Dragonlands

I played through Dragonlands and figured out some good points, but also a lot of bad ones. Let's start with the good aspects of the game:

The think i liked the most on Dragonlands were the self-made monster graphics. They are great. Thumbs up for the creator. :) The whole AKS is good-looking, indeed.
Secondly, the mapping is partially alright. I just don't like the castle inner and the forest, the treetops are only straight lines - if you ever see a forest like this, show it to me, please.
A good feature is the window that opens whenever you get something. It's not the latest invention, but better than the usual message boxes.
A great idea are the hidden rooms in the pirate ship - that's fantastic. I really enjoyed entering and leaving them. xD
The beach resort of Saia is a nice idea. But distinct from some guests said it isn't expensive at all, because the stay costs as much as the MP-drink ...^^"

Back to Havalon: The casino is great. Really nice minigames. I love playing Blackjack. <3
The sightseeingtour with Embrith is a lovely idea to learn more about the game. She's a funny little girl, but if she was my real sister, I'd send her with the next courier to the other side of the world. ;)

The game manual is well done. :)



The (in MY OPINION) negative aspects:

First of all, I hate names totally written in capital letters. I cannot stand this, but OK. Matter of flavor.
The second point is the intro, when CROSS (I called him Cross ;P) gets his order. That's far to quick. No background story, nothing. He just enters the room, gets his promotion in front of the king (Is he this important? Why?), gets his order and has to leave again. Not really realistic. Not at all. PARATIN could have given him the order on his own, too - I can imagine that the king got a lot of better work to do than watching the promotion of a normal soldier. And if he's ill, he should stay in bed, by the way. The kings health has to be spared.
The opportunity to change Cross' name again and again doesn't thrill me, either. If I play a game, I want to get deeper in the story and this is impossible when they remind me every two seconds that this is just an ordinary game. I want to identify myself with the protagonist and such features are well meant, but disturbing.
Same with the soldiers. Which normal soldier would explain me all the ways out a castle and out a town if I haven't even asked him for? And i can imagine that Cross has been living in the town for a while and he entered the castle himself, too, why should he forget the way all of sudden? Neither do I have to go the way, so it's absolutely unnecessary and disturbing, too.
If doors have no use, either leave them away or say that they're locked.

I'm not a fan of random encounter, but well ... It's a matter of flavor, too. I hate it.
To stick with the battle: The monster are no challenge. Not at all. I never have to heal and it takes only a few hits until they are dead. Forest monster, okay, but even the pirates are so weak ... I couldn't help starting laughing when the allies said that they can't enter the ship because of the pirates. It would have taken a few minutes to kill them all. The captain as a boss monster isn't strong, either. Five hits and he has to heal, then a few more hits and he is defeated and I needn't to heal just once.


Why does it take a longer time till the menu opens? o.O That's strange. And tiresome.
The sign in the forest which tells you the phrase with the less used path is superfluous. Which idiot knows where the treasure is and doesn't take it? And, to make matters worse, he drew up a sign with a poem (I just can't call it puzzle, it's not difficult enough to be one) to show the way. Strange guy.
Next point: Saia. Why don't they lock theyr doors when pirates are attacking (e. g. church)? Why don't they (mayor) even know that there is an attack? Hey, this guy lifes right next to the harbor and he doesn't recognize?!
It's not very clever from the captain to have an obviously unused rope ladder on his ship, is it?
When the captain talked to the other pirate, the screen scrolls in the wrong direction.
The hide-and-seek game with the pirates is tiresome, only one pirat is really able to see me and he sees me where he shouldn't do. Behind the cabin it is obvious that I am in a blind spot for him, but nevertheless he can see me. However, this is the only thing of the whole game you could call tough - one little wrong step and you have to start from the beginning.



After all:
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It's going to be a nice game, although I'd recommend it only for beginners. With all the introductions at the beginning and the game manual I can imagine that this is exactly what you are heading for. Someone who's a regular RPG player is bored very quickly.