Drakengard - How have I not heard of this game before? Also, Nier

[Eduku]

So after listening to the outstanding soundtrack of the game Nier, a chain of link clicking led me to an old Square Enix PS2 game by the name of Drakengard. After reading through the plot and characters, I was pretty surprised that it was a Square Enix game, as well as the fact that I hadn't heard of it before. It also has some pretty screwed up stuff in there. Some notable features include:

Spoiler

The main character, who is violent and bloodthirsty. Sacrifices his ability to speak at the beginning, which perhaps (or perhaps not) solves the issues of the 'bad JRPG protagonist' stereotype.
The main character's sister, who has incestuous feelings for him.
A cowardly party member who is a paedophile.
A female elf who is insane and loves to kill children and eat them. Made a pact with two spirits in exchange for her fertility. Also a party member.
The antagonists are a race of giant naked babies with teeth who eat people and tear them apart. They are led by a giant woman who is eternally pregnant.
It features 5 endings, the most screwed up of which is followed on directly by Nier.

Has anyone played this? Was it any good? It seems leagues different from the stuff that Square Enix put out nowadays.

Also, I was wondering if I should get Nier, from what I've read it seems to have kind of average gameplay, but a fantastic storyline, characters and soundtrack, similar to Drakengard. I should be able to get it on the cheap too. Any advice?

 

[ScrabbitRabbit]

Drakengard was a very interesting game but I found it very hard to get into. The gameplay is very repetitive hacking and slashing against legions of clones, it's like Dynasty Warriors but more tedious with no allies. There's flying sections, too, but they're a poor man's version of Panzer Dragoon.

Once you get into it, though, the atmosphere really carries the game. There's a weirdly compelling *something* about it that I can't quite put my finger on... maybe it's my slightly shameful love of all things grimdark. And the game is very grimdark, I'm not sure a single good thing happens to anyone throughout the whole plot. It may well be the darkest game I've ever played. It's kind of like a HP Lovecraft story set in a fantasy world; we are insignificant pieces of nothing in the face of absolute horror and anything we do will only slightly delay the inevitable.

The sequel had somewhat improved gameplay but largely sacrificed the awesome atmosphere for a somewhat more typical JRPG atmosphere.

Nier is a good game, the gameplay, while not amazing, is leaps and bounds above Drakengard's. It's still all hacking and slashing but there's more variety in the moves you can do. It's a very depressing game, especially from the first NG+ onwards (each playthrough adds more extra bits) but it has an enjoyable story and the gameplay is fun enough if not amazing.

 

[GloatingSwine]

The reason you haven't heard of Drakengard is because, well, it wasn't very good.

For all the interesting story the actual game is repetitive and dull, which was why it was quickly forgotten.

Nier is also not very good, the story is very good but the actual game is, yes, repetitive and dull.

 

[CrazyBlaze]

Nier is a really fun game. The hack and slashing can get tiresome but its still fun. It can get reptitave in the second half becuase you vist the same locations from the first and the world isn't super huge so you will have explored it relatively quickly. Its still fun and the story is great with four different endings that you have to play through the game to get, but the game gives you a start point halfway through the game for two of them and the final one is a speed run with all your weapons, equipment and spells.

 

[80Maxwell08]

I actually love both of those games. Apparently Drakengard was censored in the U.S. but I have no idea how they did since all the stuff they apparently censored was still there clear as day. So on the topic of Nier. YES. Get it.

 

[Tanis]

Games that don't have 'FF' in the title, at least outside of Japan, seem to be largely 'forgotten' by most fans of SQ/SE.

Square released this AMAZING game back on the SNES called 'E.V.O: The Search for Eden' and most folks have never heard of it.


OT:
I'd say Drakengard is a decently good game, nothing AMAZING, but still a pretty solid 'C'.
I, personally, prefer the sequel if only for the improved game play and visuals.

 

[masticina]

Mmm from what I have seen [watch let plays] Nier is odd.

That probably is one of the things that makes it different and like food you only like once you are over 70 years old it also kinda limits the gamers that will like it.

I mean it .. its odd. I like certain things in it. It breaks with the usual fantasy story while still having allot of fantasy. It does puts some lovely themes in the games and the boss enemies are very interesting.

The in between though is to say it nicely not as optimal. It comes over kinda grindy!

Drakengard? Haven't seen enough of that one..

 

[Raggedstar]

I have Drakengard under reccomendation from friends. Haven't touched it in over a year because of how tiresome and repetitive it is. Not to mention the camera is a ***** and the controls/combat are so stiff. Pretty much all you're doing is square-square-triangle (of some variation) to get rid of enemies with a typical combo + finisher. Seriously, I was just carting Caim around going square-square-triangle for 10-40 minutes. However, triangle is also your magic button, and some enemies are resistant to magic (they send your attacks back). Mix that in with how the finisher won't tolerate anything but perfect timing, and there goes a decent chunk of health. Not to mention there are no checkpoints, health is hard to come by, and more than 40 minutes sometimes between mission start and finish (without much more objective than "kill these dudes").

Dragon gameplay is meh at best. To be honest, the dragon herself is pretty meh (I love you, Mona Marshall, but your voice just doesn't work here).

In short, Drakengard is the game that told me the lesson of how important gameplay is in comparison to story. Oh yes, there is some interesting parts in the story, but you need to get through hours of repetitive gameplay first. I wrote a huge blog entry going through all my issues with the game, and a friend called me out for not giving the game a chance. I played the thing for 6 hours (halfway through plot) and never EVER did I have fun. So yes, I am very bitter towards Drakengard.

Oh, and the English version is actually censored. There's no pedophilia in the English release, among other edits. Babies are still there though.

 

[malestrithe]

Nier is a Cult game. You are either going to love it or you are going to hate it. There is no middle ground with that game.

Gameplay is like any 3rd person game. Cameraman is constantly jogging behind you trying to keep up with you. You have three styles of weapons, swords, heavy, and spears. Which is better is a matter of preference.

Story is somewhat stock. Nier is looking for a cure his daughter of a disease called the Black Spiral. He meets interesting people, his talking book, Kaine, a sassy woman, Emil, who is essentially Jack Skellington.

World is only 20 screens and be prepared to visit several places more than once.

Soundtrack is a triumph. It is worth the price alone.

Moments Has a little choose your own adventure section, several SMB style platforming, and even a few rail shooter sections. There's even a run trough of a haunted mansion that could almost be called Spencer.

it has a lot of bizarre elements that did not quite work for me. It might work for you.

 

[Zaik]

I played Drakengard, it wasn't terrible but you will regularly have hundreds or thousands of enemies in a single mission, it just gets to be too much after a while.

Still, like I said it wasn't terrible. If you can pick it up for like $5 or something it's more than worth it.

 

[Pearwood]

Drakengard's alright. Get it if the story sounds interesting to you but I'd warn you apart from the more insane parts it drags on a bit.

 

[Beautiful End]

Wasn't there an Unskippable of both Nier and Drakengard? I could be wrong...

I remember when Drakengard came out and I wanted to get it because it had dragons. It was around the time Panzer Dragoon Orta was cool (sorta). But I never got around to it. But from what I hear, it is kinda dull and repetitive but not entirely hopeless and boring. Square-Enix games are like that; either you love them or you hate them (See: Musashi Samurai Legend, The Bouncer, etc.)

From what I hear, Nier is...just weird and therefore that makes it hard for people to get into. The Japanese version features a very "anime teen" hero while the US version has that "Cole train" hero. Because of that, the plot changed a little but not so much. If anything, I say give it a shot. Like I said, either you'll like it or you'll hate it.

 

[Eduku]

I actually love both of those games. Apparently Drakengard was censored in the U.S. but I have no idea how they did since all the stuff they apparently censored was still there clear as day. So on the topic of Nier. YES. Get it.

Apparently the censorship made the game a lot worse, as most of the mature themes disappeared and some key parts just outright didn't make sense, such as when

Spoiler

Furiae kills herself, since the incestuous tones were taken out.

On the topic of Nier, it really does seem like a love it or hate it affair. I don't really mind repetitive gameplay, I'm a Dynasty Warriors fan, which should tell you all you need to know, ha. It's also going for £7, which is about as much for a decent meal.

 

[Sparrow]

You haven't even scratched the surface of why Drakengard is so fucked up. Here are some bonus examples:

In a bonus level you have to murder a bunch of child soldiers, and your protagonist is totally ok with it. I know he can't speak, but he doesn't even sit back and think "Maybe I should let these children live and find another way around." Nope. Just slaughters them.

Your sister isn't just incestuous, oh no. The protagonist is too. It's heavily implied in the Japanese version of the game that you two have bumped uglies before.

One of the final levels is you just killing these freaky, giant white baby things. Holy shit is it freaky. Seriously, their weird faces and the noises they make are just... uuuurgh. Still gives me the creeps.

In one of the endings you have to fight the giant baby queen, and a portal opens sending the both of you to modern day Tokyo. No, seriously. When you beat it, a fighter jet appears and blows you up. I can't stress enough how I'm not making this shit up.

 

[80Maxwell08]

I actually love both of those games. Apparently Drakengard was censored in the U.S. but I have no idea how they did since all the stuff they apparently censored was still there clear as day. So on the topic of Nier. YES. Get it.

Apparently the censorship made the game a lot worse, as most of the mature themes disappeared and some key parts just outright didn't make sense, such as when

Spoiler

Furiae kills herself, since the incestuous tones were taken out.

On the topic of Nier, it really does seem like a love it or hate it affair. I don't really mind repetitive gameplay, I'm a Dynasty Warriors fan, which should tell you all you need to know, ha. It's also going for £7, which is about as much for a decent meal.

But that's what I mean. When that came up for me it was clear as day what the little girl was talking about. Especially at the scene afterward. Then we have the party member who ate children. How did they censor that? I have no idea since when it came up she kept mentioning delicious children then had a scene of her kneeling over dead children. For censorship they either made a bold stance or completely failed.

 

[Ledan]

Good game, can get really repetitive. It's "simple", but has a lot of depth. There are several hidden chapters in the game, and several endings depending on what chapters you have managed to unlock. You need to grind a bit to defeat the final bosses, especially the alternative ending ones. Still haven't betten the game -_-
The weapons are super awesome though, they all level and each level looks very different. And there are a lot of weapons. Maybe too many.

 

[Eduku]

In one of the endings you have to fight the giant baby queen, and a portal opens sending the both of you to modern day Tokyo. No, seriously. When you beat it, a fighter jet appears and blows you up. I can't stress enough how I'm not making this shit up.

You have to wonder if the devs were just plain trolling with that ending, considering you have to collect all the weapons to get it. Then you realise Nier is a direct follow-up from that ending...

The weapons are super awesome though, they all level and each level looks very different. And there are a lot of weapons. Maybe too many.

Does Nier have that sort of weapon diversity? I quite like that aspect.

 

[EscapeGoat_v1legacy]

I picked up Drakengard because I'd heard it was a terrible game and I felt weirdly compelled to play it afterwards.

And you know, it is a terrible game. Decent storyline, to be fair, and it's up there with some of the grimmest and darkest plots, but the average music, terrible dragon controls, dodgy camera and stodgy, repetitive and dull gameplay means it's not really all that fun to play. I'd say avoid it, to be honest.

Drakengard 2's not much better either. The combat is a bit faster now, but the story's worse, the protagonist's worse, the dragon bits are still naff, the music's still crap, the camera's still dodgy and the gameplay is still boring. Yet another one to avoid, unless you're like me and want to play games everybody derides as being awful.

snip

Don't forget the child-eating elf, the paedophile, the incredibly racist Hierarch and

Spoiler: Drakengard spoilers, Oh no!

You BECOME THE GOD DAMNED JET FIGHTER when replaying the game after beating that one fucking ending