Dragon Spear
- August 16, 2018
- Game2Gather
- 13h median play time
Get on Steam"Dragon Spear" is a hack and slash action RPG set in a fantasy world. Play as a Dragon Warrior, battling hordes of enemies and giant bosses to save the kingdom. With fast-paced combat, upgradeable skills, and stunning visuals, it offers an immersive and thrilling experience.
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and a charming art style reminiscent of Dragon's Crown, making it visually appealing.
- It offers a fun and engaging beat 'em up experience with fluid combat mechanics and a variety of character customization options.
- The removal of microtransactions from the mobile version allows for a more enjoyable gameplay experience without the pay-to-win elements.
- The game suffers from a lack of content and depth, with many players finding it repetitive and grindy, especially in the endgame.
- Three characters are locked behind a paywall, which can be frustrating for players who expect a complete experience with their initial purchase.
- The translation quality is poor, leading to confusing dialogue and a lack of clarity in gameplay mechanics.
- story50 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The story mode offers a lengthy single-player experience divided into eight chapters, but it suffers from a lack of co-op options and poor translations, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While the narrative follows a typical "heroes vs. evil" trope, it is often described as shallow and filled with unskippable dialogue, making the grinding necessary for progression feel tedious. Despite these shortcomings, the game features enjoyable mechanics and a solid art style, though much of the content is locked behind online play, which is problematic given the dwindling player base.
“What sets this apart is the gear you get from completing quests and killing bosses that you can combine stats from and make your own set of gear with stats that fit your play style.”
“The story mode is quite long, and you need to finish all the story mode to get into the 'abyss' world (online gameplay, I presume?).”
“The main story can be completed without reaching max level or significant grinding, and becomes much easier if you are good at the gap of abyss levels.”
“Surprisingly fun for a mobile game port, really great art, but totally let down by a complete lack of co-op in story mode, because let's be honest; convincing your friends to waste hours alone just to unlock the multiplayer dungeons simply isn't feasible in the slightest.”
“The storyline is bland, mechanics are meh, and the translations are straight from Google Translate.”
“On top of that, there's no story multiplayer/co-op, so if you bought the game expecting to roll through the story with your friend, then you're going to be disappointed.”
- graphics35 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their appealing art style and vibrant visuals, reminiscent of classic 2D side-scrollers and anime aesthetics. While some users note limitations due to its mobile origins, the overall design is considered charming and well-executed, with many appreciating the detailed character designs and effects. Despite minor issues like pixelation on lower resolutions, the graphics are regarded as impressive for a mobile title, enhancing the gameplay experience.
“This is a fantastic game for those into the retro style/2D side scrollers with beautifully updated graphics.”
“The graphics and art design are top notch, and your gear, costumes, and pets will change in-game to reflect your equipped items, which is something of a rarity in this genre.”
“The graphics are gorgeous; there are pretty ladies and buff muscular men.”
“The graphics options are limited, once again because of the game's mobile roots, but there are very few occasions when this will be noticeable. I noticed a bit of pixelation on the title screen as you scroll through characters, because it was clearly rendered at a lower resolution than the 1080p monitor I'm playing on; 720 would be my guess.”
“Graphics are okay, a bit stiff but okay.”
“Regardless, whereas The Vagrant was a tribute to Odin Sphere and Muramasa, Dragon-Spear seems like another group of people inspired by George Kamitani's art style who set out to do their own version of Dragon's Crown.”
- gameplay32 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it clunky and simplistic, often likening it to mobile games, while others appreciate its engaging combat mechanics and depth in gear customization. Despite criticisms of repetitiveness and a lack of depth, many users enjoy the fun and addictive nature of the gameplay, particularly in cooperative boss fights and character builds. Overall, it offers a blend of enjoyable action RPG elements, though it may not satisfy those seeking a more complex experience.
“Despite all its problems, the gameplay itself is pretty fun.”
“The gear mechanics have a lot of depth, and each piece of equipment can be customized (stats and skins with in-game currency) to a great extent to fit your play style.”
“Combat is engaging and flashy, making the gameplay feel fun and fluid.”
“There's really no depth of gameplay and very little to aspire to beyond sinking in the required hours in grinding to get all the drops.”
“Gameplay is pretty clunky and animations seem cheap.”
“As expected from a mobile port, the gameplay is rather simplistic.”
- grinding29 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight that the game involves significant grinding, particularly for achievements and endgame content, which can feel repetitive and unrewarding at times. While some players find the grind enjoyable and a good way to pass time, others criticize the lack of depth and clarity in progression, especially in multiplayer modes. Overall, the game is seen as fun and visually appealing, but its grindy nature may not appeal to everyone.
“There's really no depth of gameplay and very little to aspire to beyond sinking in the required hours in grinding to get all the drops.”
“Since it is a very grindy multiplayer game, which it's actually not, because you have to grind through a single-player campaign to unlock the multiplayer, the player progress feels stretchy and unrewarding up until the endgame.”
“Grindy and unclear endgame progression.”
- music11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's music is generally considered serviceable, with a soundtrack that balances ominous and upbeat tones suitable for its fantasy brawler theme. While it lacks voice acting and features repetitive tracks, the sound effects are well-executed, and the hub music is noted as catchy. Overall, the music may not be memorable or emotionally impactful, but it effectively supports the gameplay experience.
“The sound effects of the music are well done, but all character dialogue is text only.”
“You merely need to be psyched up enough to smash hordes of orcs, gnolls, goblins, giant spiders, and ogres, and on that level, the music strikes a nice balance between ominous foreboding and exuberant optimism!”
“A soundtrack befitting of what is happening on screen.”
“Because I think that the initial version of this game was a mobile port, it doesn't have any voice acting. The sound effects of the music are well done, but all character dialogue is text only.”
“(Sorry, I've been spoiled on the orchestral compositions of Nier Gestalt/Automata which are always tear jerkers and memorable. Heck, that franchise even had its own language sounding like a Babel's tower mix of different cultural tongues all meshed into very melancholic hymns of fleeting hopes and heart-crushing tragedies.) Yeah, not everyone can be a master or mistress of song, but that doesn't mean what's on offer here isn't serviceable.”
“- The soundtrack is alright, recycles like 3 songs in stages, and the hub music is catchy.”
- monetization11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been positively received, particularly due to the removal of microtransactions from its mobile version, which many players found detrimental. While there are a few characters locked behind a paywall, the overall sentiment is that the absence of pay-to-win features enhances the gaming experience, making it more enjoyable and accessible. Players appreciate the straightforward purchase model, allowing them to enjoy the game without the frustration of in-app purchases or ads.
“I'm glad the developer removed the microtransactions.”
“I come from the mobile version of this game and let me tell you something: I'm so glad that they got rid of microtransactions in this game for PC. It's such a good feeling to play a game knowing there's no pay-to-win features and full of microtransactions because that made the game pure cancer for me personally.”
“Just like the Android version but without the microtransactions and easier controls; a much better experience.”
“Or, you can keep it as a simple cash grab for scantily dressed women and move on.”
“Ported from a mobile, but all microtransactions have been removed aside from the 3 characters who are locked behind a paywall.”
“A fun mobile beat 'em up no longer held back by stamina, ads, and in-app purchases.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers solid replayability through its 80 levels and multiple character classes, enhancing the experience with RPG elements and varied super moves. While some players appreciate the mechanics and the potential for farming, others feel that the limited content and reliance on DLC characters may detract from its overall value. Overall, the replayability is considered decent, but could benefit from additional content.
“The story consists of 80 levels and is replayable with each class of character.”
“The game is a fantastic side-scrolling beat 'em up; the art style is great, and the RPG elements add much to replayability, as do all the different characters, even if three of them are DLC.”
“Decent replayability, enough mechanics for min-maxers to really get into the game, and bad/good enough RNG that'll keep a player farming hard for completion!”
“The story consists of 80 levels, and is replayable with each class of character.”
“I feel that it isn't worth $15 if it had more content, more playable characters, and other additional content maybe.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Nier Automata stands out in the action genre for its emotional depth and original narrative, offering a more profound experience compared to similar titles like Bayonetta or Devil May Cry. While it may not be the most intellectually challenging, its beauty and smooth gameplay enhance the emotional journey, making it a memorable experience.
“I mean technically Nier: Automata is in the same action spectacle hack and slash genre as Bayonetta or DMC, yet it has a much more emotional and original premise driving everything.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is criticized for its lack of sound design, particularly missing subtle ambient noises like footsteps, which detracts from the overall immersion and makes the world feel less vibrant and alive.
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is noted for its engaging designs and a wide variety of costumes, contributing to an enjoyable and entertaining experience, though it may lack depth in narrative progression.
“The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making each decision feel impactful.”
“The variety of costumes and character designs adds a unique flair to the overall development experience.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The mobile port is well-optimized, featuring impressive graphics and performance, with support for 21:9 ultra widescreen, likely benefiting from the prevalence of 18:9 phones.
“Although this is a mobile port, the graphics and performance are great, and it even supports 21:9 ultra widescreen (no doubt helped by the existence of 18:9 phones).”
