Reviews to be posted starting July 31st!
This game is still not out yet? I feel like this game has been out for a year now. 
Foolz? Any opinion on the differences between what Dragon's Crown looked like then (Dreamcast) as opposed to what it looks like now?
phantom_leo said:Foolz? Any opinion on the differences between what Dragon's Crown looked like then (Dreamcast) as opposed to what it looks like now?
The Dreamcast concept art is much simpler to say the least, but also much less ugly. I imagine once animated it wouldn't have looked as good as Dragon's Crown, though. The animation quality negates the ugliness of the character design.
Hands-On the Japanese Version!
Quite a few previously unknown things revealed!
You need to UNLOCK Online Multiplayer!
There's a RUNE system within the game to make SPELLS!
GETTING CLOSER! GETTING PSYCHED!!
The Wonder Festival in Japan, which showcases new Anime and Video Game figures, has brought to light two of what is sure to be a series of toys based on Dragon's Crown!
Reviews so far:
IGN -- 8.5
Detructoid -- 9.5
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Gaming Nexus -- Jul 31, 2013 (95) "Dragons Crown is a masterpiece. The gameplay is simple enough for casual play but offers deep components to compliment it for those who want more from their games on both single and multiplayer levels."
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Destructoid -- Jul 31, 2013 (95) "Dragon's Crown is quite literally a crowning achievement in the beat 'em up genre. Utilizing some of the best design concepts of the past 20 years, Vanillaware succeeds in creating a captivating world that you just can't help but experience over and over."
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Meristation -- Jul 31, 2013 (92) "A good example to show there are not too-old formulas, just wrong approaches to reignite them. Taking the base of D&D Arcade and introducing plenty of RPG and Hack'n Slash elements, Vanillaware has made its finest game."
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ZTGD -- Jul 31, 2013 (90) "Fans of the arcade beat em ups of past would regret passing this one by. It is a simple, yet deceptively in-depth brawler that keeps you coming back for more; and thankfully it just keeps on giving."
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Playstation Universe -- Jul 31, 2013 (90) "Atlus and Vanillaware make a strong case for the greatest tag team in modern gaming. Dragon's Crown is a brilliant reimagining of a classic genre that wields the depth of an RPG while keeping core elements intact."
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PlayStation LifeStyle -- Jul 31, 2013 (90) "Dragons Crown is, hands down, one of the most beautiful and fun pieces of art that I have ever interacted with. The visuals alone would be enough to justify a high score, but the gameplay cements it in place, minus some confusion when the screen gets really busy and some minor annoyances with the menu system and story progression in couch co-op."
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Joystiq -- Jul 31, 2013 (90) "While it scales back the complexity that defined Princess Crown and Odin Sphere, its focus on deep, varied fighting mechanics make it one of the best beat-em-ups released for any platform in recent years."
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GamesBeat -- Jul 31, 2013 (90) "Smashing baddies, exploring dungeons, and scrounging for as much money and items as you can find is a satisfying departure from many strategy-heavy games coming out these days. Dragons Crown is a nostalgic return to classic side-scrolling brawlers found in arcades in the early 90s, complete with flashing go arrows and food that falls out of villains and chests."
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Cheat Code Central -- Jul 31, 2013 (86) "This game is imminently replayable and pushes the boundaries of what is still possible in the 2D realm. This game could have easily been a disaster, counting on art style and bra size to sell copies. But Vanillaware pretty much nailed it in all categories."
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RPG Fan -- Jul 31, 2013 (85) "Dragon's Crown is an amazing co-op experienced slightly hampered by a rather nasty UI and baffling obfuscation of its best feature."
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IGN -- Jul 31, 2013 (85) "The experience is virtually identical on PS3 and Vita, but if you absolutely, positively only want to buy one, Id go for the PlayStation 3 version, as its chaotic action is more readable and better appreciated on the big screen."
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Hardcore Gamer Magazine -- Jul 31, 2013 (80) "As a side-scrolling brawler, Dragons Crown is deep and loaded with replay. As an example of 2D art in gaming, its unequalled."
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DarkStation -- Jul 31, 2013 (80) "Dragons Crown doesnt offer any much needed enrichment of its various genres, but it makes up for this by committing to its visual identity and the frenetic, empowering possibilities of its game design."
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RPGamer -- Jul 31, 2013 (80) "Dragon's Crown is completely worth your attention, and if you have friends to play it with, it'll be worth the crazy ride."
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Digital Spy -- Jul 31, 2013 (80) "Its finely-tuned balance between character classes, collectable loot and level progression are unmatched in the genre, earning the crown in its name."
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Game Informer -- Jul 31, 2013 (80) "Dragons Crown neednt be a niche title; its accessible combat and rewarding upgrades are great fun for any action fan. In particular, if you have fond memories of days spent gathered in dim arcades with friends, wasting enemies and quarters in equal measure, then this is a surefire hit. Dragons Crown is proof that the cooperative brawler isnt dead."
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Polygon -- Jul 31, 2013 (65) "I found its over-exaggerated art style alienating and gross in its depiction of women even as it shines in building a world of fantastic monsters and environments, and the forced grind through the same stages dulled my excitement. Dragon's Crown is a wild place to visit, but it doesn't quite hold up in the light of day."
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The Escapist -- Jul 31, 2013 (60) "Dragon's Crown is gorgeous, and though at times its flavor may be of questionable taste, ultimately it does still manage to strike a lot of the right nostalgia chords."
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Just to throw it in, the game has sold very well in Japan during it's opening week(end).
2. [PS3] Dragon’s Crown – 104,359 (New)
3. [PSV] Dragon’s Crown – 71,083 (New)
I have a feeling it's going to appeal to the Japanese crowd moreso than the West, but time will I suppose.
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This topic started with Jason Schreier of Kotaku's outrage and offense at the female character designs, but when all is said and done, how did his site review the game?
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"When I look at Dragon's Crown now, I see a worthy successor to the games that first brought arcade action into the realm of role-playing. I see countless hours filled with chaotic dungeon-crawling, overcoming repetition through an endless parade of like-minded adventurers. I see a beautiful game that's definitely worth exploring further. And yes, I see the exaggerated characters, but I don't mind them so much. If you do, best move along."
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^Which is pathetic. You can complain about anything in an editorial, and it doesn't matter. If they had any conviction that should have been a large part of the review. Maybe it was? No way in hell I'm reading it.
So, 15 hours? Does that mean one 15 hour campaign that can be played through with each character, or a 15 hour campaign devoted to each character?
Oh so this is a beat em up!
Foolz said:^Which is pathetic. You can complain about anything in an editorial, and it doesn't matter. If they had any conviction that should have been a large part of the review. Maybe it was? No way in hell I'm reading it.
So, 15 hours? Does that mean one 15 hour campaign that can be played through with each character, or a 15 hour campaign devoted to each character?
Playthru is 15 hours start to finish. Although the different characters --PLAY-- completely differently, the game remains the same each playthru. Would someone devote 90 hours to this to experience the game with each one? No idea, but I do like the ideas of the harder difficulties that open up (Hard and Inferno), the post-game Labyrinth of Chaos --AND-- the PVP mode... Even after you finish the story, the game still has legs!
"Although nine areas may not seem like a lot, after completing each initial level (and progressing to a certain point in the story), you'll unlock each stage's "B-side," which allows you to venture on another path, splitting the level into two. There's also a myriad of secret areas that feature randomized loot, traps, and enemies, so it never feels like you're playing the exact same level over and over."
"To help further alleviate the repetitive nature of the beat 'em up genre in general, Dragon's Crown features enemy/difficulty scaling. But unlike most games that fumble scaling, Vanillaware does it right, because enemies only scale up, not down. In Dragon's Crown, there are still going to be levels where you need to train before you can best them -- so you still get a sense of accomplishment for completing difficult stages."
But because the game also scales up, it makes going back to previous levels fun, and not a "going through the motions" chore. As a result, going back to old stages doesn't feel like a true "grind" like other beat 'em ups, and you'll still have to actively attempt to best the game's bosses with tactical play. Add this to the fact that you can choose either the A or the B-side at will, and you'll have no problem using the "random level" embark option, which grants you extra gold and/or experience bonuses if you let the game pick a series of stages for you.
There are tons of homages to old beat 'em ups, some of which are extremely evident to old school fans. Right off the bat, many of you may recognize some direct calls to Golden Axe, including the sack-holding thief who tries to steal your treasure, and the ability to ride creatures. As a huge fan of King of Dragons (my personal favorite beat 'em up), I noticed a few direct homages -- I'm talking specifically about the diversity of the boss fights, that employ some brilliant design choices to help cement the encounters into the pantheon of the genre."
--LOVE IT ! ! !
2 playthroughs I can live with. Excellent!
"The marvelous Dragon's Crown hit shelves in Japan last week and sold more than 175,000 physical units. The PlayStation 3 and Vita title appears to be a hot commodity, with Atlus apologizing for shortages at retail.
Meanwhile, the publisher's parent company reports Dragon's Crown has shipped 300,000 units. That figure includes digital sales, mind you, indicating many opted to download the game via the PlayStation Store. Those numbers should rise dramatically in the coming weeks and months as Atlus brings the lovely action game to Western shores and satisfies demand at home."
Got my Art Book when I went to pick up my Pikmin 3...!
Hoooo Boy! If people had issues with the art-style --BEFORE-- playing the game or seeing the Art Book, ALL HELL'S GONNA BREAK LOOSE when they do either!
Some of the Art... 
Some of the in-game Animations... ! ! !
From the Foreward of the 'Dragon's Crown Artworks' book:
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"Thank you very much for purchasing Dragon's Crown.
To all the customers who have been looking forward to this game since its first announcement in 2011, please forgive us for making you wait two years for it. Dragon's Crown has become a deeply moving project for me, and I would like to explain the circumstances that made it that way. I drafted the first plan for this game about 15 years ago, immediately after I created a game called Princess Crown. It never saw the light of day at that time, but ever since, in the depths of my heart, I've been wanting to make it exist if the opportunity ever arose.
Many months and days passed after the first draft, and when I established a small game company called Vanillaware, that opportunity finally came. A senior at a certain company that I used to work for asked me if I had any plans for a game. I seized that chance to reorganize the plans for Dragon's Crown that I'd been dreaming of. To make a long story short, that plan didn't come to pass with that company, but I received a sudden approval from an unexpected company, and production of this game as a title for UTV Ignition began.
However, in the middle of development in 2011, UTV Ignition decided to retreat from the gaming industry. The project was up in the air, we were out of development funding, and I was just about to give up on continuing the project when Atlus stepped into the picture. They had lent us a helping hand time and time again, from Princess Crown to Odin Sphere, and once again, they saved us from our predicament. Now, in the summer of 2013, after a long development period full of twists and turns, Dragon's Crown is complete. It has been a rare piece of work, and we were able to spend four years creating and elaborating upon it.
The motif in Dragon's Crown is all the fantasy works that have affected me until now: the PC RPG Wizardry that I first came into contact with when I was a student; Ian Livingstone's gamebooks; games like Tower of Druaga, Golden Axe and The King of Dragons, that I was constantly going to the arcades to play. If I were to take the time to mention every title, the list would never end. Because I had the time, I was able to inlay Dragon's Crown with such glittering treasures both as homages and as an essence within it.
Participating in the development of the D&D Tower of Doom arcade game at Capcom in my early 20's was truly something that I had aspired for. Its influences on this project are unfathomable. Now that development of Dragon's Crown is over, I feel it is something I can proudly say, "Please, play this game" to my old friends at Capcom. This is all thanks to the staff that put forth their abilities and poured their passions into this product, and those who believed in this project and supported us by lending a hand.
And, most of all, it is thanks to our customers that we were able to make another one of our dreams come true. I'd like to thank everyone and wish from the depths of my heart that your experience with this game will be truly enjoyable.
If you enjoy this game, that will become Vanillaware's driving force to challenge a new dream."
--Vanillaware President, George Kamitani.
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Amazon, now Shipping!
Incredibly POSITIVE Hands-On Preview!
The first 10 hours of Dragon's Crown are Action Packed!
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"Frankly, I was blown away by the options presented in each specific party member's tree. The Wizard has the ability to command pretty much every element you can think of, levitate, summon wooden golems, and a whole lot more. The Fighter could specialize into a defensive tanking build, or go more aggressive, with tons of options for both. In other words, given the extensive skill tree, the customization and naming options, and the ability to assign your character an English or Japanese voice, no two characters you meet will be the same."
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