Dragon’s Crown Pro releases in a week in India and this is actually the first time the game will be available officially at retail. At the time, Atlus didn’t have any distributor here but now, they are under e-Xpress Interactive through SEGA in Europe and we aren’t just getting the game at retail but the limited Battle Hardened Edition. If you aren’t aware, Dragon’s Crown is a 2D action RPG beat em up from Vanillaware featuring the lovely art from George Kamitani. Dragon’s Crown Pro is a remaster or port of the PS3 and PS Vita game for PS4.
Before gushing about the art and how great it looks not just in motion but also on PS4 Pro, gameplay is the focus for Dragon’s Crown. You pick one of six classes and playthrough dungeons with AI partners or actual companions through local or online co-op. The classes play differently and have their own skills. I played through as the Sorceress on Vita before trying out the Amazon and my save and everything was as I left it on Vita. There are certain aspects of progression in rooms that require you to use either the Touch Pad on the controller or the right analog stick to move a virtual cursor to target certain objects. Being forced to use the analog stick would have been painful and I’m happy the Touch Pad solution worked well in my testing.
Having played Dragon’s Crown on PS Vita, the PS4 port feels great. The touchscreen or right analog stick has been mapped to the Touch Pad on the PS4 controller and the right analog. Visually, Kamitani’s art looks beyond stunning on both PS4 and PS4 Pro. The other big difference is the option to play with a new orchestral soundtrack. The soundtrack is really great overall and the orchestral version is excellent. Other than these things, there isn’t much for returning players. Obviously performance and visuals are better than both previous platforms but as a new release, it isn’t really much new to warrant a full purchase unless you’ve been dying to play it on the big scree having experienced it on Vita or want a better looking and performing version as a PS3 owner.
Dragon’s Crown has a very striking art style. It feels like a great mix of the old paintings, colourful animations, lovely character designs, and a Dungeons and Dragons game. Dragon’s Crown Pro is basically screenshot worthy in almost every situation. The animations are slick and combat is an absolute joy in motion. This is easily one of the most gorgeous games out there and the art is timeless.
On the audio side of things, you can now pick between a new orchestral score or the original soundtrack. The new soundtrack has been recorded by a live orchestra and it feels dynamic. This reminds me of how much more lively an album sounds when it features a band playing together instead of just instrument tracks put together like the new Meshuggah album. You can also use either Japanese or English voice acting which is always a welcome addition.
If you’ve never played or experienced Dragon’s Crown before, this is easily worth getting. Having Odin Sphere on both PS4 and Vita was awesome for playing at home and on the go after syncing save and I’m glad this is now possible on Dragon’s Crown. If you already played it, I’m not sure it is worth picking up at the asking price right now for you. Atlus does deserve praise for not forgetting the older versions and updating them to be able to not just play with but also sync progress across the PS4 version.