Drakengard 3 Wiki

.: August 2004,Mode(s)Drakengard, known in Japan as Drag-On Dragoon, is a 2003 developed by and published by for the. The game is the first installment of the and features a mixture of ground-based hack-and-slash, aerial combat, and role-playing elements which have become a staple of the series.

Drakengard, known as Drag-On Dragoon in Japan, is a sci-fi Japanese action role-playing game franchise published by Square Enix.The latest release NieR:Automata has collaboration events with Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, Final Fantasy XV, and Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers.

The story is set during a religious war between two factions—the Union and the Empire—with the war tipping in favor of the Empire. The player controls Caim, a deposed prince of the Union, in his quest for vengeance against the Empire. Wounded in battle while protecting his sister Furiae, he is forced to make a pact with a red dragon named Angelus. As they journey together, they join with Hierarch Verdelet on a quest to prevent the Empire from destroying magical seals that keep the world in balance: Furiae acts as the central seal, and her death will drop the world into chaos.Takamasa Shiba and Takuya Iwasaki conceived the game as a hybrid between the popular series and Namco's aerial combat game. It was Shiba's first project as a producer.

The dark story was created by director and Sawako Natori, who wrote the majority of the script. The music was written by and Takayuki Aihara. Drakengard sold well in Japan and received mixed to positive reviews in the west: reviewers praised the game's story and music, but were mixed about the graphics and criticized the gameplay for being repetitive.

A Europe-exclusive adaptation was developed by and published by Square Enix for devices in August 2004. The on-foot and aerial combat, featuring protagonists Caim and Angelus.Drakengard is an featuring three types of gameplay: ground missions, aerial missions, and Free Expedition Mode. The gameplay modes are called Ground Mode, Strafe Mode, and Air Mode. In some, players can switch between ground-based and aerial combat. Ground-based gameplay primarily has the player controlling the main protagonist, Caim. He has access to three types of attack: a standard sword-slash, a magic attack and a dash attack that throws enemies to the ground. Additional weapons can be accessed and swapped via the menu.

Weapons gain through use, dealing more damage as a result. The player can access up to eight weapons during a mission. Pressing the attack button repeatedly while in combat with enemy units triggers, and pressing another button mid-combo will trigger a special attack which will temporarily incapacitate enemy units in the immediate area. The player can also temporarily switch between Caim and an assigned ally, who shares similar attacks but deals more damage. These allies are gained in optional levels and can only be summoned a limited number of times.In aerial combat missions, players control Caim's dragon partner Angelus. During these moments, players are directed against multiple aerial targets that must be destroyed in order to win. As Angelus gains through combat, she levels up and is able to do more damage – similar to the weapons used in ground-based combat.

Boss battles are all located in these aerial stages. Angelus has access to two types of standard fire attacks: a free-aim blast that causes high damage, and homing bolts that can hit multiple targets but do less damage. Homing shots can be dodged or countered by some enemy types later in the game.

Angelus can also perform a special area-affecting magical attack that damages or kills multiple enemy units. She can be used to quickly traverse battle areas during primarily ground-based missions.

Players can summon Angelus during certain ground-based missions and play her in Strafe Mode. Controls are identical to ground-based combat.

Pressing the select button causes Caim to dismount Angelus. Caim and Angelus level up during combat in different ways: as Caim levels up, their shared health meter grows, while Angelus' leveling increases the damage her attacks do to enemy units.Players can navigate the game world and select missions via a accessed between levels. While playing, a mini-map allows the player to see enemy locations, and a full-screen map can be switched to that covers the entire area and shows mission objectives. Drakengard 's levels are called verses, and the verses are grouped across thirteen chapters.

Each level has a time limit of one hour for players to complete them. Normal levels are numbered, while additional levels are marked by Roman numerals. The game features five endings: the normal ending and four additional endings which are unlocked when certain conditions are met, such as completing optional chapters or obtaining powerful weapons. Main article:The music was composed by and Takayuki Aihara: the two used excerpts from pieces of classical music (selected by Aihara), then rearranged, remixed and layered them. Their main objective was to create music that emulated the gameplay, as well as the story and general narrative theme of 'madness'. The music was intended to be 'experimental' and 'expressionistic' rather than 'commercial'.

The theme song, 'Exhausted' ( 尽きる, Tsukiru), was composed by Sano, written by Natori and sung. The soundtrack was originally released in two volumes under the names Drag-On Dragoon Original Soundtrack Vol.1 and Drag-On Dragoon Original Soundtrack Vol.2, released on October 22 and November 21, 2003, respectively.

The soundtrack was re-released on April 20, 2011, as a two-disc set under the title Drag-On Dragoon Original Soundtrack. Reception ReceptionAggregate scoreAggregatorScore63/100Review scoresPublicationScore8/108/1029/407.5/107/107.9/106/10VideoGamer.com6/10Drakengard sold more than 122,000 units in its first week of release in Japan, taking 's place at the top of the sales charts. By the end of 2003, it had sold 241,014 copies. Gaming magazine ranked it as the 50th best-selling title of 2003, and sold well enough that it was made part of 's Ultimate Hits series, re-releases of popular titles. Its strong sales were attributed by the team to its cinematic story and similarity to the popular Dynasty Warriors series. In Europe, the game sold 110,000 units by November 2004.According to, Drakengard received favorable reviews in Japan. Famitsu gave it an overall score of 29/40.

After the game's reveal at E3, multiple video game publications, including, and, praised its promising story and mixture of gameplay genres. The game received 'average' reviews, according to video game.The story received the highest amount of praise. IGN's Jeremy Dunham called it the game's 'biggest strength', praising the edgy themes explored and the balance between fantasy and realism. He also praised the multiple parallels with Neon Genesis Evangelion. The reviewer for (CVG) praised 'the maturity and wit of the dialogue and unfolding plot', noting that they stood alongside other Square Enix RPGs of the time.

VideoGamer.com's Adam Jarvis praised the game's storytelling style, saying that while it became 'a little bogged down at various points, it is deep enough to keep your interest throughout the game.' GameSpot's said that 'though the story itself is awkwardly paced and is sometimes difficult to keep up with, it becomes one of the main motivating factors for wanting to get all the way through to the end of the game.' The graphics received mixed responses. Kasavin said the game 'looks decent but, ultimately, not all that good'.

He criticized the bland environments and awkward movements for enemy units and the playable character, but praised the design of the dragon. Game Informer was more positive, praising the graphical detail and cutscenes and the look of enemy units, despite finding pop-up issues and framerate dips. Jarvis praised the design of the main cast, but cited the repetitive enemy design and dark environments as detracting elements. Dunham praised the character and monster designs as well as the full-motion cutscenes, but was less impressed by the repetitive human enemy designs, bland environments and low. The full-motion videos were also praised by the CVG reviewer.Reaction to the sound design was mixed to positive. Dunham praised the majority of the British-style voice acting, but called the music 'disappointing'. Game Informer cited the low number of background tracks and voice acting 'straight out of a renaissance festival' as poorer parts of the game.

Kasavin praised the voice acting and called the music 'the most nerve-racking and most intense aspect of the game.' Jarvis was also positive, praising the sound design for battles, most of the voice acting and the music, which 'helped create a suitably dark atmosphere.' Reception of the gameplay was mixed to negative, with Dunham saying it suffered the same problems as its derivative games despite its easy entertainment value, while Jarvis called the options in gameplay 'fairly limited'. The CVG reviewer praised the aerial segments of gameplay, calling them the most entertaining, and found that the standard combat served to embellish the protagonist's 'kick-ass persona, making him more than just another anonymous dragon rider'. The main criticism was repetition in the gameplay. Kasavin was exceptionally critical, saying that the gameplay both made the process of playing laborious and detracted from the main story.

Game Informer called the gameplay 'fun, but lacking any semblance of depth.' See also:, andDrakengard received two novelizations by Emi Nagashima (writing as Jun Eishima) and Takashi Aizawa. The game's events were retold again in a special story titled Drakengard 1.3, which followed on from the spin-off manga Drag-On Dragoon: Shi ni Itaru Aka. In March 2014, Hardcore Gamer's Jahanzeb Khan favorably referred to the game as a precursor to the of the book series in its handling of taboo themes and violence. The game was considered successful enough in Japan by Square Enix that a sequel was commissioned.

Was again produced by Shiba, but Yoko was replaced as director by Akira Yasui, resulting in numerous thematic changes. Originally set following the first ending of Drakengard, it was later into an isolated timeline. A prequel, was released in 2013, with multiple staff members returning to their original roles.An attempt to create another title in the series resulted in the spin-off, which retains links and themes from the main series. Nier takes place over a thousand years after the events of Drakengard 's fifth ending. When Cavia was absorbed by after Nier 's release, a future attempt by Shiba to continue the series was unsuccessful. A sequel, was developed by in collaboration with previous Nier staff and released in 2017, taking place after Nier's fourth ending.

^ Calvert, Justin (2004-07-08). Retrieved 2014-07-13. Archived from on May 12, 2008. ^ 'All Square with Vodafone'.

United Kingdom: (22): 18. August 2004. ^ Jarvis, Adam (2004-08-20). Archived from on 2014-03-26.

Retrieved 2014-01-04. ^ Dunham, Jeremy (2004-01-22).

Retrieved 2013-11-14. ^ Gamespot staff (2004-01-21). Retrieved 2014-03-26. ^ Kasavin, Greg (2004-02-23).

From the original on 2014-03-26. Retrieved 2013-11-14. ^ Henges, Elizabeth (2014-01-26). Retrieved 2014-03-26. ^ ドラッグオンドラグーン公式ガイドブックコンプリートエディション Drag-On Dragoon Official Guide Book - Complete Edition (in Japanese). 2003-10-24. ドラッグオンドラグーン公式ガイドブックコンプリートエディション Drag-On Dragoon Official Guide Book - Complete Edition (in Japanese).

From the original on 2015-07-11. Retrieved 2016-03-11.

(2004-03-02). Scene: Verse 3. Level/area: Chapter 1.

Caim: A dragon!. / Angelus: Kill me if you desire.

But you can never dirty my soul, wretched human. / Caim: Tell me: do you still want to live, dragon? / Angelus: What?

/ Caim: A pact! There's no other way!

/ Angelus: Hmph. What makes you worthy of a pact with me? / Caim: Worthy or not, I wish to live.

Despise me if you will, but I shall not die! Death?!. (2004-03-02). Scene: Verse 5. Level/area: Chapter 1.

Caim: exhales Your answer. / Angelus: A pact, or death. We are united by our need to live. / Caim: Well.? / Angelus: Yes.

A pact. (2004-03-02). Scene: Verse 7.

Level/area: Chapter 5. Text: As the fire falls from the sky, Imperial soldiers rise one by one from the dead, like demons of the underworld. (2003-10-11). Drag-On Dragoon (in Japanese). Level/area: Leonard's Regret. (2003-10-11).

Drag-On Dragoon (in Japanese). Level/area: Arioch's Madness. (2003-10-11). Drag-On Dragoon (in Japanese). Scene: Verse 2-3.

Level/area: Chapter 11. (2004-03-02). Scene: Verse 3. Level/area: Seere's Prayer. Seere: Mother used to hit my sister Manah a lot. But only Manah.

Mother never hit me. She saved all her anger for Manah instead. / Leonard: Seere, you must not blame yourself so harshly. (2004-03-02). Scene: Verse 8. Level/area: Chapter 8. Manah: Kill me, kill me.

I don't mind! Kill me, please! / Angelus: Caim shall never forgive you. You will not die so easily. You will be despised by every soul in this world. Unforgiven for all eternity. You will suffer under the unbearable weight of your crimes.

You are beyond hope. (2004-03-02). Scene: Verse 9. Level/area: Chapter 8. Angelus: I have never. Seen you weep before.

There is but one thing I wish for you to remember. My name is Angelus. Caim looks away, a single tear running down his cheek. / Angelus: You are the first. And the last of your kind. To know my name.

Farewell, fool human. (2004-03-02). Scene: Verse 6. Level/area: Chapter 9. Text: Caim stands alone, holding the remains of Furiae in his arms. One after another her sisters rise into the sky, their hideous screams heralding the end of mankind. (2004-03-02).

Scene: Verse V. Level/area: Chapter 9. Angelus: My brethren devoured her.

A human priestess' untruths cannot warp a dragon's mind. (2004-03-02). Scene: Verse VII.

Level/area: Chapter 9. Text: The struggle is won, the dragon's blood is spilled.

Outside the temple, a million dragons howl as they rise to begin the annihilation of mankind. With battle-lust shining in his eyes, Caim runs into the light. (2004-03-02).

Scene: Verse V. Level/area: Chapter 11. Text: In the collapsing fortress, Inuart clutches Furiae in his arms, and together they vanish in a blaze of blinding light. (2004-03-02). Scene: Verse 10.

Level/area: Chapter 12. Text: Within the eternity, Seere begs his sister's forgiveness.

And then time. Is stopped.

(2004-03-02). Scene: Verse 4.

Level/area: Chapter 13. Text: The battle that crossed space and time is won, the awesome enemy defeated at last. But the blood of the heroes who saved the world paints the tower red. ^ Sato (2013-05-16). Retrieved 2013-11-11.

(2014-03-04). Retrieved 2014-03-09. ^ Dunham, Jeremy (2003-05-23). From the original on 2014-02-25. Retrieved 2013-08-24.

^. From the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-12-12. Dunham, Jeremy (2004-01-14). Retrieved 2007-07-30. Hawkins, Matt (2013-10-09). Retrieved 2013-11-11.

^. From the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-03-20. (in Japanese). From the original on 2016-08-09. Retrieved 2016-10-01.

(in Japanese). Studio Anima. Archived from on 2009-07-29. Retrieved 2019-04-06.

Corriea, Alexa Ray (2015-06-16). From the original on 2015-06-17. Retrieved 2015-06-17. (in Japanese). October 28, 2017. From the original on May 11, 2019. Retrieved February 9, 2020.

Shoemaker, Brian (2003-05-14). From the original on 2014-04-10. Retrieved 2014-04-10. Hawkins, Matt (2013-10-13). From the original on 2013-12-18.

Retrieved 2013-12-10. Perry, Douglas C. Retrieved 2014-03-26. From the original on 2013-07-21. Retrieved 2013-06-17.

^. From the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2013-11-11. Spencer (2014-05-29). From the original on 2014-05-29.

Retrieved 2014-05-29. From the original on 2016-03-04.

Retrieved 2014-02-28. IGNPS2 Staff (2003-07-24). Retrieved 2007-07-30. (2013-05-04). Taro Yoko Blog.

From the original on 2013-11-17. Retrieved 2016-03-10. ^. From the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-11-07. ^. From the original on 2015-03-17.

Retrieved 2014-11-07. ^.

Retrieved 2014-03-09. Retrieved 2017-10-08. From the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-11-07. ^. From the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-01-05.

ドラッグオンドラグーン2 設定資料集 Drag-On Dragoon 2: Memory of Blood (in Japanese). 2005-08-05. Schweitzer, Ben. Square Enix Music. Archived from on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-02-15.

Square Enix Music. Archived from on 2014-03-01. Retrieved 2014-03-01. Retrieved 2008-07-07. Retrieved 2008-07-07. Square Enix e-Store.

Archived from on 2014-03-01. Retrieved 2014-03-01.

^. From the original on 2013-03-16. Retrieved 2013-01-06. ^ CVG Staff (2004-06-14). Archived from on 2014-03-26. Retrieved 2014-03-26.

^ Dunham, Jeremy (2004-02-13). Retrieved 2013-11-14. ^ Winkler, Chris (2003-09-03).

From the original on 2013-10-01. Retrieved 2014-05-03.

^. Archived from on 2004-04-14. Retrieved 2013-11-14. 'Drag-On Dragoon'. December 2003. 'Drakengard'.

May 2004. IGN Staff (2003-09-22).

Retrieved 2007-07-30. Geimin.net (in Japanese). Archived from on 2014-10-09. Retrieved 2009-08-08. IGN Staff (2004-01-14). Retrieved 2014-05-03. Retrieved 2013-12-15.

From the original on 2014-04-10. Retrieved 2014-04-10. Eishima, Jun (November 28, 2003). Drag-On Dragoon: Side Story (in Japanese). Tokyo: Square Enix. Aizawa, Takashi (January 23, 2004). Drag-On Dragoon: Magnitude 'Negative' (in Japanese).

Tokyo: Enterbrain. Retrieved 2014-04-13. Retrieved 2014-04-13. Khan, Jahanzeb (2014-04-27). Hardcore Gamer. From the original on 2014-04-27. Retrieved 2014-04-27.

Gantayat, Anoop (2004-12-15). Retrieved 2014-01-04. Retrieved 2013-12-13. ドラッグオンドラグーン3 設定資料集＋ザ・コンプリートガイド Drag-On Dragoon 3 The Complete Guide + Settings (in Japanese).

Pp. 180–181. Torres, Ricardo (2005-06-20). Retrieved 2014-02-23.

Phillips, Tom (2013-03-04). Retrieved 2013-10-09. Retrieved 2013-12-12. Pitcher, Jenna (August 22, 2013). Retrieved 2013-08-22. Sato (2013-05-05).

Retrieved 2013-10-09. Retrieved 2013-12-10. (in Japanese). From the original on 2015-06-19.

Retrieved 2015-06-19. Romano, Sal (2016-09-16). From the original on 2016-11-10. Retrieved 2016-12-03. Vitale, Adam (2016-12-03). From the original on 2016-12-04.

Retrieved 2016-12-04.External links Wikiquote has quotations related to:. on.

. Takamasa Shiba. Takuya IwasakiPlatform(s),First releaseSeptember 11, 2003Latest releaseFebruary 23, 2017Drakengard, known in Japan as Drag-On Dragoon, is a series of. The in the series was released in 2003 on the, and has since been followed by a sequel, a prequel, and a spin-off. It was conceived by Takamasa Shiba and Takuya Iwasaki as a gameplay hybrid between. The story was created by Shiba, Iwasaki, and Sawako Natori, who were influenced by European folklore and popular anime series and movies of the day. Shiba, Yoko, and Sawako have had involvement in every entry of the series since its debut.The setting of the main series is a -style world where humans and creatures from myth and legends live side by side, while the spin-off game is set in an alternative reality leading from one of the first game's possible endings.

The stories generally focus on the fortunes and personalities of a small group of protagonists either directly or indirectly connected to and affected by the events of the story. Dark or mature plot and character themes and have become a staple of the series. Their popularity in Japan has resulted in multiple adaptations and additional media in the form of novelizations and manga.The series is considered popular in Japan, having sold well and gained a cult following, though it appears to be a niche series in Western territories.

The main games have become noted for their dark storylines and mixture of ground-based and aerial combat, while stood out because of its mixture of gameplay styles. The series has received mixed to positive reception in both Japan and the West: the majority of praise has been given to its story, characters and music, while the gameplay has come in for criticisms for being repetitive or poorly designed. Contents.Games., the first installment in the franchise. It released for the (PS2) in September 2003 in Japan, March and May 2004 in North America and Europe respectively.

Published the title in Japan and North America, while published it in European territories. A Europe-exclusive mobile port was released in August 2004. The mobile version was co-developed and co-published with., the second installment in the series and direct sequel to the first game. It released on the PS2 in June 2005 in Japan, February 2006 in North America and March of the same year in Europe and Australia. For its release in western territories, Square Enix partnered with European game developer and publisher.

Ubisoft also handled the game's localization., a spin-off from the main series. Nier was released on the (PS3) and (as Nier Replicant in Japan PS3 only, and Nier and Nier Gestalt in Japan, North America and Europe) in April 2010 across all regions. It was published by Square Enix across all regions., the third main installment in the series and a prequel to the first game. It released on the PS3 in December 2013 in Japan and May 2014 in North America and Europe. Like Nier, it was published in all regions by Square Enix., a distant sequel to Nier, set in the same universe but thousands of years in the future. It was released for and in March 2017, and for in June 2018.Development History.

The original Japanese series logoThe idea for Drakengard originated in 1999 between Takamasa Shiba and Takuya Iwasaki. The gameplay was conceived as a blend of elements from. The team developing the game went under the moniker 'Project Dragonsphere'. The team was joined by director, who was the main drive behind the game's dark atmosphere. It was Shiba's first project as a producer. As Yoko was told there would not be a sequel, multiple endings were created.

When it was localized and released in the west, references to things such as sexual taboos were censored. In addition, the title was changed, as Drag-On Dragoon was considered wrong for a western audience. Drakengard was considered enough of a success that a sequel was commissioned. Multiple staff members returned for the creation of the second game, although Yoko was mostly tied up with other projects and was replaced as director by Akira Yasui. Yoko still had a role in development, and he and Yasui had creative clashes during development. Yasui ended up making Drakengard 2 the thematic opposite of the previous game, employing a lighter tone and broader color palette.Nier originated when Yoko and Shiba teamed up to create a third Drakengard game. As the project continued, it became more detached from the main continuity and eventually developed into an entirely new spin-off.

Despite what it became, Yoko has stated that he considers Nier to be the true Drakengard 3. It was the last game developed by Cavia. After its release, Cavia closed down and was absorbed by, then Yoko Taro left to pursue a wider range of projects. A stalled attempt to begin production of further games in the series at was blamed by Shiba on a prevalent trend at the time for light-weight games for the general gaming community. Later, Yoko and Shiba came together again to create a proper second sequel to Drakengard, with the intention of creating a hard core RPG for the fanbase. Unlike the previous games in the series, Drakengard 3 was developed by, a developer whose noted games included, and brought in team members used to create action games.

During the run-up to Drakengard 3 's release, both Yoko and Shiba expressed their willingness to continue the series on the if the latest game was enough of a success. Speaking in 2014 after the game's release, Yoko stated that the series was on hold due to lack of funds. A new Nier game was revealed to be in development at Square Enix. Writing and character design. Artwork by regular series artist Kimihiko Fujisaka, featuring Caim and Angelus ( Drakengard), Nowe and Legna ( Drakengard 2), Zero and Mikhail ( Drakengard 3) and the Replicant version of Nier and Grimoire Weiss ( Nier).The stories of the original game's characters were written by Yoko, Shiba and Iwasaki, while the main game script was written by Sawako Natori, who would go on to co-write the main scenarios for future Drakengard games. Yoko designed the darker elements to both contrast and actively compete with the likes of. Yoko conceived the 'insane' characters around the premise that people who killed hundreds of people in pursuit of their goals and took satisfaction from it were naturally insane.

During the production of Nier, his focus changed to writing a story where everyone believed they were in the right whatever their actions. Through the series, Yoko has also been attempting to answer the question of why people are driven to kill.

Although some of the dark narrative themes were kept for Drakengard 2, many of the other narrative elements were made more mainstream. Drakengard 3 was intended to return to a dark aesthetic, but also to include moments of humor and tie in with Nier.The character designer for the Drakengard games is Kimihiko Fujisaka. Initially a minor staff member at Cavia, the team were impressed by his skill as an amateur artist and he was recommended for the post of character designer for the game. The designs for both the characters and the world were influenced by armor and clothing of.

He returned in the same capacity for Drakengard 2, and later for Nier. Disliking some of his initial designs for Drakengard, he took the opportunity to remodel them more to his liking for the arcade game. In Drakengard 3, Fujisaka designed the protagonist around the dark themes of the game, although some unusual elements were nearly cut. The other female characters were inspired by Puella Magi Madoka Magica, while the male characters, considered a low priority, were designed around male archetypes and approved quickly.The character designs for Nier were handled by an artist under the moniker D.K. For Nier 's international release, the protagonist was redesigned from a teenager to an adult character. This was because the publishers felt an older character would appeal more to western players. For Nier: Automata, the main character designs were handled by, an artist noted for his work on the Final Fantasy series.

While he was initially expected to refuse, he agreed as several staff members at his company CyDesignation were fans of Nier. For his designs, Yoko requested he focus on smooth outlines and black coloring.

Other characters were designed by Yuya Nagai and Toshiyuki Itahana. Main article:The first game's soundtrack was created by and Takayuki Aihara. The two created the score using samples from well-known classical composers. The second game's soundtrack was composed by Ryoki Matsumoto and Aoi Yoshiki, who had never before been involved with video game soundtracks. The game's Japanese theme song, was sung. The music for Nier was composed by Keiichi Okabe, who composed the soundtrack as something different from the main series, and to directly reflect the sombre tone of the game's setting and story. Singer Emi Evans (Emiko Rebecca Evans) wrote and sung the vocal tracks, and performed many tracks in an invented language dubbed 'Chaos Language'.

'Chaos Language' is less a language and more a writing style, as each individual song has a different language based on a real-world language. The one exception to this is 'Song Of The Ancients' which is sung in a language based upon multiple different languages, instead of a single language. Okabe returned to compose the soundtrack for Drakengard 3: in an interview, he stated that, in composing the music, he tried to emulate the work of the earlier composer without imitating them. He also commented that the result was very unlike the traditional Square Enix game. The game features two theme songs: 'Black Song', performed by, and 'This Silence is Mine', the game's theme song proper, written and sung. Okabe is again providing the music for Nier: Automata, with singer Emi Evans also returning. Common elements Setting.

Midgard, the setting of the main Drakengard games, as it appears in Drakengard 3. The world has been described by as 'a warped version of medieval Europe'.The Drakengard games take place in a dark fantasy version of called Midgard. Humans appear to be the predominant species, although races such as, and are shown to exist.

The setting, mythos, and landscape borrow extensively from the lore of. The world is overseen by a group of unnamed gods who have yet to make a personal appearance. The gods are served by beings known as the Watchers, entities created to destroy humanity because they are considered a failure. The Watchers are kept from entering the world with the seals, which act to keep the world in balance: should the seals be destroyed, the Watchers would enter the world and destroy humanity.

At the core of the seals is the Goddess of the Seal, a mortal virgin female chosen and branded with the final seal: if all the seals are destroyed, all that stands between the Watchers and the world is the death of the Goddess herself. A core element of the Drakengard universe is the ability for humans and beasts to form a Pact, a magical bond which links their souls and grants the human partner great power at the cost of some physical ability or personal trait (their voice, singing abilities, etc.). Pacts are normally entered into by beasts so they can feed off negative emotions, but sometimes they will enter a pact for other reasons.

A recurring element across the series is the representation of magic using the, with a common letter arrangement representing the human gene.The universe of the Drakengard series is split between multiple timelines. Events in those timelines are separate, but they can overlap. The core timeline is formed from Drakengard and its sequel.

Drakengard 3 acts as the first game's prequel, but most of its events take place in separate timelines leading to different outcomes. In Drakengard 3, a malevolent flower uses servants called the Intoners, women gifted with the power to use magic through song, as instruments of humanity's destruction. In Drakengard, which succeeds the fifth version of Drakengard 3 's events detailed in a supplementary novel, the Watchers use a group known as the Cult of Watchers to spark a religious war and destroy the seals. In Drakengard 2, the Watchers continue to use the former head of the cult to destroy the new seals, while the dragons prepare to usurp the gods and rule over the world. Nier is set in an alternative reality created by events stemming from Drakengard 's fifth ending: in this reality, our modern world was decimated by a plague created by the magical beings who came through the portal, bringing humanity to the brink of extinction. Nier: Automata takes place after the fourth ending of Nier, featuring appearances and mentions of characters from both Nier and the Drakengard games.

Gameplay The Drakengard games feature a mix of action-based hack-and-slash combat during ground-based battles and aerial combat mixed in with RPG leveling mechanics. In the original, the player guides the characters around ground-based battles to combat small groups of enemy units. In aerial combat, the player takes control of the protagonist's dragon partner. In these situations, the dragon can either lock onto a target and unleash a barrage of small fireballs, or the player can manually aim and fire large bursts of flame, which do more damage but do not home in on a target. Basic gameplay changed little for Drakengard 2, but there are some differences and additions, such as weapon types being tied to the character they are associated with, with changing them also swapping the character. The dragon gameplay remained virtually unchanged, apart from the ability, during air-ground missions, for the dragon to swoop down on a group of enemies in a special attack depicted in a short cutscene.In Nier and Drakengard 3, the player controls the main protagonist with two other characters acting as AI-controlled supports.

Drakengard 3 was designed to be a faster experience than the previous games, with the protagonist being given a special hyper-mode and the ability to freely switch between weapons without pausing the action. Aerial gameplay was also changed, with the dragon now capable of ground combat.

Nier, while featuring similar hack-and-slash combat, also includes other gameplay types such as a top-down view for puzzle areas, 2D style areas for buildings or similar structures. Side-quests were also added, which often involved fetch quests, fishing and farming. Themes and influences One of the running narrative themes for the main series is Immorality, which also became the key character theme and was expressed through their personalities and actions. The second game also focused on themes of war and death.

The theme for the world of Drakengard 3, as described by composer Keiichi Okabe, is 'the sense of contrast'. Multiple anime series have influenced the series' characters over the years, including,. The series writer, Sawako Natori, drew inspiration for her writing from. The original game world was designed around and myths, together with Japanese-style. The team for the original game were influenced by Asian epic movies and western action-adventure films such as the 1999 remake of.

While developing Nier, the team drew inspiration from the series, while the narrative structure was inspired by the and the. The central theme of Nier: Automata is struggling out of a bad situation, defined by the game's staff using the Japanese word 'agaku'. Related media The games received multiple adaptations and additional story content in the form of novelizations, and supplementary material. The first game received two novelizations: Drag-On Dragoon: Side Story on November 28, 2003, and Drag-On Dragoon: Magnitude 'Negative' on January 23, 2004. The first book was written by Emi Nagashima, writing under her pen name of Jun Eishima, and the second by Takashi Aizawa. The novelization of Drakengard 2, written again by Nagashima, was released on September 30, 2005.Nagashima wrote character stories and manga for Drakengard 3 leading up to that game's release.

The manga was Drag-On Dragoon: Utahime Five, a prequel following the game's main antagonists, and Drag-On Dragoon: Shi ni Itaru Aka, which acts as a sequel, although for Branch A, as it along with Branches B, C, D, and E lead to alternative timelines. A book detailing the narrative connection between Drakengard 3 and Drakengard, titled Drag-On Dragoon 3 Story Side, which serves as the fifth branch similar to the events of B and D, narrated by Brother One, was released on 28 August 2014.

Drag-On Dragoon 3 Complete Guide + Setting, a complete guide to the game with extra features explaining the game chronology and a novella set after the events of Shi ni Itaru Aka, was published by in 2014.Nier was expanded after release with a CD drama which told of events immediately after the events of Drakengard 's fifth ending, and a supplementary book titled Grimoire Nier containing extra stories and concept art alongside a fifth ending for the game. Square Enix also paired up with to create a digital comic, which detailed the backstories of the game's characters and world.The Japanese girl band Yorha performed on the Drakengard 3 soundtrack, and in 2015 performed a stage production written by that is directly related to the plot of. The band's fictional backstory places them as military androids similar to the playable characters in the Nier: Automata game. Reception Aggregate review scoresGame63/100 (PS2)58/100 (PS2)68/100 (PS3)67/100 (X360)61/100 (PS3)88/100 (PS4)84/100 (PC)90/100 (XOne)The Drakengard series has received mixed to positive reviews over the years. So far, the original Drakengard has received the most positive response of the main series games. Drakengard 2 and Drakengard 3 have received lower scores.

Each title in the series has received favorable review scores from Japanese gaming magazine.The common point of praise for the series through most of its life has been the story. While individual aspects have come in for criticism, the dark atmospheres, unconventional characters and general scenarios have been cited as one of each game's strengths. Despite some mixed feelings from reviewers either for the story as a whole or certain aspects of it, the characters and plot of Drakengard 3 have also been praised. The major exception is Drakengard 2: the story's lighter tone and more traditional narrative were noted and sometimes criticized for being overly simplistic or too similar to other games in the genre. The Drakengard characters have remained popular in Japan, with Dengeki holding a popularity contest for those characters to celebrate the series' tenth anniversary and the announcement of Drakengard 3. Among the most popular characters were the first game's main protagonists, Caim and Angelus (the former having earned the nickname Prince ( 王子, ouji) among fans). The characters of Drakengard 3 have also proved to be highly popular.The gameplay has so far come in for major criticism, with the original title's aerial and ground-based gameplay being seen as repetitive and dull, although some reviewers found it entertaining.

Drakengard 2 also came in for such criticism, although minor improvements were cited. In contrast, the gameplay of Drakengard 3 was generally praised or seen as an improvement upon the previous two entries, though the dragon-riding segments came in for criticisms for difficult controls. Opinions were divided on Nier 's unconventional mix of gameplay styles from multiple game genres, with some praising the variety and others seeing it as poorly executed. The series as a whole has gained a cult following in Japan.Each game has sold relatively well in its home market. The original game was a commercial success, selling over 120,000 units in the first week of release and eventually selling over 240,000 copies in Japan.

Drakengard 2 's first-week sales were similarly impressive, selling 100,000 units. It sold over 203,000 copies by the end of 2005. Drakengard 3 sold just over 15,000 units in its first week, and over 150,000 units by May 2014. The two versions of Nier— Gestalt and Replicant—sold roughly 12,500 and 60,000 copies in their first week respectively. Replicant eventually sold over 121,000 in Japan by the end of May 2010. The series has sold over 770,000 units in Japan as of May 2014.

Sales figures for western regions are unavailable. The first two games in the main series have both been included in 's series, re-releases of popular titles developed or published by them. As of 2018, the two versions of Nier sold about 700,000 copies worldwide.Nier: Automata became a worldwide success, shipping over 4 million copies by June 2019, becoming the best-selling title in the franchise.

See also.Notes. ^ Calvert, Justin (2004-07-08). Retrieved 2014-07-13. ^ Perry, Douglas C. Retrieved 2014-03-26. ^. From the original on 2013-12-11.

Retrieved 2013-12-11. Archived from on May 12, 2008. 'All Square with Vodafone'. United Kingdom: (22): 18. August 2004. Torres, Ricardo (2005-06-20).

Retrieved 2014-02-23. Jastrzab, Jeremy (2006-02-27). Archived from on 2012-07-17. Retrieved 2008-07-10.

Thew, Geoff (2014-03-26). Hardcore Gamer.

From the original on 2014-04-04. Retrieved 2014-04-26. Ng, Keane (2009-05-29). From the original on 2009-06-08. Retrieved 2009-06-03. Sahdev, Ishaan (2014-02-05). Retrieved 2014-02-08.

Karmali, Luke (2014-02-05). Retrieved 2014-02-05. Romano, Sal (2013-03-12). Retrieved 2013-10-09.

^ (in Japanese). From the original on 2015-06-19. Retrieved 2015-06-19.

Romano, Sal (August 17, 2016). From the original on August 17, 2016.

Retrieved August 17, 2016. Vitale, Adam (December 3, 2016). From the original on December 4, 2016.

Retrieved December 4, 2016. Yin-Poole, Wesley. Retrieved June 10, 2018. ^ Sato (2013-05-16). Retrieved 2013-11-11. ^ (2014-03-04). Retrieved 2014-03-09.

^ Dunham, Jeremy (2003-05-23). Retrieved 2013-08-24. Yin, Spencer (2014-05-29). From the original on 2014-05-29.

Retrieved 2014-05-29. ^ Hawkins, Matt (2013-10-13).

From the original on 2013-12-18. Retrieved 2013-12-10. ^ Eurogamer staff (2004-04-19). Retrieved 2013-12-12. Gantayat, Anoop (2004-12-17).

Retrieved 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2014-03-09. ^. Retrieved 2013-11-11. ^ Sato (2013-04-05). Retrieved 2013-10-09.

^ Quillen, Dustin (2010-07-13). Archived from on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-07-13. Gantayat, Anoop (2010-11-04). Retrieved 2013-11-14. Retrieved 2013-12-10. Agnello, Anthony John (2013-10-24).

Ditigal Trends. Retrieved 2013-10-25. Phillips, Tom (2013-03-14). Retrieved 2013-10-09. ^ Ashcraft, Brian (2014-01-06). Retrieved 2014-05-25.

Michael, McWhertor (2015-06-16). From the original on 2015-06-16.

Retrieved 2015-06-16. Cook, Dave (2013-06-27). From the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-03-23. ^.

Retrieved 2013-12-12. Retrieved 2014-02-28. (2006-07-10). Drakengard 2. Scene: Credits. Corriae, Alexa Ray (2014-05-20). Retrieved 2014-05-21.

^. Retrieved 2013-12-13. Yoon, Andrew (2013-10-18). Retrieved 2013-11-11.

Game Watch Impress. From the original on 2017-03-22. Retrieved 2020-02-08.

Yin, Spencer (2010-05-20). Retrieved 2012-03-15. (in Japanese). Inside Games. From the original on 2011-07-13.

Retrieved 2011-07-12. Romano, Sal (2015-06-18). From the original on 2015-06-18. Retrieved 2015-06-18. Ales, John (November 22, 2016).

From the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016. (in Japanese). February 20, 2017.

From the original on February 20, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2017. Schweitzer, Ben. Square Enix Music. Archived from on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-02-15. Schweitzer, Ben.

Square Enix Music. Archived from on 2013-12-10. Retrieved 2014-02-15. Dunham, Jeremy (2005-03-21). Retrieved 2014-01-04. ^.

From the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-07-09. Napolitano, Jayson (2010-05-04). Original Sound Version. From the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-07-09.

Gifford, Kevin (2013-07-17). Retrieved 2013-10-09. Sahdev, Ishaan (2013-07-01). Retrieved 2013-10-09. Onitsuka Chihiro is in charge of 'Drag-On Dragoon 3' theme song 'This Silence Is Mine'. Latest PV contains profound scenes such as a blood-covered Five. Retrieved 2013-12-10.

^ Ciolek, Todd (2014-05-22). Retrieved 2014-05-23. ^ Drag-On Dragoon Official Guide Book (in Japanese). Tokyo: Square Enix. Retrieved 2014-03-20. From the original on 2014-08-13.

Retrieved 2015-06-21. ドラッグオンドラグーン3 設定資料集＋ザ・コンプリートガイド Drag-On Dragoon 3 The Complete Guide + Settings (in Japanese). Tokyo: ASCII Media Works. Pp. 180–181. Nagashima, Emi (2014-08-28). Emi Nagashima Blog. From the original on 2014-11-01.

Retrieved 2014-11-01. Drag-On Dragoon Official Guide Book (in Japanese).

Tokyo: Square Enix. Retrieved 2014-03-16. Dunham, Jeremy (2004-01-22).

Retrieved 2013-11-14. Gantayat, Anoop (2005-07-07).

Retrieved 2013-10-17. Chris Roper (January 30, 2006). Retrieved 2013-10-17. ^ Cunnginham, Becky (2014-05-20). Retrieved 2014-05-20. den Ouden, Adriaan. Archived from on 2011-07-13.

Retrieved 2011-07-12. Sato (2013-07-22). Retrieved 2013-10-09. Romano, Sal (2013-10-06).

Retrieved 2013-10-09. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (2010-03-17). From the original on 2011-07-13.

Retrieved 2011-07-12. Sahdev, Ishaan (2014-05-06). From the original on 2014-05-08. Retrieved 2014-05-08. ^ Grimoire Nier: The Complete Guide (in Japanese). Tokyo: ASCII Media Works.

May 28, 2010. Ward, Robert (2014-03-20). Retrieved 2014-03-20. Sullivan, Meghan (2015-06-19). From the original on 2015-06-20. Retrieved 2015-06-21.

Eishima, Jun (November 28, 2003). Drag-On Dragoon: Side Story (in Japanese). Tokyo: Square Enix. Aizawa, Takashi (January 23, 2004). Drag-On Dragoon: Magnitude 'Negative' (in Japanese). Tokyo: Enterbrain. Eishima, Jun (September 30, 2005).

Drag-On Dragoon 2: Sealed Red, Immoral Black (in Japanese). Tokyo: Square Enix. Nagashima, Emi (2013-04-27). Emi Nagashima Blog. Retrieved 2014-03-16. Square Enix e-Store. From the original on 2014-07-26.

Retrieved 2014-07-26. Retrieved 2014-04-30. Retrieved 2014-03-16.

Sahdev, Ishaan (2010-03-17). Retrieved 2014-03-25., dearstage.co.jp (in Japanese), archived from on 13 April 2017, retrieved 9 Dec 2016. Priestman, Chris (29 Oct 2015), killscreen.com.

^. From the original on 2013-03-16. Retrieved 2013-11-14. ^. From the original on 2014-03-24. Retrieved 2013-11-14. From the original on 2011-07-13.

Retrieved 2011-07-12. From the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-07-12. ^. From the original on 2014-07-01. Retrieved 2014-05-20. Retrieved 3 August 2019.

Retrieved 3 August 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2019. From the original on 2013-10-25. Retrieved 2013-11-14.

From the original on 2013-10-25. Retrieved 2013-11-14. From the original on 2014-07-01. Retrieved 2014-05-20. Winkler, Chris (2003-09-03). From the original on 2013-10-01. Retrieved 2014-05-03.

Drag-On Dragoon 2: Sealed Red, Immoral Black. From the original on 2013-09-20. Retrieved 2014-05-03. Romano, Sal (2013-12-10). Retrieved 2013-12-10. Gifford, Kevin (2010-04-14).

Archived from on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-07-13. ^ Dunham, Jeremy (2004-02-13). Retrieved 2013-11-14. ^ CVG Staff (2004-06-14). Archived from on 2014-03-26. Retrieved 2014-03-26.

^ Kasavin, Greg (2004-02-23). From the original on 2014-03-26. Retrieved 2013-11-14. ^ Jarvis, Adam (2004-08-20). Archived from on 2014-03-26. Retrieved 2014-01-04.

^ VanOrd, Kevin (2010-05-03). From the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-07-12. ^ Dustin, Quillen (2010-05-06).

Archived from on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-07-12. ^ Schilling, Chris (2010-04-22). From the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-07-12. ^ Clements, Ryan (2010-05-11).

From the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-07-12. ^ Carter, Chris (2014-05-20). Retrieved 2014-05-20.

^ Wallace, Kimberley (2014-05-20). Archived from on 2017-08-27. Retrieved 2014-05-20. ^ Sullivan, Meghan (2014-05-20). Retrieved 2014-05-21. ^ Schilling, Chris (2014-05-29).

Retrieved 2014-05-29. ^ Kemps, Heidi (2014-05-27). Retrieved 2014-05-29. ^ De Meo, Francesco (2013-12-15).

Archived from on 2013-12-17. Retrieved 2013-12-16. ^ Lewis, Ed (2006-02-16). Retrieved 2013-11-14. ^ Mueller, Greg. Retrieved 2013-11-14. ^ Parkin, Simon (2006-03-13).

Retrieved 2013-11-14. ^ 1Up staff (2013-02-17). Archived from on 2013-12-11.

Rin Rin Rink: Son of the Satan Course. The Rin Rin Rink features long stretches of road that are rudely interrupted by narrow hairpin turns. Conquering Daytona USA 2001 is not going to be a. Three new tracks were also specially designed for this game ('Rin Rin Rink', 'Circuit Pixie' and 'Mermaid Lake'), and all of the tracks are playable normally, in reverse, mirrored, or in reverse-mirrored mode. The game's graphics were significantly updated from previous home installments of Daytona USA, more resembling the likes of Daytona USA 2. Daytona usa 2001 rin rin rink.

Retrieved 2013-12-11. Retrieved 2013-12-11.

Retrieved 2013-12-11. Retrieved 2014-02-28. IGN Staff (2003-09-22). Retrieved 2007-07-30. ^. Geimin.net (in Japanese). Archived from on 2014-12-28.

Retrieved 2009-08-08. ^ (in Japanese).

Archived from on 2014-10-09. Retrieved 2014-01-05.

Ishaan (2013-12-25). Retrieved 2013-01-09. ^. Retrieved 2014-06-08. ^ (in Japanese).

Unlimited Power PunchesGo to the Jukebox and press 'C' on sounds 1, 6, 17, 19, 1, 3, 3, 7, 6, 1. Comix zone cheat codes. Submitted by Syndish. View CreditsOn the Options screen hold A + B + C and press Start. Submitted by Syndish.

From the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-07-12. Graft, Kris (2010-04-30). From the original on 2010-11-10.