Drakengard 2
I do have to admit that when I heard Drakengard 2 was being co-published by Ubisoft it sent up a flag. Whenever a game or series changes hands it's usually a sign that there were problems somewhere along the line. Anything I could come up with would be pure speculation on my part so whatever the reason let's just say that the core gameplay seems unscathed. The coupling of Panzer Dragoon and Dynasty Warriors is still as much of a draw as ever and despite Drakengard 2's flaws the game is a lot of fun at parts.
Taking place eighteen years after the adventures of Caim the world is still in turmoil but this time the story focuses on a young boy named Nowe. The lad has become affectionately known as "The Dragon Child" and he pals around with a dragon named Legna who actually raised him. Using all that he has learned Nowe has joined the ranks of the Knights of the Seal and fights to vanquish evil. As it usually goes in a case like this, not everything is as it appears. Fortunately he isn't alone though and he's joined by a couple of other fighters to assist on the battlefield.
Gameplay:
When you start the game you are thrust immediately into a tutorial about how to fight with a sword and blow stuff up. Combat is just about as straight forward as it gets and you don't really need to have any finesse in order to emerge victorious. There are a couple of attack buttons, a magic button, and a jump button. You can also roll from side to side and backflip just to prove how cool you really are. Of course most of these maneuvers are pointless when you can just slog through the game bashing relentlessly on the controller.
When you're on foot you'll be going from one pack of bad guys to the next. You don't really get swarmed like you do in Dynasty Warriors and quite frankly the action just isn't as dynamic. There is just a lack of range in the design, but fortunately you can change to other characters and often times leap onto Legna on the fly.
If you're getting bored with playing as Nowe all you have to do is open up a sub menu and select another characters weapon. That will summon them into the fray and substitute them for Nowe. Eris, Urick, and Manah are fairly diverse fighters with different weapons and attack combinations to accompany them. The only problem is that most of these attacks are basically the same when you boil things down. Sure the feel of the character may be different and the button presses may vary, but the results are the same in the end. Legna, however, is a different story.
There is definitely something to be said for being able to hop onto a dragon's back and unleashing hellfire upon your enemies. Transitioning from the battlefield to aerial combat is as simple as pressing "select" but the results are more than gratifying. Legna is just about as powerful as you'd imagine he would be and with the ability to target multiple enemies it gets even better. He can also collect power-ups and charge energy for special attacks that cause a lot of damage. The only problem with this is that it almost disconnects you from the action in a way. Well, that and the gameplay is still overly simplistic and quite frankly; too easy.
Without a lot of enemy variety and without the sense of urgency and immersion that games like Dynasty Warrior have, Drakengard 2 comes up shorthanded in a way. It's a heck of a lot of fun as a fantasy action game but the gameplay is just too mindnumbingly simple for its own good. Not a lot of effort is required to bash your way through the twenty or so hours it takes to beat the game and if you do a lot in one sitting you'll be bored out of your skull in no time. This is definitely a game that is better savored in short bursts.
It's a shame that the flaws of the first game haven't really been addressed in the sequel. The game will definitely keep fans that loved the original enthralled with an engaging story and a lot of monsters to kill. When Drakengard 2 hits a high note it soars. Unfortunately it just doesn't hit them 100% of the way through.
Graphics:
For the most part Drakengard 2 is a good looking game. Though, sadly enough it looks remarkably similar to its predecessor. The in game visuals are mishmash with some nicely designed characters and enemies but ultimately few textures and disparity. Needless to say this adds to the repetitive nature of the game and leaves you with a feeling that you've killed the same monster a thousand times over. Environmental detail is fine for the most part though again the textures are reused frequently. It can often be difficult to identify one region as being separate from another because they all look alike. The cut scenes are pretty though with some fine animation as you'd expect from SquareEnix.
Audio:
The sound for Drakengard 2 is a mixed bag of quality. As far as the voiceovers are concerned there is a distinct, reserved British atmosphere to everything. It certainly gives the game a pronounced Arthurian feel but can often come across as dry. The music was great but forgettable in the end and the sound effects fit the tone of the game well. Of course you can only hear the same grunt, slash, or thud so many times before the effects begin to wash together.
Conclusion:
Drakengard 2 is a hard game to judge. The concept is phenomenal, the story is great, and at times the action is remarkable. Unfortunately, as is the case with most games of this nature, the gameplay gets so repetitive to the point that it detracts from the experience. Breaking things up with multiple characters and a dragon is a nice touch, but it doesn't mask the underlying issue. More attention needs to be paid to the combat engine and the game needs more variety in most every department. Unless you really got into the first game I'd say this one would better serve you as a rental.