The Legend of Dragoon
A four-disc RPG epic, The Legend of Dragoon is set in a time of swords, magic, and dragons. Ten thousand years prior, the Dragon War pitted Dragoons--humans with the power to control dragons--against Enslavers, magicians who sought to enslave the humans. Now Dart, a young warrior, is on a quest to find the demon that killed his parents. The Legend of Dragoon features prerendered, 3-D backgrounds and detailed, polygonal figures. Several nonplaying characters and many full-motion video scenes take you through the complex story. The game's turn-based battle engine allows you to increase the strength of an attack through repeated button taps and shows the percentage increase you've created. A timing feature in the battle modes allows you to add devastating combinations to your attacks. The Spirit Points you accumulate during your quest can be used to unlock a special power, known as the Dragon attack.
Talk about going out with a bang! Sony Computer Entertainment released its four-disc The Legend of Dragoon for the PlayStation only months before the release of that console's successor, the PlayStation2. This very absorbing role-playing game, with hours upon hours of story and inventive gameplay, might just be the last great title for the glorious PSX. The copious story begins with Dart, a vengeful young man with spiky hair and red armor who embarks on a desperate rescue mission to break his childhood sweetheart out of a castle prison. The two join forces with a knight who is trying to end a war that's destroying the region. Dart soon learns that he is a Dragoon--a human who's privy to the spiritual power of dragons. Like all RPG heroes, Dart is up against impossible odds, but his newfound Dragoon magic and battle skills go a long way toward making the bet even money. And that's just the beginning. Grab a spare memory card and a comfy chair and be prepared to spend at least 20 hours getting through the first disk (there are three others just like it in the double-wide case). It's hard to sustain a player through this kind of time span, but The Legend of Dragoon takes chances and wins. For example, its battle system is turn based, so you can actually use some strategy, but it also features special "additions," or fighting combos that unfold if you match the X button to that addition's timing. When handling three players' additions, each with unique sequences, it can be quite challenging. You can increase the potency of the elemental magic up to 160 percent by quickly tapping X during your cast. Also, the perspectives often change between battles--players will direct the action from behind the heroes, behind the villains, looking down from above, and off to the side. There are a couple downsides to the game. First, the stylized transitions into and out of battle mode, while initially cool, quickly become exhausting--especially when running the gauntlet through lesser foes in the wilderness or lower ramparts of a castle. The game's story is built such that you're watching the sometimes goofy dialog as a spectator rather than participating in it. There are a few occasions when the game will prompt you to choose from two different responses, but often either response will bring about the same conclusion. That tightly controlled narrative, however, often works in the player's favor by keeping the game flowing instead of the wandering common in other RPGs, where players waste time looking to each townsperson for direction. Overall, the game's wonderfully illustrated sets, light exploration and problem solving, and a handful of jaw-dropping full-motion video scenes make The Legend of Dragoon fun to play and hard to put down. --Porter Hall Pros: - Hours upon hours of story and gameplay
- Turn-based battle made more exciting by combo-attack-style "additions"
- Many different monsters, spells, weapons, and items
Cons:- Very linear gameplay offers no chance to affect outcome
- Stylish pre- and postbattle sequences quickly grow tiresome
The Legend of Dragoon Accessories
 Final Fantasy VIII
Chrono Cross
Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasy Chronicles (Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy IV)
Final Fantasy Anthology
Sony Playstation Memory Card
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy Origins Final Fantasy I & II Remastered Editions
Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X-2
The Legend of Dragoon Reviews
This game, this legend of games is by far and i mean by far the best game for the playstation. Games like Final Fantasy and Legend of Dragoon take a very long time to beat and actually pull you into the game, they have story lines and great characters, out of all the games on playstation i would recommend this game over every one of them. Unlike the new systems playstation actually is the best i would say. If you do not have this game in your possession then you should get it. I got the regular xbox and was disappointed, yes the graphics are good, and the games are good, but when it comes down to it the new games are just not as fun, it would take less than a week to beat a game. Of course it has its flaws but what game doesn't. I use to have two playstations, but somethings happened to them and i was forced to get a different game system, i was sorry for that.
I purchased this game for my oldest son. We were very pleased to find the game in the shape as described and the boys have been playing it for hours. He was worried that it would be all scratched up (as his original Legend game is).
Brand spankin new. The seller shipped it to me factory sealed. I first purchased this game in 2001 when it came out on the greatest hits. I am highly satisfied and relieved that I found this game again despite the fact that stores don't even sale PS1 games anymore. LOD beats it hands down. I will continue to do my bargain hunting on Amazon.com. I often compare it to Final Fantasy, but there is really no comparison.
However don't let that stop you from playing it if you are a fan of japanese rpgs. The many flaws this game has can be overlooked since the battle system is generally engaging, fresh compared to other rpgs, overall good graphics, and a good way to pass the time in between more hyped games. The last point being a con for some people and a pro for others who want a straightforward adventure. Though touted as the final fantasy killer (why must all new hyped products be the (blank) killer). this game falls well short of that. Some of the flaws include kinda weak graphics regarding the characters themselves, though background and cutscenes are really well done, odd monster designs, and linear nature of the game.
The game is 4 disks long, but overall it feels somewhat short. Legend of Dragoon is by far a great RPG game even in the world of next gen. The game is somewhat of a turn based style game with great magic. You get to turn into powerful creatures called Dragoons that can wield great magic and devastating attacks. I give it 5 out of 5.
|
