. Battle fearsome monsters and giant foes, utilizing a variety of skills, abilities, and equipment to emerge victorious. Experience diverse skill builds with unique characters and retain the power of your equipment and runes as you progress. Your mastery of combat and strategy will be key in defeating the demons of Guernian and saving the world from destruction.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 238 reviews

gameplay30 positive mentions

grinding12 negative mentions

The game features a nostalgic side-scrolling design reminiscent of classic games, with great atmosphere, art, music, and animation.
Combat is engaging and rewarding, with a flexible skill tree and artifact system that allows for diverse build experimentation.
The pixel art and dark ambiance create a captivating atmosphere, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.

The game suffers from clunky movement and combat mechanics, including issues with attack animations and hit detection, leading to frustrating gameplay.
Players lose all levels and skills upon death, which can feel punishing and detracts from the sense of progression.
The narrative and lore delivery is overly dense and poorly structured, making it difficult for players to engage with the story.

gameplay
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
39%
6%
The gameplay is generally praised for its solid mechanics, addictive nature, and satisfying loop, drawing comparisons to popular titles like Diablo and Dead Cells. However, many reviewers note a need for greater variety in weapon animations, skills, and overall gameplay elements, as well as improvements to the synergy system. Despite these critiques, the game shows significant potential, especially with ongoing developer support and updates.
- “The gameplay is addictive; I like the amalgamation of Souls and Diablo.”
- “The bones of the game are great, and the gameplay loop is satisfying so far.”
- “Runs great on Steam Deck so far, with an addicting dodge mechanic.”
- “The gameplay needs serious improvements to variety; weapon animations, skills in the tree, different elements in different zones, perhaps a reworked synergies system that focuses on changing gameplay a bit more.”
- “The gameplay pace is definitely a slow burn, which is a bold choice by the devs. I'm kind of disappointed that multiple weapons look the same in combat (the sword animation and the club animation, for example).”
- “Dragon is dead is better visually, but Elderand has more combat variety and mechanics.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
50%
10%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning pixel art and atmospheric dark fantasy art style, reminiscent of classic 16-bit games. While many appreciate the fluid animations and cohesive aesthetic that enhances the gameplay experience, some critiques point to a lack of polish and cohesion in overall design, with occasional issues like cluttered screens during intense action. Overall, the art style and visual presentation contribute significantly to the game's engaging atmosphere and appeal.
- “This sombre yet stunning atmospheric hack and slasher boasts the usual macabre yet stylish pixel graphics we've become accustomed to, further enhanced by a haunting soundtrack making repeat run-throughs a compelling experience.”
- “The graphics have beautiful pixel art with fluid animations, and the ambiance is dark, which is great.”
- “The pixelated graphics are an absolute love story to people like me that grew up in the 16-bit era.”
- “Diablo itemization, the skill trees are copied from D4 even aesthetically.”
- “What we have here is a game that takes the art style of Blasphemous and then it just pays homage to Diablo 2 in every way; this is what Diablo 2 would look like as a sidescroller hack and slash roguelike.”
music
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
42%
12%
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall experience with haunting soundtracks that complement the visuals and setting. However, some players find it lacking in variety and memorability, suggesting that while it effectively creates a mood, it could benefit from more diverse musical elements. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the game's ambiance, though opinions on its impact vary.
- “The music and ambience are great, the enemy design is truly original and very inspired.”
- “This sombre yet stunning atmospheric hack & slasher boasts the usual macabre yet stylish pixel graphics we've become accustomed to, further enhanced by a haunting soundtrack making repeat run-throughs a compelling experience.”
- “There are a number of different systems so deep and well designed overlapping with each other, tons of great loot, so many different available builds for two different characters... the pixel art is amazing and the soundtrack is quite fine, the game does a great job in creating a cool atmosphere and a well-structured world building.”
- “The music is boring, not memorable or interesting in the slightest.”
- “More music variation would be nice, even if it's just ambient textures for each region.”
- “Is it the music?”
story
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
46%
13%
The story has received mixed reviews, with some praising its dark themes, rich lore, and integration into the roguelike gameplay, while others criticize it for being generic, poorly written, and filled with plot dumps. The art style and music complement the narrative well, but there are concerns about grammatical errors and a lack of depth in the storytelling. Overall, the narrative seems to evoke nostalgia for classic gaming while leaving some players wanting more substance.
- “It has nice ideas of building characters, even better of progressing roguelike and good storytelling in a roguelike world (somewhat like Children of Morta / Dead Cells does).”
- “Music and background setting fit so well; I mean, it is so well put together. Plus, the graphics are just stunningly made, with great lore and a great story.”
- “Through mist and murk, its story spreads, an echo of life, where once it tread.”
- “The story is next to non-existent and there are a few grammatical errors within the text that's present, leading me to believe it's likely all placeholder.”
- “Don't get me started on the story; the text feels like it was written by a 15-year-old who wanted to write some Dark Souls fanfiction.”
- “Plot dumps begin early and happen often.”
atmosphere
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
21%
21%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning pixel art, haunting soundtrack, and well-structured world-building, creating a moody and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the deep and interconnected systems that enhance gameplay, making each run-through compelling. Overall, the combination of art, music, and design contributes to a rich and engaging atmosphere that resonates with players.
- “What this game exceeds at is great atmosphere, art, music, animation, and the ability to change your build on the fly.”
- “The moodiness and atmosphere are absolutely perfection.”
- “This sombre yet stunning atmospheric hack & slasher boasts the usual macabre yet stylish pixel graphics we've become accustomed to, further enhanced by a haunting soundtrack making repeat run-throughs a compelling experience.”
- “The music is good and reminds me of Diablo II, but there's really nothing else to create the atmosphere.”
- “Atmosphere is thick and foreboding.”
- “Atmosphere is thick and foreboding.”
grinding
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is characterized by a repetitive and tedious early game experience, where players often face significant setbacks due to bugs that can erase hours of progress. While some players appreciate the challenging, Dark Souls-like grind, many find the 1 to 2 second action delay exacerbates the tedium, making the grind feel more frustrating than enjoyable. Overall, the early stages are marked by a slog through basic attacks and extensive exposition, leading to a mixed reception regarding the grinding mechanics.
- “One bug can wipe hours of progress of gear/stat grinding.”
- “The fact that there is a 1 to 2 second delay after most actions makes most situations more tedious than fun.”
- “Regardless, the early game is pretty repetitive, with a bit of a grindy slog through the early stages over and over as you level up.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with users reporting minor glitches and occasional audio or visual issues that are not game-breaking. Players have noted that it runs well on platforms like the Steam Deck, contributing to an enjoyable experience despite the small hiccups.
- “The game runs great, it has impactful combat, loot, and the music and ambience when entering a camp create an immersive experience.”
- “Runs great on Steam Deck so far, with an addicting dodge mechanic.”
- “The game runs smoothly, providing a seamless experience that enhances the overall enjoyment.”
- “There are various small glitches and issues throughout; nothing game-breaking, but the occasional audio or visual glitch can be jarring.”
- “There are various small glitches and issues throughout; nothing game-breaking, but the occasional audio or visual glitch can be jarring.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players highlight the game's strong replayability, attributing it to its run-based design and extensive stat customization options. With a solid foundation and a wealth of content to explore, many feel that the game offers ample opportunities for multiple playthroughs.
- “In my ~7hr playtime, I've managed to get to the second boss and my sense is that there's plenty of content ahead of me, not to mention replayability due to the run-based design and heavy focus on stat customization.”
- “The foundation for the game is very solid with a good amount of replayability.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game effectively evokes nostalgic elements reminiscent of the Diablo series, enhancing both the atmosphere and the progression of characters and cities.
- “It hits 'nostalgic Diablo' tones very well, in both climate and city/character development.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is criticized for its poor writing, which fails to engage or resonate with players, leading to a lack of intrigue and emotional impact. Additionally, the excessive amount of content dilutes its value, further diminishing any potential emotional connection.