Dragon Star Varnir

65%
Game Brain Score Based on 139 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Dragon Star Varnir Game Cover
Dragon Star Varnir is a step up from a lot of Compile Heart's games, but the Switch version is a technical mess.
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In "Dragon Star Varnir," players enter a fantasy world where witches ride dragons. Zephy, a knight afflicted by dragon blood, must uncover a mystery while battling enemies in a unique three-tiered battle system. Decisions made throughout the game may lead to different endings, adding a layer of replayability.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

65%
Audience ScoreBased on 139 reviews
story53 positive mentions
grinding16 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and engaging combat system that incorporates a three-tiered battle mechanic, allowing for strategic positioning and varied tactics.
  • The story is compelling with well-developed characters, offering emotional depth and unexpected twists that enhance the overall experience.
  • The art style and soundtrack are praised for their quality, contributing to the game's immersive atmosphere.
  • The game suffers from technical issues, particularly on the SteamDeck, with significant FPS drops and resolution problems that hinder gameplay.
  • The 'little sisters' mechanic can be frustrating, as it imposes a time limit that forces players to rush through dungeons, detracting from exploration and enjoyment.
  • The port has been criticized for its lack of fullscreen support and other performance issues, making it feel unpolished compared to other titles.
  • story151 mentions

    The story of the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising its engaging characters and emotional depth, while others criticize its pacing and lack of development for key plot points. Many reviews highlight the intriguing premise involving witches and dragons, but note that the execution can feel rushed or predictable at times. Overall, while the narrative has its strengths, it often struggles with coherence and depth, leading to a varied reception among players.

    • “Amazing and emotional story!”
    • “The story starts with Zephy, a human knight whose mission is to end the witches, but suddenly he finds himself in a situation where he must cooperate with them.”
    • “The character development and storyline were great.”
    • “The story is bland, the game is worthless.”
    • “The biggest problem with the main story is that it just gives you everything in exposition.”
    • “The story fell apart, the general execution of the game didn’t work, and the whole thing felt cheap and underdeveloped.”
  • gameplay90 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique mechanics like the "devour" system and the layered combat, while others find it repetitive and lacking depth. Many critiques focus on the frustrating "little sisters" mechanic and the overall dullness of combat, which often feels unstrategic and grind-heavy. Despite its interesting ideas, the execution leaves players divided, with some enjoying the story and character interactions more than the gameplay itself.

    • “The gameplay is surprisingly good, with a good concept, engaging mechanics, and solid production values.”
    • “The devour mechanic is very fun and really allows the player to customize each character, making battles more dynamic and rewarding.”
    • “It's a classic gameplay loop, where you have quests, go to the dungeon, and beat up the boss to proceed with the story.”
    • “The gameplay is dull in the extreme - normal floor fights are inconsequential and the bosses are giant blocks of HP that you whittle down without strategy or finesse.”
    • “The devour mechanic gets tedious after a few dungeons, and equipping skills is far too restrictive.”
    • “Overall this game is pretty good when you compare it to other Compile Heart games, but when you compare it to other companies' JRPGs, it's very lacking in holding your interest for the entire journey when it comes to gameplay.”
  • music27 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the soundtrack as perfect and enjoyable throughout, while others find it unremarkable and repetitive. Many players appreciate the character design and overall art direction, but opinions on the music's impact vary, with some considering it a highlight and others viewing it as a weaker aspect of the game. Overall, the soundtrack is described as solid but not groundbreaking, with a few standout tracks that resonate with players.

    • “The soundtrack in this game is absolutely perfect from beginning to the end, I love it so much; the overworld theme, dungeons, battles, etc. After completing the game, I searched for the OST many times!”
    • “Incredible music, interesting story and characters, nice visuals and cool battle system.”
    • “I commend the music and writing especially, as they both feel as though they came from more serious, more epic games.”
    • “Unfortunately, music is the least powerful point of the game.”
    • “While I can overlook the weird volume issues the game had, the music itself is unremarkable.”
    • “The music was good, again, but repetitive, and the amount of voice acting was so below any kind of modern standard it just can’t be overlooked.”
  • grinding17 mentions

    The game's grinding mechanics have received mixed feedback, with some players finding it tedious and restrictive, particularly due to the need to manage the little sister system and the devour mechanic. While the game allows for a no-grind completion, many feel pressured to rush through content, sacrificing exploration and item collection. Overall, the grinding aspect can detract from the enjoyment, making it feel repetitive and forced, especially in the context of the game's story and mechanics.

    • “The game itself is okay overall, but it's kind of grindy and you need to memorize which dragon you have not devoured with each character.”
    • “It gets tedious trying to collect all the dragon cores and getting chased by dragons, forcing you into unnecessary battles.”
    • “The little sister system is a bit tedious to maintain and limits your ability to farm and grind, which directly impacts one of the core systems of the game.”
  • graphics16 mentions

    The graphics in the game are generally described as decent and fitting the dark fantasy aesthetic, with some reviewers noting their adorability and artistic direction. While there are criticisms regarding a lack of variety and some technical issues, many appreciate the lush visuals and detailed shadowing, resulting in an overall positive reception. Ratings for graphics vary, with some giving scores around 8/10, indicating a solid but not groundbreaking visual experience.

    • “They fit the dark fantasy aesthetic very well, but a little bit more variety wouldn't have hurt.”
    • “That all melted away once I saw that the graphics were lush and beautiful, with particular note to how detailed and luxurious the shadowing is.”
    • “Graphics: the main playthrough has 3 temples that look identical.”
    • “We can always be a bit disappointed that there is not a real graphic gap compared to previous productions, but the artistic direction does a really good job.”
    • “It has the usual symptoms of being an iffy PC port - visual glitches, poor 4K scaling on the 2D artwork (including the CGs), resolution options that don't affect full screen, barely any graphics options (and the few that are there are just on/off toggles), etc.”
  • character development12 mentions

    Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising the well-developed and motivated characters, particularly in contrast to typical tropes in the genre. While the character designs are consistently highlighted as exceptional, the overall storyline and character progression have been noted as lacking in depth. The combination of strong character design and engaging music contributes positively to the experience, despite some technical issues during gameplay.

    • “The character development and storyline were great.”
    • “The character designs are cutesy, but instead of trash waifus, I got well-developed motivated characters.”
    • “I expected every non-Neptunia JRPG to be mediocre, but everything about this game -- the battle system, the music, the story, the dungeon designs, the character designs -- made me double-take and make sure this was indeed made by Compile Heart / Idea Factory and not a better developer.”
    • “Things get worse on the story/character development side.”
    • “I expected their every non-Neptunia JRPG to be mediocre, but everything about this game -- the battle system, the music, the story, the dungeon designs, the character designs -- made me double-take and make sure this was indeed made by Compile Heart / Idea Factory and not a better developer.”
    • “The character designs are cutesy, but instead of trash waifus, I got well-developed, motivated characters.”
  • optimization5 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it generally runs well at 1080p@60fps on decent hardware, some players experience instability and performance issues, including stuttering and resolution support problems. Despite these concerns, the core gameplay mechanics, such as aerial battles with height levels, are well-received. However, further optimization is needed to ensure a smoother experience across a wider range of systems.

    • “The game is running on the same engine as Derq, also known as the Orochi 4 / Mizuchi engine that Compile Heart has been using in their more recent games, but the performance is completely fine here (playing at 1080p@60fps on a 1070 Ti).”
    • “The story is good, characters are good, the performance is a little unstable and the resolution support is a little off at times, but overall it runs fine for me.”
    • “One detail I liked a lot is that you battle flying in the air, and it has 3 height levels affecting the battle performance and the tactics you use.”
    • “The game is running on the same engine as Derq, aka the Orochi 4 / Mizuchi engine that Compile Heart has been using in their more recent games, but the performance is completely fine here (playing at 1080p@60fps on a 1070 Ti).”
    • “Note: there is an unresolved bug that causes massive stuttering.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    The game features an amazing and emotional story that balances drama and despair with wholesomeness, leading to a satisfying conclusion. Even players outside the typical dating sim audience found certain plotlines, like Charlotta's, deeply touching, prompting personal reflections. Overall, it offers a chill experience with wholesome interactions among a well-designed cast.

    • “Amazing and emotional story!”
    • “While the game has its fair amount of drama and despair, it also includes the usual wholesomeness and moe expected from their titles, as well as a satisfying conclusion, and I enjoyed my experience overall!”
    • “I am well outside of the dating sim target audience, but I would like to say that Charlotta's plotline is something I found deeply touching and even restarted my old diary after watching it.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in "Dragon Star Varnir" is described as hilarious, blending serious, funny, and cute elements, though it struggles to maintain a consistent tone throughout the game.

    • “It's actually hilarious.”
    • “Dragon Star Varnir tries to be serious, funny, and cute all at the same time without settling on a single clear direction to go.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game's stability is mixed; while players can explore freely in the final chapter, it suffers from typical issues associated with PC ports, including visual glitches, inadequate 4K scaling, and limited graphics options.

    • “Once you reach the final chapter and your ending is locked in, the little sister system freezes, leaving you free to explore and grind in every dungeon.”
    • “It has the usual symptoms of being an iFi PC port - visual glitches, poor 4K scaling on the 2D artwork (including the CGs), resolution options that don't affect full screen, and barely any graphics options (with the few that are available being just on/off toggles).”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game has moderate replayability, rated 7/10, with some users noting that while it can be played again, it lacks extensive replay value.

    • “Replay value: 7/10”
    • “I'd be lying if I said it had extensive replay value, despite playing it a second time.”
    • “I'd be lying if I said it had extensive replay value despite playing it a second time.”
    • “The game lacks the depth needed to make me want to play it again.”
    • “Once you've completed it, there's little incentive to return for another playthrough.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is not explicitly detailed in the provided text, but it suggests that the game may rely on advertisements to promote its tactical combat features. Overall, the focus seems to be more on gameplay rather than monetization strategies.

  • atmosphere1 mentions

    Reviewers highlight that the use of shadows in the game significantly enhances its moodiness and overall atmosphere, showcasing a thoughtful approach by the JRPG creators to immerse players in the game's environment.

    • “Shadows are an oft-overlooked area for JRPG creators, but these are spot-on in creating moodiness and atmosphere.”
    • “The game's atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into its world with every detail.”
    • “The haunting soundtrack perfectly complements the visuals, enhancing the overall atmosphere and emotional impact.”
    • “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth that would draw players into the world.”
    • “Despite the game's potential, the overall ambiance is dull and fails to evoke any real emotion.”
    • “The environments are lifeless, making it hard to immerse myself in the game's setting.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

68% average critic score

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Play time

19hMedian play time
19hAverage play time
17-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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