Nintendo DS

Draglade

If companies weren't willing to try something new, we'd never have games like Phoenix Wright, Cooking Mama or Trauma Center. However, these games aren't for everyone, and Draglade falls safely in that category. Though it may suffer from a few shortcomings, the concept and gameplay are solid enough to make it worth giving a try if you're looking for something new.

In the end, Draglade suffers from a severe identity crisis, yet still manages to provide a coherent and competent experience that is enjoyable to play. As a first time fighting/role-playing/music game, Draglade does a lot of things right and a few things wrong (it's not the longest game you'll ever play and it's not the hardest, either), but it has the potential to grow and I'd be very excited to see what lies in store for the next installment. For now, however, I'm simply going to recommend this game and pray that whoever decides to perform my one act play sends me a royalty check once they make it big. As for this review writing itself... oh, I think it did.

Combining fun fighting action with the punch of customizable music attacks, Draglade does something that few games these days do. It takes two things and makes something greater than their sum. That sounds like a great game to me.

Draglade is fundamentally a kids' game at its core. It's shallow, very easy, and tells a goofy story with all the sap of an after school special. That said, it's a very good kids' game, with some fresh ideas, and a unique blend of gameplay styles that make for a very appealing package. Dimps has done a fine job of crafting a new franchise, and it gets a hardy recommendation for anyone looking for something different to play on the DS.

It's easy to get a little hung-up on the presentation, but Draglade is a good fighting game when you look deeper beneath the exterior trappings. The controls are tight, and the action blows by at a steady pace. Adding a touch of rhythm into the mix is a fresh and exciting idea. The musical elements could have been implemented a bit more thoroughly throughout the game, but all-in-all it brings something new to the brawler formula.

Draglade has a really unique premise that will keep players attention for a while, especially with the multiplayer aspects. The single-player mode will keep players occupied but it is plagued by a boring story that players might not even care about before the game is beaten. Hopefully the developers will take the game's foundation and improve upon it even more to make an irresistible outing for any sequel.

As with many 2D fighters, button-bashing, if not the order of the day, is definitely on the menu. Although the story mode is not exactly gripping, the actual fighting is immensely enjoyable. The multiplayer is as fun as any fighter currently available on the DS and the visuals are decent. Whilst it is unlikely that Draglade will spawn a range of games catering to the 2D fighting Guitar Hero fan audience, it certainly stands its ground well as a slightly oddball beat 'em up.

It may look like it is based on a Japanese TV show, but I assure you that this game is not based on a licensed property. And maybe that's a good thing, because Draglade proves to be an interesting take on the fighting genre that perfectly fits the Nintendo DS' limited hardware.

Draglade is quite an enjoyable game that certainly comes across as something original. In truth it’s the game’s fighting system that gives it an original feel and it’s fair to say that whether you enjoy the game or not will really come down to what you think of the rhythm based fighting system that the game has. The four stories that you can play through are decent, although quite short, but the inclusion of support for the Nintendo Wi-Fi service does add some longevity to the game and the ability to play multiplayer battles with only one copy of the game means that most gamers will be able to enjoy the game as a multiplayer experience.

So if you have some spare time on your hands, Draglade is worth picking up to get your fighting fix. Fighting based around beats is interesting but not enough to carry the game the way it’s supposed to. Mortal Kombat will probably be able to suit your fighting needs better, but Draglade is a decent addition to the DS’s fighting catalog.

At first, the various menus and selection screens seem overly complicated but after a while you do get used to them - initially I found myself fiddling around in the menus for far too long though, which is not a good sign. When all is said and done, Draglade is a pleasant enough little adventure, but it could have used some more variation in the core beat 'em up gameplay or more exploration, because it does get repetitive quickly.

Draglade is a big, brash and bombastic game that wears its influences proudly on its matter-manipulating sleeves, but also isn't afraid to try something a bit different. It's very much a game made up of primary colours and simple expressions, loud, smashy noises, explosions, crunching blows and intriguing new ideas. It's by no means perfect - the story makes about as much sense as a tap dancing raccoon with a mouth full of ginger biscuits asking the time in Espernato, the control system is flawed and the sound and graphics do start to annoy after a while - but if you're interested in some old-school fun with a distinctly new flavour, then pick up Draglade, laugh at the dialogue, and spend a few carefree hours engaging in some mindless cartoon violence.

If you get Draglade expecting a nice mix of rhythm and fighting, you're in for some disappointment. Get it expecting a decent brawler with some simple controls, and you'll like it much more.

The game features fun and addictive battles and lots of customization if you wish it, but you have to play through the disappointing single-player mode several times to experience everything. That's not so fun.

Fun fighter that feels like a guilty pleasure for the most part. Lots of customization and leveling possible, giving this fighter pretty deep RPG-esque qualities. Multiplayer support is there, though finding an opponent may be the problem. Generic levels and gameplay experience, though, counters the unique elements. Fans of Japanese/Anime inspired games should enjoy it.

Convincingly crossing dancing with beat-'em-up, Draglade is a fun, frenetic and hugely likeable DS B-movie

What Draglade offers, however, is some solid battling centered around a unique beat-based combo system, allowing for a ton of customization and depth within a basic three-button fighter. The game oftentimes reminded us of the Tales series by Namco, as it pairs simplistic controls with a surprising amount of depth during combat, but throughout the experience we still couldn't shake that "every-game" feeling we get from Draglade, as it looks, feels, and acts like dozens of generic anime-inspired pocket titles before it. If you're looking for a solid fighter with a large amount of customization, local and online battle support, and a strange – but entertaining – gameplay hook, however, Draglade is a solid choice.

Draglade ha pasado desapercibido por su nombre, pero esconde un estilo de lucha más que interesante. Sólo recomendado a fans del genero y/o del anime.

The controls are responsive and the anime-styled graphics are crisp, but the campaign is short - even with multiple characters to select - and the combat is far too shallow to hold everything in Draglade together.

There are a lot of neat little things about Draglade, but they're not taken advantage of as much as they should have been. Therefore, Draglade ends up being enjoyable but hardly robust. If Ultimate Mortal Kombat and Bleach DS aren't enough to satisfy your fighting-game bloodlust on the DS, Draglade is a worthy game, but don't go into it expecting anything too intense or complex.

Pas franchement transcendant, Draglade possède pourtant un certain charme qui pourra opérer chez les amateurs de combat blasés à la recherche d'un système rafraîchissant.

Draglade is certainly not the worst game in it’s class, the fighting style is pretty strong when combined with the Rhythm Based combo system and the presentation while basic is certainly not bad. If you are looking for a good fighter to play on your DS then you won’t be disappointed with this, just don’t expect much from the story that’s all.

Draglade isn't a revolution in fighting games, but it is a fun diversion, and the beat combo system is interesting. There's fun to be had here, particularly in multiplayer. Draglade supports single-card multiplayer, multicard multiplayer, and WFC multiplayer as any competitive game on the DS should. Also of note is Draglade's Dragon Sequencer - a mini sound studio that allows the player to author his own combos for use in the game. Combos only last a few seconds, but the sequencer is astoundingly deep for as simple a tool as it is. If you're looking for a good online fighter to play on the go then Draglade is definitely a front runner for the DS.

Draglade won't change the way you game, and Atlus has released more memorable games than this in the past. However, at least it's trying to go with something unique, and for that, the game deserves at least a rental. If you're into fighting games or are looking for something with a more interactive touch (especially with the "beat combos"), you might even feel compelled enough to go all out with a purchase. It's no Drag, but with more thought in story and character development, it could've been something greater.

Draglade screams of missed potential. As it is, it's decent enough and worth a go to mess with the plethora of options, especially if you're after an uncomplicated fighter, but we wish it had lived up to the overly-advertised musical side more.

For a special move-heavy beat-'em-up, though, once you get into a decent one-on-one fight it picks up. It may not have the depth of a grown-up beat-'em-up, or even other DS fighters out there, but to a hyperactive anime fan, its colourful energy won't offend your sensibilities too much.

Within Draglade, there are several good ideas and the basic seeds of a solid fighting game. At its best, it plays like a stripped-down version of Jump Ultimate Stars. However, the game is oversimplified, the story is weak, the controls are iffy, and the challenge isn't there. (And that's not even railing on the writing...) I could see this kind of thing entertaining a young kid who is getting into gaming and just needs a distraction for a while. However, for nearly anyone else (and even some of those young kids), this game is a complete waste. Draglade has the seeds of a great game build inside of it. Too bad nobody tried to get them to grow.

Make no mistake about it; Draglade is not a perfect game. I personally could have done without the longwinded conversations and boring back story. But once the action starts it's hard to put this game down. Even though the heavy emphasis on Japanese anime can get a little grating at times, Draglade is a solid action game that is worth picking up. If you're a Nintendo DS owner who has been waiting for a solid fighting game, then you should already be running out to your local game store to pick up this wacky little action game.

With four character story lines to complete, dozens of bullets to find, multiplayer modes and the ability to create custom beat combos, there’s a lot to do in Draglade, it’s just not all that exciting to actually do it.

En clair, Draglade est un titre correct qui pourra convenir à un jeune public davantage intéressé par son système de jeu que par sa réalisation ou son ambiance.