Hey gang, Valkor here. I’m a huge fan of Sega’s Golden Axe series and save for “Sacred Citadel” released way back in 2013, there really hasn’t been an experience quite like it. That was until "Dragon’s Crown" was released for the Playstation 3 and Vita. The game touted an action/RPG experience like no other with characters whose bodies were beyond disproportionate to anything I’ve ever seen. Well, that game has been given an enhancement thanks to Playstation 4/4 Pro hardware along with a few other treats in “Dragon’s Crown Pro”. Is it worth the investment to take the journey once again? If you’ve never played it before then it’s a definite “yes”. But if you’ve already played it, then I think it’s worth going through it again.
Dragon’s Crown Pro is a 2D, beat em up, action RPG where you get to choose amongst six character classes, in search of an iconic relic of the same name. Your journey will take you through several levels of play, with each branching off into a side quest; however, once you beat a stage, you can go back and replay them at any time. Once you’ve chosen your favorite character type, it’s time to lay waste to the countless horde of zombies, lizard men, hellhounds, and more that look to stand in the way of your goal. And once you’ve finished a stage, you get to pick and choose through the treasures you find as well as gain valuable experience, all of which will strengthen your character as the adventure gets tougher with each stage.
While there’s much that will stand against you, you’re offered plenty of help, not only with buddies who can join in via local or online multiplayer, but you get some in-game help as well. First, there’s a rogue who’ll tag along and aid you in opening doors and chests. Then there’s the use of runes that you can use that’ll give your characters a much need buff. Finally, certain stages have a beast that you can tame and ride into battle (a nice nod to Golden Axe). Sadly, you can’t take them with you as pets to use in other stages. But that’s not really an issue either.
Dragon’s Crown Pro is the definitive edition of the title, meaning all the DLC that was released with the game is in this package; on top of that, Playstation 4 Pro owners get to enjoy the game with a sweet bump in graphics. You also get a newly arranged soundtrack, Japanese voice, and the ability to play across all three platforms – PS3/4 and Vita. Also, if you decided to dive back in after owning the original, your save should work with this one as well.
I’m a huge fan of arcade beat em up style games; it’s the fuel that feeds my gaming desires. But if you add in a little RPG into the mix then I’m really down for the cause. So, is Dragon’s Crown Pro the “must own” game for action/RPG fans? Most definitely! And I’ll tell you all about it in the TOV Breakdown!
The Good:
When Dragon’s Crown was first released, I’ll admit I slept on it. However, I’m glad I’ve been given the opportunity to play “Dragon’s Crown Pro” as it’s an amazing beat ‘em up, RPG worth multiple visits. This is a game that breathes 80s arcade with huge character sprites, an amazing soundtrack, and so much on screen madness, that you’ll be thrown into a tizzy just trying to keep up with it all. Gameplay is on point as you’re able to smoothly pull off a bevy of moves as well as connect some sweet combos. The graphics are visually stunning to look at, and I love that whole watercolor look, which sort of reminds me of “Child of Light”, but it's bigger and much bolder. Those character sprites, especially those of the females, are jaw-dropping because… reasons. Ahem! Finally, I love the soundtrack, and after having listened to some of the original music, I have to say that the newly arranged tracks are an improvement; it’s beautiful and definitely adds to the fantasy theme of the title. However, the original score is there for you as well if you prefer that version over the new stuff. For beat em up fans, if you haven’t picked up Dragon’s Crown when it was first released, then definitely do yourself a favor and pick up Dragon’s Crown Pro. And if you’ve already played it then I’d say it’s worth the double dip, especially for all the new stuff.
The Bad:
First up, I’m not a fan of the rogue that tags along with you. Actually, I don’t hate the guy, but I feel he’s unnecessary. You have these brutish characters with all this power, yet I need a rogue to open chests and doors, when I’m used to bashing them open myself. Next is the runes quest given to you by Lucain; he tells you to go to the “Ancient Temple Ruins” for the quest, but I went through the stage several times and the quest never completed. I actually had to look it up to discover that I had to go on to the next stage, not go back. If this was in the original game then that should have been an easy fix. Finally, when it goes down onscreen, it really goes down and you can easily lose track of your character in the mix-up. I recall fighting pirates who would use a genie against us and I had no idea where my character was… and yet I defeated the stage anyway. Kudos, for giving the computer-controlled characters some smarts, but man those battles can get ridiculous!
The Ugly:
N/A
Dragon’s Crown Pro is available now. And taking the good with the bad, I still think Vanillaware did an amazing job with the game as they’ve put together something that’s fun, captivating, and worth playing through again and again. I highly recommend picking this one up. So, out of TOV 5 stars, I’m giving Dragon’s Crown Pro a 4.
