Dragon Spear
- August 16, 2018
- Game2Gather
- 13h median play time
"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 is a fun and engaging side-scrolling beat 'em up with enjoyable combat mechanics.
- It features beautiful graphics and character designs, reminiscent of Dragon's Crown.
- The game has no microtransactions, and all content is accessible through gameplay, making it a good value for its price.
- The game suffers from a lack of multiplayer activity, making it difficult to find players for co-op content.
- Many characters are locked behind a paywall, which can be frustrating for players wanting a complete experience.
- The translation and story elements are poorly executed, leading to confusion and a lack of immersion.
- story102 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story mode is a lengthy single-player experience divided into eight chapters, featuring a standard "heroes vs. evil" narrative that many find shallow and poorly translated. Players face significant grinding and difficulty spikes, especially in later stages, and the lack of co-op options in story mode is a major disappointment. While the art style is praised, the overall execution of the story and its mechanics leaves much to be desired, with many players feeling that the content is locked behind online play that is no longer active.
“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?).”
“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 consists of 80 levels and is replayable with each class of character.”
“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 mediocre, 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.”
- graphics70 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their appealing art style and vibrant visuals, particularly appealing to fans of retro and anime aesthetics. While some users noted limitations due to its mobile roots, the overall design is considered well-executed and enjoyable, with many highlighting the game's ability to maintain good performance even on higher resolutions. Despite minor pixelation issues, the graphics are described as beautiful and engaging, contributing positively to 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.”
“Visuals are outstanding for a mobile title and will look good even on a 1920x1080 monitor.”
“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.”
“The graphics are not triple A, but it is very well designed and pleasant to watch.”
“Graphics are okay, a bit stiff but okay.”
- gameplay65 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it fun and engaging, particularly praising the combat mechanics and customization options for gear and character builds. However, others criticize it for lacking depth, being clunky, and feeling simplistic, often comparing it unfavorably to other action RPGs. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable moments and a decent variety of enemies, it may not satisfy those seeking a more complex gameplay 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.”
“The gameplay sucks, super dumb, easy mode.”
- grinding59 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Grinding is a prominent aspect of the game, with many players noting that it can feel excessive, especially when pursuing achievements or endgame content. While some find the grind enjoyable and a good way to pass time, others criticize it for lacking depth and clarity in progression. Overall, the game is described as fun and visually appealing, but the grind may deter those looking for a more streamlined experience.
“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.”
- music23 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 13 % 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 some repetitive tracks, the sound effects are well-executed, and the hub music is noted as catchy. Overall, the music may not be memorable compared to more orchestral compositions in other games, but it effectively supports the gameplay experience.
“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!”
“Besides, this is a simple fantasy brawler with the usual fantasy tropes; thus, the soundtrack doesn't always need to pull your heartstrings to keep you motivated!”
“(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.”
“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 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.”
“- Soundtrack is alright, recycles like 3 songs in stages, and the hub music is catchy.”
- monetization22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has been positively received, with many users expressing relief that microtransactions have been removed from the PC version, enhancing the overall experience. While there are a few characters locked behind a paywall, the absence of pay-to-win features and in-app purchases has been praised, making it a more enjoyable and straightforward beat 'em up game. Overall, players appreciate the shift away from a cash grab model, contributing to a more relaxed gaming experience.
“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.”
“Ported from a mobile, but all microtransactions have been removed aside from the 3 characters who are locked behind a paywall.”
“Or, you can keep it as a simple cash grab for scantily dressed women and move on.”
“He does not abuse your customization love with pay-to-win microtransactions and has all the content for you there.”
- replayability13 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game offers decent replayability with its 80 levels and multiple character classes, enhancing the experience through RPG elements and varied super moves. While many players appreciate the engaging mechanics and the potential for farming, some feel that the content could be expanded, particularly with more playable characters, to justify its price. Overall, it strikes a balance between fun and replay value, though opinions on its worth vary.
“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.”
“Replay value 6/10”
“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!”
“But I feel that it ain't worth $15 if it had more content and more playable characters and other additional content maybe.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Nier Automata stands out in the action hack-and-slash genre for its emotional and original narrative, offering a deeper experience compared to similar titles like Bayonetta and Devil May Cry. While it may not be the most intellectually or emotionally profound journey, its beauty and smooth gameplay enhance the overall 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.”
- atmosphere2 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 development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is noted for its engaging designs and a wide variety of costumes, contributing to an enjoyable experience, though it may lack depth in narrative progression.
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is well-optimized for mobile devices, delivering impressive graphics and performance, including support for 21:9 ultra widescreen, likely benefiting from the capabilities of modern 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).”
- stability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, users rate the stability of the game as 7 out of 10, indicating a generally bug-free experience with minimal issues.
“The game runs smoothly without any major bugs or glitches.”
“I experienced very few issues, making for a stable gaming experience.”
“The stability of the game is impressive, allowing for uninterrupted gameplay.”