Mirage of Dragon
- January 26, 2018
- ArkHouse
Get on Steam"Mirage of Dragon: Arcane War" is an action-packed RPG set in a mystical world of magic and adventure. As a hero, explore vast landscapes, fight formidable enemies, and master a variety of spells and skills to save the realm from destruction. Immerse yourself in a captivating story, filled with memorable characters, and experience intense battles in this immersive and engaging game.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features stunning artwork and a captivating atmosphere that draws players in.
- There are multiple endings and plenty of secrets to uncover, providing a rewarding exploration experience.
- The music and sound design enhance the overall immersive experience, making it feel unique and engaging.
- The gameplay is often frustrating due to cryptic puzzles and unintuitive mechanics that can lead to confusion.
- Platforming can be nearly impossible at times, especially with issues related to game speed and controls.
- Lack of clear instructions and tutorials makes it difficult for players to understand the mechanics and navigate the game effectively.
- gameplay17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it as clunky, basic, and lacking intuitive mechanics. While some appreciate the unique level design and the game's aesthetic appeal, others find the gameplay frustrating and insufficiently explained, leading to a recommendation primarily for its visual and atmospheric qualities rather than its interactive elements. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a significant drawback, overshadowing the high-quality artwork.
“The art especially is of an absurdly high quality, and it alone justifies the price of the game, if the rest of the gameplay weren't already quite fun!”
“Definite recommendation from me not just for the great art and atmosphere, but the unique take on simple but effective gameplay/level design!”
“[b] mirage of dragon [/b] is an abstract exploration game with some casual platforming gameplay.”
“Game has very good artwork, but the gameplay is awful.”
“I really would like to see more of what this game has to offer visually, but I just can't be bothered with any more of the clunky gameplay that is required to get there.”
“The most frustrating thing about it is that it doesn't tell you what all the mechanics are.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are widely praised for their stunning artwork and unique, dark aesthetic, drawing inspiration from Lovecraftian themes and Arabic mythology. While the visuals create a captivating and mysterious atmosphere that enhances exploration, opinions on the overall gameplay are mixed, with many suggesting that the game is more appealing for its artistic qualities than for its mechanics.
“The graphics are breathtaking and feel almost like something out of the crazy twisted worlds of Lovecraft.”
“The visuals and soundtrack are all quite unique, bizarre and dark, with a slight Arabian vibe and references to Arabic mythology.”
“The combination of the great visuals and OST with the way the maze/levels are designed gives a very satisfying, mysterious aura for an explorative adventure: every time a discovery is made, it feels earned and rewarding in itself.”
“This is definitely the game that you buy for aesthetic reasons and writing (not so much for gameplay).”
“I think Mirage of Dragon will only appeal to those that like weird artwork and writing.”
“I instantly fell in love with the art style, but cannot play the game.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its unique and immersive qualities, combining abstract visuals, effective level design, and a captivating soundtrack that creates a trippy, dream-like experience. Reviewers highlight how these elements work together to enhance the overall exploration of the labyrinthine world, making it stand out among other platformers.
“There's atmosphere in this title that is not quite seen in other platformers.”
“The music and atmosphere really help to feel like you're in some kind of trippy dream state while exploring the halls of this massive labyrinth-like world.”
“The music is very good and the overall atmosphere is incredibly immersive.”
“The music and atmosphere really help to make you feel like you're in some kind of trippy dream state while exploring the halls of this massive labyrinthine world.”
“There's an atmosphere in this title that is not quite seen in other platformers.”
- story9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's story is delivered through unique vignettes that players can access on almost every screen, providing a rich narrative experience filled with intriguing text and character musings. While the plot centers on a protagonist in search of a dragon amidst a memory loss, it is described as both simple and complex, with a charming atmosphere enhanced by great art and level design. Players appreciate the depth of the story, though some find it confusing and note that certain elements may be difficult to uncover without guidance.
“It's $5, it has great art, there are plenty of secret areas to uncover and by extension learn more story, and it's just plain charming.”
“The most redeeming quality (some may say only) is the story; the story is very interesting, although confusing.”
“It's also like Yume Nikki in that it explains very little to the player, although there's a lot more text concerning the story with the library section and the monologues if you press X. Some of the objects needed to reach the endgame could be nearly impossible to find without a little guidance, although only maybe 1 or 2 are very easy to miss if you explore enough.”
“The story is fairly simple, told mostly through the musings of the protagonist, who finds himself without memory in some sort of personal hell, seeking to slay a dragon which he has been looking for all of his life.”
“If you press X or K on the keyboard or B on the controller, a unique vignette appears on almost every screen in the game with text detailing a story.”
- music7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its ability to enhance the immersive atmosphere, creating a trippy, dream-like experience as players explore the labyrinthine world. With a unique and dark soundtrack that incorporates elements of Arabic mythology, the music complements the visuals beautifully, contributing to a satisfying and rewarding sense of discovery throughout the adventure. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that significantly enriches the gameplay experience.
“The music and atmosphere really help to feel like you're in some kind of trippy dream state while exploring the halls of this massive labyrinth-like world.”
“The combination of the great visuals and original soundtrack with the way the maze/levels are designed gives a very satisfying, mysterious aura for an explorative adventure: every time a discovery is made, it feels earned and rewarding in itself.”
“The music and atmosphere really help to feel like you're in some kind of trippy dream state while exploring the halls of this massive labyrinthine world.”
“The visuals and soundtrack are all quite unique, bizarre, and dark, with a slight Arabian vibe and references to Arabic mythology.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the frequent resets of progress during cryptic puzzles and platforming challenges. Many express a preference for a more straightforward experience, suggesting that even a simple interactive art gallery would be more enjoyable than enduring the lengthy and poorly designed gameplay.
“Lots of cryptic trial and error puzzles/platforming that usually reset all or most progress, making for very tedious portions of the game.”
“I paid around 50 cents for this game, and for that price, I would rather have an interactive art gallery where I could just click through the images and be done with it in ten minutes, rather than have to endure hours of tedious, badly designed platforming in order to see everything.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is playable on the Steam Deck, but it unintentionally runs at double speed, complicating precise platforming jumps. Fortunately, this issue can be mitigated by adjusting the performance mode settings on the device.
“The game can also be played on the Steam Deck; however, it unintentionally runs at twice the intended speed, making precise platforming jumps very difficult, if not nearly impossible. Luckily, this can be adjusted via the Steam Deck performance mode settings.”
“The game can also be played on the Steam Deck; however, it unintentionally runs at twice the intended speed, making precise platforming jumps very difficult, if not nearly impossible. Luckily, this can be adjusted via Steam Deck performance mode settings.”
