Drakengard 3 is a game that could have been better if it had more variety in gameplay. The developers obviously know what they are doing when it comes to making a compelling combat system that evolves as you progress through the game. It looks great, sounds great and has some fantastic gameplay mechanics. That's clearly where the motivation really lies here, in clever ways of slaying enemies rather than simply hacking away at them until they're dead like most dungeon crawlers tend to do nowadays. The one aspect which would have raised this game from an above average hack and slasher to a truly spectacular one is missing in action though: The combat isn't just about learning how each enemy works individually but also about working out how different combinations of weapon skills work together within each battle scenario too (especially when combined with magic spells).
Drakengard 3 is a game that is not afraid to be weird.
Drakengard 3 has a level of weirdness that I've never seen in another game, and it's something that I appreciate. I really enjoy when games are able to be strange and unique, especially when they do so with confidence and personality. This is something that Drakengard 3 does well.
The game is full of weird moments and characters, which can vary from silly to disturbing depending on how you look at them (and often both). For example: there's a character who just wants to punch stuff but doesn't know why; the main character can sometimes transform into an enormous monster made out of snakes; another character is actually an insane version of her own daughter from an alternate universe; one scene involves a man trying to kill everyone because he thinks his father hates him for having red hair...and more! The game doesn't hold back on these kinds of things; instead it embraces them fully with its narrative style and gameplay mechanics.
This kind of novelty is what makes this title so memorable--it presents itself as just another Japanese role-playing game at first glance but then quickly reveals itself as something else entirely (which happens several times throughout).
That's clearly where the motivation really lies here, in clever ways of slaying enemies.
The game is about killing enemies. This isn’t a bad thing, especially when the ways you can do it are as varied and interesting as they are here. You can slice off an enemy’s arm, then swing that arm around like you’re brandishing a club; you can drop from above and impale them with your sword; or perhaps just shoot their face with a rocket launcher (yes, really). All of this makes fighting enemies both fun and satisfying—and since those two things make up most of the game, it makes sense that NieR: Automata would adopt similar mechanics for its own combat system.
The one major difference is how Yoko Taro deals with death in his games: he doesn’t mind killing off characters at all. While Drakengard 3 doesn't have permanent deaths for its cast members like NieR does, I found myself feeling more connected to them because of their mortality factor being present throughout my experience playing through the game's five acts (it has three endings). Some may say that there's no point investing in characters when Yoko Taro will inevitably write them off anyway; but I've always felt that if you're going to create something with strong themes about life and death—which these games definitely have—then it shouldn't shy away from giving players some emotional investment along the way too.
It looks great, sounds great and has some fantastic gameplay mechanics.
Drakengard 3 is a fun game, and it looks and sounds great. The graphics are fantastic, but beyond that the gameplay mechanics are where this game shines. There’s something about the combat system that makes you feel like a badass when you’re slicing through enemies with ease--it's fun to play! All in all, if you want to play an awesome action RPG with some great music and graphics, pick up Drakengard 3 today!
The combat system is very complex, deep, rewarding, satisfying and strategic. It's also tactical and fun.
It's a bit of a shame then that the game can't sustain this for its entire fifteen hour playtime.
As a whole, Drakengard 3 is an enjoyable game that does enough to stay interesting for its entirety. The plot is engaging enough to keep you invested and the characters are memorable in their own way, but it's a shame that this doesn't translate into some excellent gameplay. The combat is repetitive and not varied enough to sustain itself over the course of fifteen hours, while some poor voice acting makes its presence known whenever there's dialogue in cutscenes or during gameplay. It's also worth noting that although there are plenty of sidequests to partake in throughout your time with the game, none of them really go beyond fetch quests or battle arenas where you can earn additional experience points—making them worthwhile only if you're in need of extra grinding opportunities as opposed to meaningful side content.
The one aspect which would have raised this game from an above average hack and slasher to a truly spectacular one is missing in action.
The one aspect which would have raised this game from an above average hack and slasher to a truly spectacular one is missing in action. The narrative, while fascinating, could use some more variety to it, instead of just focusing on combat after combat. The game is also rather short and while there are multiple endings depending on your choices throughout the story and a new game plus option available after beating it once, the lack of replayability makes it harder to get excited about coming back for more.
There is plenty of fun to be had with Drakengard 3, but if you've played other games, mostly Japanese ones, then you've seen it all before and better.
Drakengard 3 is a game that, while fun, has some issues. The story is interesting and engaging, but not original. Most of the gameplay is also nothing new or innovative. All in all, Drakengard 3 is a fairly average action RPG that will keep you entertained for 20 hours or so before becoming repetitive and boring.
However, one thing that makes Drakengard 3 stand out from other games in its genre (and many Japanese games) is its female characters who are far more than just eye candy. There aren't many games where you can play as an attractive woman who kicks ass and takes names while dressing like a stripper with no regrets whatsoever; these aspects make playing as Zero even more enjoyable than it would be otherwise
Drakengard 3 is a game that could have been better if it had more variety in gameplay.
As it stands, Drakengard 3 is a game that could have been better if it had more variety in gameplay. It's not afraid to be weird and that's one of the things I like about it, but at times you'll be playing too many repetitive missions and wishing for something new. There's plenty of fun to be had with Drakengard 3, but if you've played other games, mostly Japanese ones, then you've seen it all before and better. The one aspect which would have raised this game from an above average hack and slasher to a truly spectacular one would have been a greater variety of mechanics or character types available to play as (like other titles such as Bayonetta).
Overall, I'd say that Drakengard 3 is a pretty good hack and slash game. The combat mechanics are solid, it's got a decent story and some interesting characters to boot. However, what keeps it from being great is its lack of variety in gameplay. If you've played similar games before then there's nothing new here for you except a few changes to how you control your characters (and even these can be turned off). If this doesn't bother you then by all means pick up Drakengard 3 because it's certainly worth playing through at least once!