Lunar: Dragon Song
A traditional RPG with divisive gameplay innovations.
Lunar: Dragon Song is a role-playing video game developed by Japan Art Media for the Nintendo DS. It was the first original Lunar series title in ten years and the first traditional role-playing game available for the Nintendo DS, introducing features such as combat across two screens and microphone-based commands. The game was released in North America by Ubisoft.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Japan Art Media
- Publisher
- Marvelous Interactive (JP)
- Ubisoft (NA)
- Rising Star Games (EU)
- Series
- Lunar
- Platforms
- Nintendo DS
- Released
- August 25, 2005 (JP)
- September 27, 2005 (NA)
- February 17, 2006 (EU)
- Genre
- Role-playing
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Lunar: Dragon Song is a traditional two-dimensional role-playing video game with an overhead, isometric viewpoint. Players move characters in eight directions using the Nintendo DS D-pad or stylus across various environments, completing story-based objectives to advance the plot. The game differs from other Lunar titles with a simplified world map that allows instant travel to adjacent locations and a condensed menu on the bottom screen. A card collection system, expanded from Lunar Legend, lets cards grant special abilities and alter game mechanics. Using the Nintendo DS wireless connection, two players can engage in a multiplayer Scratch Battle, scratching off card sections to reveal numbers that damage opponents. Combat is strictly turn-based, with the player inputting commands at the start of each round; actions occur based on character speed. Specific enemies cannot be targeted, as the artificial intelligence chooses targets. Producer Mitsuru Takahashi stated the battle system was intentionally simplistic to speed up combat. Parties are limited to three characters, switched automatically at story points. Before battle, players choose Combat Mode for item rewards or Virtue Mode for experience points called Althena Conduct.
Plot
The game takes place 1000 years before Lunar: The Silver Star, making it the first game chronologically. It opens with the Goddess Althena creating a habitable land from a barren wasteland and sending four dragons to protect it. Humans and Beastmen are at odds, living in opposing towns. The story centers on Jian Campbell, a delivery boy for Gad's Delivery in the port town of Searis, who delivers parcels with his friend Lucia Collins. Along their journey, they become entangled in the legend of the dragons and must stop an evil Dragonmaster seeking to rule the world using the dragons' power. Principal characters include Jian, a headstrong delivery boy trained in hand-to-hand combat; Lucia, a kind-hearted girl with healing magic; Gabryel Ryan, a beast-woman fighting with martial arts and magic dances; Flora Banks, a marksman and healer; and Rufus Crow, a Beastman general who becomes Jian's ally. Supporting characters include Gad, owner of the delivery service, and Zethos, leader of the Beastmen. The primary antagonist is Ignatius, a Vile Tribe magician who covets the Goddess's power. This is the first Lunar game without Toshiyuki Kubooka as lead character designer; he served as design supervisor.
Reception
Lunar: Dragon Song sold 24,673 units in Japan. Famitsu Weekly gave it 27 out of 40, finding parts bothersome and stressful but noting an excellent storyline and characterization. Metacritic rated the English version as mixed. Electronic Gaming Monthly panned the unorthodox gameplay, stating that even a decent story could not save it. Game Informer called it an unfun and almost unplayable nightmare of gameplay design missteps, ranking it eighth on its list of the 10 Worst Games of 2005. IGN considered it an average handheld RPG with many flaws requiring patience and free time, noting original ideas that failed in execution. 1Up.com called it a better-than-average handheld RPG with a likable cast and charming story, but inferior in presentation to earlier Lunar titles. GameSpot felt features lacked cohesion, being convoluted where simplicity was needed and shallow where depth was expected. Eurogamer, in an import review, called the battle system comfortably the worst in 20 years of RPGs and described the game as a wasted opportunity.
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