DragonSword: Awakening
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for DragonSword: Awakening
DragonSword: Awakening lands at a strange moment for the hobby, between console makers acting like the villain of the story and physical media getting phased out one release at a time. It’s genuinely nice to see something take a normally predatory genre, strip out the predatory part, and sell the rest for thirty dollars. It’s not without its seams.
But at the end of the day, it’s an amazing action RPG with beautiful visuals, creative quest design and a likeable cast of characters. And if you are willing to get past the grind and some repetitive aspects, you’ll find DragonSword: Awakening to be a true diamond in the rough.
DragonSword: Awakening is a prime example of how a radical change of direction can save a solid project from a saturated market that has lost its identity. Despite structural compromises inherited from the past and some artistic naivety, Hound13’s game manages to carve out its own niche in the genre thanks to an excellent structure that keeps players entertained for dozens of hours. In our opinion, this is a decidedly successful venture that will reward anyone looking for a thrilling action RPG packed with grinding and content.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Dragon Sword: Awakening is an open-world RPG that pushes QTEs and tag-team action to the limit. Exploration feels a bit repetitive, but the world is dense, while the outstanding combat and seamless design create a satisfying gameplay rhythm. With its classic fantasy charm and exceptional action, this is a game to watch.
Review in Korean | Read full review
DragonSword: Awakening offers a surprisingly generous package. It may not be the best action RPG you play in a year, but it is a very enjoyable one, and the fact that you can experience its character collection and progression systems without spending hundreds of dollars makes it stand out. If Hound 13 builds on this foundation rather than abandoning it, the next DragonSword could be something special.
DragonSword: Awakening is a pretty good open-world action RPG that uses the gacha formula without the genre's obvious drawbacks. While its gameplay elements and systems clash due to design flaws, its eye-catching visuals, interesting narrative, and great sound design certainly justify it as a full-fledged game. All in all, it’s a game that’s definitely worth it for the price it asks, but be sure to expect a bit of a grind in the form of gacha-like repetitive progression.
DragonSword: Awakening is a satisfying open-world action RPG held back by progression scaffolding left over from its free-to-play gacha past.
DragonSword: Awakening is not only impressive because of its combat or its generous progression system, but because all of its major features work together to respect the player’s time. The game rarely utilizes frustrating design choices to artificially slow down progression, whether you’re exploring the Open-World, trying out new party combinations, or facing increasingly difficult dungeons.
