Dragon Rage

"If you like dragons, you'll love this."

I have this thing for dragons; I have dragon shirts, dragon paintings, dragon toys... ah, dragon everything. So, you can probably tell why I was excited to see this game at my local video game store for the first time.

In Dragon Rage, you assume the role of a proud and independent dragon named Cael Cyndar. The orcs have enslaved the dragon and sprite race and find that dragons have a powerful element inside of them called Zeenium. The orcs seek this precious resource and there are only two ways to harvest it; inside of dragon eggs or the slaying of a dragon itself. Cael Cyndar was condemned to a horrid dragon slaughterhouse called Desmurian Ty, but just before his death arrived, the dragon awakened and broke the chains that bound him above the lava pool dedicated to killing him and all the dragons. He escaped, and thus began the destruction of the Zeenium-harvesting business, led by the lowly orcs. With the help of his newfound sprite ally, Adara, who also seeks the freedom of her kind from the orcs with aid from him, and the awakening of his new elemental powers, Cael Cyndar strives to bring down the orcs and stop their business forever.

The opening CG sequence was just awesome. The 3D animation in the CG's is great and, at times, even humorous. The controls can take a while to get used to; how to use your dragon powers with different elements, how to pick what's on the menu for lunch(orcs restore mana/magic, while animals restore health), how to do tricks like barrel rolls, loop de loops, and all that... it can be confusing. But, once you have the idea of the controls down, it's really quite fun. I find the sprite that accompanies you on your adventure, Adara, very annoying. Especially on the level where you steal their gold; every time an orc ship is loaded with gold that is supposed to be stolen by you, she calls out, 'the orcs just grabbed some of the gold! grab it back!'. For the first few times, it's fine, but eventually, it gets extremely annoying. The graphics aren't up to standard for the powerful PS2, but they're tolerable. Cael's default speed could use a little work, too.

Now, the good parts. The sound is beautiful; from every blast to every animal call, it's amazing. Cael's tricks(barrel rolls, loop de loops, etc.) are great for avoiding enemy attacks and I like the idea of gaining levels for your elements and rescuing the sprites from the captivity of the orcs. Dragon Rage is challenging at times, too, and for some, that's a good thing. I know it was for me! The demonstration of the blood when Cael eats an animal or orc is graphic; just the way I like it. >:)

So, in conclusion, if you like dragons like I do, be sure to give this game a rent and see if it's worth your money to buy it. It's a great addition to your collection, in my opinion!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/05/02, Updated 01/05/02