DreamWorks Dragons Dawn of New Riders
- February 15, 2019
- Climax Studios Ltd.
- 3h median play time
An Exercise in apathy, neither solid nor liquid. Not exactly bad, but not very good either. Just a bit 'meh,' really.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games StoreDreamWorks Dragons Dawn of New Riders is an action-adventure game set in the world of How to Train Your Dragon. Players control Scribbler, a new hero with the ability to swap between different dragons, as they explore islands, battle enemies, and solve puzzles. The game features a unique art style and voice acting from the original film cast, making it a must-play for fans of the franchise.
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Reviews
- The game features a cute art style and engaging soundtrack that fits well within the How to Train Your Dragon franchise.
- Gameplay includes a mix of fun puzzles and combat, with the ability to switch between characters and utilize different powers, making it enjoyable for both kids and adults.
- Many players found the story to be charming and appreciated the references to the original films, enhancing the overall experience for fans of the franchise.
- The game is criticized for its short length, with many players completing it in around 4-7 hours, leading to concerns about its value at full price.
- Controls are often described as clunky and unresponsive, which can make combat and puzzle-solving frustrating at times.
- The saving system has been reported as problematic, with autosaves not functioning as expected, leading to potential loss of progress if players are not careful.
- story33 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally considered decent and engaging, with some players appreciating its cute and simple narrative that ties into the broader franchise. However, many reviews note that the story is relatively short and lacks depth, with some forced writing and a confusing ending. Overall, while it serves as a nice addition to the gameplay, it may leave players wanting more in terms of length and complexity.
“It's a really amazing game with a really good plot line; it's a perfect balance between being like the original 'How to Train Your Dragon' and being its own thing.”
“The story is a nice addition to the world and foreshadows the third movie of the trilogy a bit.”
“The story, so far as I've seen it, is interesting, and it's nice to see several things tie together from all the different media.”
“In addition, don’t expect any voice-overs or extensive cutscenes, so like often for lower-budget games, the story is more or less told through static sequences with only text and short sounds.”
“But fairly short, especially if you just try to zoom through the story.”
“There are three missions, all of which follow the same theme: you land on an island, go through tedious tasks to get to some ruins, and then you get to fight a boss. This only takes a few hours to beat all three, and there's nothing particularly special about the main islands you visit.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their cute and colorful cartoonish art style, which many players find charming and reminiscent of classic titles like Zelda. The visuals are complemented by a pleasant soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience, although some users noted minor glitches. Overall, the art style is considered beautiful and fitting for fans of the franchise, contributing to a fun and enjoyable gameplay experience.
“The art style is cutesy and overall I've enjoyed just casually going through it.”
“Very good and chill game with a very nice and colorful cartoonish art style.”
“The graphics are nice and cute; additionally, the drawings that appear once in a while are nicely done.”
“The graphics are cute, the mechanics aren't hard to learn, and the story is decent.”
“(For me, though) I don't know about others, but this game has good graphics (10/10), while the other aspects are 9.5/10. Well, that's because I'm a big fan of this film/movie and all games (except 1 game [School of Dragons]).”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally enjoyable, featuring a mix of puzzles and combat that is accessible for younger players, though it can become repetitive and occasionally frustrating, particularly with certain boss mechanics. While the mechanics are easy to learn and the overall experience is solid, some players feel the game lacks depth and innovation, making it less compelling at its price point. Overall, it offers a fun, if not groundbreaking, action-adventure experience.
“The gameplay is fun; I'm enjoying the puzzles and the combat, despite being somewhat tricky, particularly with trying to make sure your partner isn't dying while you're playing as the other character.”
“Gameplay-wise, it delivers exactly what you would expect from an average action-adventure: an easy short-to-medium-length mix of puzzles and fighting, which might be very good for young children to get used to gaming mechanics in general, like dodging, switching weapons, upgrading, and elemental effects.”
“Gameplay: nothing revolutionary, but solid; puzzles, combat, bosses - everything is fun.”
“The price point is far too high for this game considering the gameplay isn't compelling.”
“I paid $26 for 3 hours of gameplay when I thought it was just an introduction.”
“The mechanics for the first boss didn't make sense and the fight was frustrating overall.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many reviewers noting that it is excellent and fitting for the How to Train Your Dragon (HTTYD) franchise. The soundtrack complements the cute art style and enhances the overall experience, although some describe it as merely "okay." Overall, the music adds to the charm of the game, making it enjoyable for fans of the series.
“The soundtrack is excellent, and the story is decent.”
“The art style and soundtrack really fit the httyd franchise.”
“The music was okay.”
“The music is fitting and according to the usual style of the franchise.”
“New music that fits the HTTYD series.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding in the game to be tedious and repetitive, primarily involving resource collection for upgrades and completing similar missions across three islands. The lack of variety in tasks and poor aiming mechanics contribute to a frustrating experience, making the grinding feel more like a chore than an engaging part of gameplay. Overall, the grinding aspect detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
“I beat it in about 6 hours, and that was only because I had to do a bit of grinding for some resources for the final upgrades I needed to obtain.”
“There are three missions, all of which follow the same theme: you land on an island, go through tedious tasks to get to some ruins, and guess what? More tedious tasks! Then you get to fight a boss. This only takes a few hours to beat all three. Also, there's nothing particularly special about all three main islands you visit; just the environment, like it's snowy, and that's about it.”
“Patch has 3 attacks, all of which are very rare to hit an enemy because the aiming system is awful. This makes him only useful for the tedious puzzles in the game. Most of the time, you'll find yourself playing Scribbler to fight enemies unless you switch to Patch to freeze an enemy, then switch back to do damage with Scribbler. Even then, some enemies are immune and sometimes aren't even hurt by attacks.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its excellent optimization, delivering great performance that keeps players engaged, regardless of age.
“Great performance and genuinely engaging even for an adult.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability, with many players feeling that once completed, there is little incentive to play again.
“There really isn't much replayability, so once you are done, that's pretty much it.”
“After completing the game, I felt no urge to play it again; the lack of new content makes it feel stale.”
“The game offers little incentive to replay, as the choices you make don't significantly alter the experience.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a simple yet touching story that resonates with players, evoking a strong emotional response.
“The story is simple, but it is incredibly touching.”
“The emotional depth of the characters really resonated with me.”
“I found myself deeply moved by the game's narrative and its heartfelt moments.”
