Drakengard 3

Lore & Background

Drakengard 3 takes place roughly one hundred years before the events of the first Drakengard game, acting as a prequel to the first two games in the series. Despite being a prequel, it mostly follows separate timelines unrelated to the events of Drakengard. In earlier times, five mysterious figures called Intoners appeared and used their ability to utilize magic through song to defeat warlords and end conflict, becoming worshiped as deities and rulers of various regions. The source of the Intoners' power is an evil magical flower, and the main protagonist Zero wishes to destroy all those affected by its power, including herself and her sisters.

Reader's Guide

Drakengard 3 was created to cater for hardcore role-playing game audiences and was developed by the same team who created the original Drakengard and series spin-off Nier, including producer Takamasa Shiba, director Yoko Taro, and writer Sawako Natori. The music was composed by Keiichi Okabe, who also scored Nier. Unlike previous titles in the series, the team developed the game at Access Games due to the company's experience at developing action titles and the team's wish to address criticisms laid at the gameplay of previous Drakengard games. The game received mixed to positive reviews and sales in Japan and mixed reviews in the west. The ground-based gameplay and story were generally praised, while common criticisms included the dragon gameplay, graphics, and multiple technical issues. The game features hack-and-slash gameplay and aerial combat on a dragon, with the player controlling Zero during the entire campaign. Zero can switch between four weapon types: swords, spears, combat bracers, and chakrams, and can enter Intoner Mode for enhanced abilities. The story includes multiple branches caused by a group of singularities coming together, leading to alternate series of events.

Did You Know?

• Zero can switch between four weapon types without pausing the game.
• The game is narrated by an android named Accord, created by the 'old world' to monitor and document all timelines.
• Mikhail can enter Intoner Mode while Zero is mounted, magnifying the damage he can deal.

Development & Creative Vision

Drakengard 3 emerged from the same creative collective that had previously delivered the original Drakengard and the spin-off Nier, bringing together producer Takamasa Shiba, director Yoko Taro, and writer Sawako Natori under a shared vision for a more demanding role-playing experience. The project featured a soundtrack composed by Keiichi Okabe, who had already established a distinctive musical identity through his work on Nier. A notable strategic shift came in the choice of development studio: rather than returning to the team behind earlier entries, Square Enix entrusted Access Games with the production, citing the studio's proven expertise in action-oriented titles. This decision was explicitly motivated by a desire to rectify gameplay shortcomings that players had raised about prior Drakengard games. The result was a PlayStation 3 exclusive released in 2013, positioned as the third mainline installment and a narrative prequel to the series' opening chapter, crafted with the intention of appealing squarely to hardcore role-playing game audiences who craved deeper mechanical engagement.

Combat Systems & Mechanical Depth

Zero remains the sole player-controlled character throughout the entire campaign, typically flanked by up to two AI-driven companions. Ground combat revolves around chaining attacks into combos that progressively fill a Tension Gauge; once sufficient charge is accumulated, Zero can slip into Intoner Mode, a burst state granting rapid movement, amplified damage output, and complete invulnerability to incoming hits. The arsenal spans four distinct weapon categories—swords, spears, combat bracers, and chakrams—each capped at four levels and upgradeable through combat kills or purchased currency. Crucially, switching between these weapon types no longer requires pausing the action, a deliberate improvement over earlier entries. Sidequests embedded within standard levels impose specific ability restrictions, rewarding players with special items scaled to their kill count. Aerial segments split into rail-shooter sequences and free-roaming encounters where Mikhail, fully maneuverable in the sky, unleashes fire breath with multi-target lock-on, wing sweeps, and can himself enter Intoner Mode to multiply his destructive output.

Narrative Architecture & Character Ensemble

Set roughly a century before the first Drakengard, the narrative unfolds across largely independent timelines. In ancient times, five Intoners emerged to end a devastating warlord conflict, wielding magic channeled through song; they were deified and installed as regional rulers. Their power derives from a malevolent magical flower. Zero, the protagonist, was rescued from death only to be repurposed as an instrument of humanity's annihilation. Driven to eliminate every being touched by the flower's influence—including herself and her five sisters, spawned after her suicide attempt—she is branded a traitor by the Intoners and their followers. Mikhail, her dragon companion, serves as her aerial mount. The five sisters each govern a distinct domain: One leads the group, Two rules the Country of Sand with a cheerful disposition, Three commands the Country of Forest with an obsessive attachment to dolls, Four presides over the Country of Mountain as the group's only virgin, and Five dominates the Country of Sea, consumed by insatiable greed. Four former Intoner servants—Cent, Octa, Decadus, and Dito—join Zero's cause after their mistresses fall, each bringing a unique personality and the ability to summon angels or daemons.

Critical Reception & Market Performance

Upon its 2013 release, Drakengard 3 drew a divided critical response that varied noticeably between regions. In Japan, where the title was marketed under the name Drag-On Dragoon 3, reviews leaned toward the positive end of the spectrum, and sales reflected a moderately favorable reception. Western critics, by contrast, tended to land closer to the middle, offering a more tempered assessment. The ground-based hack-and-slash combat and the narrative structure received the most consistent praise, with reviewers highlighting the improved weapon-switching fluidity and the depth of Zero's story arc as standout elements. However, the aerial dragon segments drew the most pointed criticism, with many finding Mikhail's combat less satisfying than the foot-based action. Visual presentation and a persistent crop of technical issues—bugs and performance problems—further dented the overall impression. Despite these reservations, the game was recognized as a meaningful step forward for the series, particularly in how it addressed long-standing gameplay complaints from earlier entries while maintaining the franchise's signature blend of brutal melee and soaring dragon flight.