Dragon's Wake
- December 11, 2015
- Brainbox Software
Get on Steam"Dragon's Wake" is a strategy game where players protect their dragon's brood from waves of enemies. By building towers and managing resources, players can ensure the survival of their dragons and ultimately achieve victory. The game features different dragon types, enemy varieties, and a leveling system that adds depth to the strategic gameplay.
Mac OS
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Reviews
- Playing as a dragon offers a unique and enjoyable experience.
- The game features a charming art style and a well-composed soundtrack that enhances the atmosphere.
- The story is engaging and emotional, effectively conveyed without dialogue.
- The game is very short, taking only about 1-2 hours to complete.
- Controls can feel wonky and imprecise, particularly during flying and platforming sections.
- The final boss presents a significant difficulty spike that can be frustrating for players.
- story148 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its emotional depth and effective visual storytelling, conveyed entirely without dialogue through artwork and gameplay events. Players appreciate the minimalist approach, which allows for a touching narrative about a young dragon's journey, growth, and encounters with a threatening knight, resulting in multiple endings that enhance replayability. While some find the story short and occasionally vague, the overall consensus is that it is well-crafted and engaging, making it a standout feature of the game.
“The storytelling is brilliant; it is executed better than many stories are, including those made by multi-million dollar game companies.”
“Without any words, the story is able to be told well, and I think that is a selling point in and of itself.”
“The story is touching and well told, and the pixel graphics are charming.”
“The game was alright, but with a lack of any real storytelling other than what the images show, it leaves a lot to be desired from a game about dragons. I mean, it's a small game (plus it was not that expensive), but I sure would have appreciated maybe even the murals saying anything about the black knight. Just killing because it's fun and all, but eh, it lost my interest rather quickly.”
“The story doesn't make much sense either.”
“While unexpected, it was not unwelcome in the slightest, adding a short playable epilogue and the side story involving a certain green dragon that takes place during the main story.”
- gameplay64 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Dragon's Wake" is a blend of challenging mechanics and a touching story, with players noting that while the controls, particularly for flying, can be awkward and take time to master, they ultimately contribute to an enjoyable experience. The game is relatively short, offering about two hours of playtime, and features simple yet evolving mechanics that keep the gameplay engaging, despite some frustrations with difficulty spikes and control issues. Overall, it is praised for its unique concept and integration of player choices into the narrative, though some players find the mechanics frustrating at times.
“Nice quick game with an interesting story and challenging mechanics.”
“The gameplay is simple and enjoyable with its own challenges.”
“I like this game for its unique flight controls, challenge, and tight gameplay.”
“It's very short and the gameplay is quite bland; imagine one of the most boring platformers ever, pretty much.”
“Most of the people who own the game don't bother getting past the first few minutes of gameplay without realizing how bad the controls are and giving up.”
“With 50 minutes spent figuring out how to reset the Unity button mapping, 25 minutes of gameplay, and then another 50 minutes trying to defeat the last boss as he annihilates me with cheap, unpredictable, excessive sword swings, I believe it's safe to say that the mechanics in this game are frustratingly designed just to deter you from playing.”
- graphics36 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming pixel art style that evokes nostalgia, reminiscent of NES and SNES eras. While some users noted that the loading screen artwork and certain character designs could be seen as amateurish, many appreciated the unique and aesthetically appealing visuals that effectively convey the story and emotions throughout the gameplay. Overall, the combination of clean graphics, whimsical art, and engaging visual storytelling contributes positively to the game's immersive experience.
“The platforming is not perfect, but the combination of music, artwork, and visual storytelling makes this a great example of a game made for the right reasons.”
“First off, it's got a cute art style that, while pixelated, is easy on the eyes and still manages to convey a lot of character detail.”
“I greatly enjoy the art style of the game, music, and the drawn art in between loading areas.”
“The loading screen artwork helps tell the story of the game, but the artwork itself is of a fairly decent deviantart level with somewhat jarring anime-esque eyes.”
“The weakest point this game has is the cover artwork and loading screens.”
“Many would say that the artwork is 'amateurish', but personally?”
- emotional34 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Dragon's Wake" is widely praised for its touching and heartwarming narrative, which resonates deeply with players, particularly those fond of dragons. Despite its short length, the game effectively conveys a poignant story without dialogue, evoking a range of feelings from joy to heartbreak, and leaving a lasting emotional impact through its various endings and charming art style. Overall, players find it to be a meaningful experience that successfully engages them on an emotional level.
“The story is heartbreaking; it tells you the story about a young dragon whose mother has been killed by a knight.”
“Without any words, this game tells a story that is heartbreaking and wonderful.”
“It's a short game, yes, as I finished it in about an hour, but that hour has you playing a sad but heartwarming story about a baby dragon as he explores an unknown world, done entirely without the need for dialogue.”
- music27 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional depth, with many reviewers noting its fittingness to various environments and situations. While some describe it as decent or good, others highlight standout tracks that contribute significantly to the overall experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, effectively complementing the art and gameplay.
“The overall best aspect of this game in my opinion (besides dragons) is the music.”
“The music for every area fit so well with what was going on, especially the joyful, happy music of the grassy caves.”
“I enjoy the lack of a narrator or words; the environment and music tell the story, which you discover on your own.”
“I barely noticed the soundtrack, but it fits into the situations like melted butter.”
“The music is pretty decent and helps to convey certain feelings, especially since there's no text to do so in this game.”
“The story told through music, loading screen, and background props.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, user feedback on stability is mixed; while some players report no bugs or glitches, others have encountered several issues that affected gameplay, particularly during critical moments. The presence of glitches seems to vary, with some players experiencing significant disruptions, especially given the game's complexity.
“My only criticism is two glitches I came across.”
“I experienced a fair number of glitches playing through this, which given the level of complexity of the game is... not great.”
“I was probably only able to beat it inside an hour on the good end run because of one of those glitches making the end boss not able to hit me.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 83 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game offers some replayability through multiple endings and choice-based outcomes, encouraging players to explore different paths and achievements. However, its short length and limited depth may restrict overall replay value, with most players likely experiencing around five hours of gameplay. While some users express excitement for a sequel, others caution against expecting extensive replayability.
“You have multiple endings for replayability, and I look forward to the sequel from the developer somewhat soon.”
“I can easily recommend this game to friends, and the price tag perfectly matches the time taken to finish, especially considering the replayability and difficulty of the final boss.”
“The game is quite short, with replayability in the different outcomes of your choices, which are not always immediately obvious.”
“All in all, it's worth the price of admission, but don't expect much replay value or a deep story.”
“The game has a little replayability (finish it, then go look at the achievements you missed, realize there might be a better ending, and go play it again), but overall I wouldn't expect to get more than 5ish hours of playtime out of this title.”
“The game is quite short, with replayability in the different outcomes of your choices, not always immediately obvious.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by effective music and art, creating a range of emotions from safety to tension. Users appreciate the dynamic changes in stage atmospheres, which keep the experience engaging, complemented by great shading effects. Overall, while not the highest quality, the atmosphere is well-executed and contributes significantly to the gameplay.
“I wouldn't say it has the best quality, but I believe everything was done right; from the music, the art, the atmosphere, to the gameplay, choices, and emotions put into it.”
“The music is atmospheric and definitely makes you feel safe, in danger, or in a creepy place.”
“The atmosphere of the stages changes very frequently and it tends not to bore you out of the game.”
“The atmosphere of the stages changes very frequently, which helps to keep the game engaging and prevents it from becoming boring.”
- humor1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of playful sarcasm and slapstick elements, often catching players off guard with unexpected comedic moments. While some jokes may not land for everyone, the overall tone is light-hearted and aims to entertain through clever wordplay and situational comedy.
“Wink wink, nudge nudge, because they literally knock you out of the air. Not funny? Okay, sorry.”
“The jokes fell flat and the humor felt forced, making it more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
“I expected clever wit, but instead, I was met with tired clichés and unoriginal gags.”
