Dragonsphere
- October 17, 2014
- MPS Labs
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"Dragonsphere is a single-player Fantasy Quiz game with an outstanding story and good graphics. As the newly-crowned King of Callahach, you have 20 years to save the world from the evil Sorcerer Sanwe, whose malevolent force will consume the land. Journey through a fully realized fantasy world, solve mind-bending puzzles, and perform an unprecedented range of actions using the MAD system, all accompanied by dazzling state-of-the-art graphics, haunting music, and fully digitized speech."
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Ms Dos
Reviews
- The game features outstanding music and excellent graphics, enhancing the overall experience.
- It offers a unique story with a shocking twist, reminiscent of classic 90s point-and-click adventures.
- The game is filled with imaginative puzzles and rich environmental descriptions, making it engaging for fans of the genre.
- Some puzzles are poorly designed and can be overly complicated, often requiring trial and error to solve.
- The voice acting is inconsistent and can detract from the overall immersion, with some lines feeling tedious.
- The game can be slow-paced, with a cumbersome interface that may frustrate players during exploration.
- story64 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of the game is noted for its unique and rich narrative, featuring numerous plot twists that enhance the overall experience, particularly in the second half. While some players found the initial pacing slow and the characters somewhat bland, the engaging dialogue and the eventual plot twist contribute to a memorable journey. Overall, it is recommended for fans of point-and-click adventures, despite some critiques regarding voice acting and interface design.
“The one thing this game does really well is that it tells a rich and complete story, rather than merely throwing out disjointed fragments of barely-navigable mazes and randomly-populated monsters in a treacherous swamp of baffling and incongruent puzzles.”
“However, the plot twist and overall second half of the game is excellent, and it really ties the entire story together into an unforgettable one.”
“Originally, I was going to merely recommend Dragonsphere for just the audible and graphical experience, but the story really does pick up about halfway through the game, and for that I've raised my score.”
“But the story and characters are bland; there's nothing remarkable with the artwork, and the puzzles are not hugely interesting.”
“Dull, cliched storyline, the most wooden voice acting ever seen in commercial entertainment, clumsy interface with way too many verbs, and huge, almost unreadable, 'medieval-style' fonts for captions.”
“The first half of the game's story is rather dull and filled with drab information about the surrounding lands that you're never going to intimately remember.”
- graphics34 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Dragonsphere" are generally praised for their quality and hand-drawn style, particularly for the time of its release in 1994, showcasing a unique aesthetic compared to contemporaries like Sierra. While some players note that the visuals appear dated and pixelated on modern systems, the game's artistic design and animations are still considered beautiful and well-executed. Overall, the graphics effectively capture the essence of early graphic adventure games, despite some limitations in resolution and color grading.
“Therefore, Dragonsphere captures the best of what text-adventure games were attempting to create (but without the clumsiness of keyboard text entry) while also highlighting the magnificence of hand-drawn (rather than computationally-rendered) graphics.”
“Even back in 1994, the graphics present in this title were considered high quality, and it definitely has a certain aura to it that no modern retro-revival game could ever hope to replicate.”
“Beautiful graphics and nice animations for the time.”
“While the graphics are decent, I haven't been able to adjust the resolution, which appears pixelated on my PC, even when played in DOSBox.”
“You can also load from DOSBox Daum; however, I find the graphic colors aren't graded as the original version.”
“But the story and characters are bland, there's nothing remarkable with the artwork, and the puzzles are not hugely interesting.”
- music18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many noting its fitting and memorable qualities, particularly the catchy midi tunes that complement the game's dark aesthetic. While some reviewers feel it may not be the standout soundtrack in the point-and-click adventure genre, it is still considered relatively good and effective for its time, especially in the context of the era's technology. Overall, the music enhances the gaming experience, leaving a lasting impression on players.
“While on the topic of audio, the music in this title is highly memorable, and even after you've shut the game off you will be hearing the semi-dark chiptunes still playing in your head.”
“Of course, the slightly darkened music fits well with the slightly darkened graphic art.”
“Yet, with the technology of the given era, dragonsphere doesn't fail to deliver an elegant and beautiful display, accompanied with surprisingly catchy midi music.”
“The music is okay; I don't think it's my favorite point-and-click adventure game soundtrack, but it fits well enough with the game and is relatively good.”
“The CD version usually included higher quality music and voice acting.”
“Music is fine, and I have heard worse voice acting in even modern point-and-click titles.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is well-received for its engaging mechanics, allowing players to combine actions with items and the environment through a user-friendly menu. With a low price point, especially during sales, it offers good value for the amount of gameplay, making it a recommended choice for point-and-click enthusiasts.
“For the low price you can get this on Steam sale, the relative stability of the game on DOSBox, and the quality of gameplay and story, I'd highly recommend this one to all point-and-click aficionados!”
“So it's about $1.75-$3.50/hr of gameplay.”
“Gameplay menu presents you a list of actions and an inventory, in which you can combine actions with either items or the environment.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised for its clever and entertaining writing, contributing significantly to the overall enjoyment.
“Great game, very funny writing.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is generally perceived as lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that the story fails to engage players on a meaningful level or foster a strong connection with the characters.
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers no replay value, but players find that a single playthrough provides sufficient challenge.
“There is no replay value at all, but one playthrough is challenging enough.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is consistently described as immersive and adventurous, effectively drawing players into a captivating world filled with exploration and excitement. This engaging environment enhances the overall gaming experience, making it feel dynamic and alive.
“The atmosphere is filled with a sense of adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat.”
“The game creates an immersive atmosphere that truly feels like an epic adventure.”
“Every moment in the game is steeped in an adventurous atmosphere that draws you in.”
