Dragon Is Dead

Starting at €19.50Buy now

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

Reviews

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 95 reviews

gameplay14 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features solid mechanics and a unique blend of roguelike and Diablo-style gameplay, making it engaging and addictive.
The pixel art and atmosphere are beautifully crafted, enhancing the overall experience and immersion.
There is a good variety of skill combinations and character builds, allowing for diverse gameplay and replayability.

The game suffers from balancing issues, particularly with enemy attacks and stun mechanics, making combat feel frustrating at times.
Loot and itemization are currently lacking, with many drops feeling irrelevant and not impactful to gameplay.
The controls can be clunky and unintuitive, especially on keyboard, leading to a less enjoyable experience for some players.

gameplay
26 mentions
54 % positive mentions
35 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its solid mechanics, addictive nature, and engaging rogue-like elements, with many players enjoying the combination of power progression and skill trees reminiscent of titles like Diablo. However, there are calls for improvements in variety, particularly regarding weapon animations and the synergies system, as well as a desire for more diverse gameplay elements across different zones. Overall, while the core gameplay loop is satisfying and fun, players hope for further enhancements to elevate the experience.
- “The gameplay is addictive; I like the amalgamation of souls/Diablo.”
- “The bones of the game are great, and the gameplay loop is satisfying so far.”
- “Played several runs; gameplay is fun and quite addictive, as you expect from a roguelike.”
- “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
13 mentions
31 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning pixel art and detailed character models, evoking a nostalgic 16-bit aesthetic while effectively complementing the grimdark fantasy theme. Players appreciate the atmospheric design and fluid animations, although some note that certain visual effects can overwhelm the screen during intense moments. Overall, the art style and graphics contribute significantly to the game's immersive experience, making it a standout in the roguelike genre.
- “Graphics are highly detailed and stylish for all elements such as characters and level design. The map is never the same each play.”
- “The graphics have beautiful pixel art with fluid animations, and the ambiance is dark, which is great.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
music
11 mentions
27 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its haunting and atmospheric qualities that enhance the overall experience, while others find it unmemorable and lacking in variation. Many players appreciate how well the music complements the game's graphics and lore, creating an immersive ambiance, though there are calls for more diverse musical elements across different regions. Overall, the soundtrack is noted for its emotional impact, particularly in key moments like entering camps.
- “The music and ambience are great; the enemy design is truly original and very inspired.”
- “My first compliments are to the composer as the music is exquisite.”
- “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 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
8 mentions
50 % positive mentions
13 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The game's story features strong character development and engaging lore, reminiscent of titles like "Children of Morta" and "Dead Cells," with well-integrated music and stunning graphics. However, some players criticize the narrative for being simplistic or poorly written, likening it to amateur fanfiction, and note that it lacks depth, with some elements feeling like placeholders. Overall, while the storytelling has its merits, opinions are divided on its execution and originality.
- “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 stunningly made, with great lore and a great story.”
- “The story and lore are all good.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “While the story is generic for this type of game, it really just keeps you moving in that same way where Hades made it not feel like dying was a waste of time.”
atmosphere
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its moody and immersive qualities, featuring a perfect blend of somber yet stunning pixel graphics and a haunting soundtrack. This creates a thick, foreboding ambiance that enhances the overall experience, making it compelling for repeated playthroughs.
- “The moodiness and atmosphere are absolutely perfect.”
- “This somber 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 atmosphere is thick and foreboding.”
grinding
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be frustrating, particularly due to a bug that can erase hours of progress. While some appreciate the challenging, Dark Souls-like grind, many feel that the 1 to 2 second delay after actions adds unnecessary tedium, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- “One bug can wipe hours of progress in gear and stat grinding.”
- “The fact that there is a 1 to 2 second delay after most actions makes most situations more tedious than fun.”
- “But if you love the sort of Dark Souls super grindy feel.”
stability
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game runs smoothly with no significant issues, highlighting its impressive performance on the Steam Deck. The stability contributes to an immersive experience, enhanced by impactful combat and atmospheric elements.
- “I have nothing to put my fingers on; the game runs great. It has impactful combat, loot, and the music and ambience when entering a camp are incredible—you can almost feel the despair.”
- “Runs great on Steam Deck so far; the dodging mechanic is addicting.”
replayability
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's solid foundation and extensive content, highlighting its run-based design and emphasis on stat customization as key factors that enhance replayability. With a significant amount of gameplay available, many feel encouraged to revisit the game for new experiences.
- “The foundation for the game is very solid with a good amount of replayability.”
- “In my ~7 hours of 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.”
- “After completing the game, I found that there wasn't much incentive to replay it. The story doesn't change significantly, and the gameplay feels repetitive after the first run.”
- “While the game offers a variety of characters to choose from, the core mechanics remain the same, making each playthrough feel less unique and diminishing its replay value.”
character development
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-500 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The character development in the game effectively captures nostalgic elements reminiscent of the Diablo series, enhancing both the atmosphere and the progression of characters within the city.
- “It captures the nostalgic Diablo tones beautifully, especially in terms of the atmosphere and character development.”
- “The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form a strong connection with each character's journey.”
- “I love how the game allows for meaningful choices that truly impact character growth and relationships.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “I was disappointed by the limited growth options for characters; it feels like a missed opportunity.”
- “The characters don't evolve in meaningful ways, leaving their arcs feeling flat and unengaging.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is criticized for its poor writing, which fails to engage players or evoke feelings, leading to a lack of value in the narrative. Overall, the abundance of uninspired content detracts from any potential emotional impact.