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One of my absolute favorites

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: August 06, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This is one my alltime favorite games. The graphics for it's time are great, although they may not measure up to today's standards, they are still good. The scenery is awesome, lot of the game is spent riding on a dragon and it's really beautiful, lots of detail! Lots of variety in locations and quests, lots of sub quests. Lot's of characters, good storyline, great bosses. One of the best I've played.

A Great Adventure

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: January 13, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This is (by far) the best "cheap" games out there and worth a $50 price tag. It has just one error in the game: make sure you bring your dragon in the caves with you or you might become trapped 3/4 the way through and be forced to start over. Besides that, this game is an oustanding adventure with the best 'freedom of movement' I have ever seen in a RPG... meaning that some RPG games you have to do certain things exactly, but this game allows you to experiment with different things. This game is hard, but not too hard; this game is fun, while keeping it challenging. This game is a must buy for any person that like RPG's that have you controling a single person.... I wish they made this game into a movie.

BEST GAME EVER!!!!!!!!!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: November 05, 2007
Author: Amazon User

this game is one of my favorite games ever. i bought it about two weeks ago and hade tons of fun.the violence has gone down from the last game but its still very good. even if you you go through the whole game you still wont find every thing in the game. an example of this is the amazing sword mournbringer. the only bad thing about the game is that it gets boring if you go in to every dungeon because they mostly look the same. but if you are thinking of buying it you should because it a very good game!

One of THE best games I have ever played!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: December 13, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Basically, you begin as a Redhead, Rynn (Who's similarity to Lara Croft is uncanny, mind you.) Who eventually get's her powerful dragon Arokh and they basically just fly around and kill many different types of enemies and bosses with the use of four different kinds of breath powers (For Arokh) and a variety of different weapons for Rynn. Not to mention the powers such as Combust, Fear, and Time Slow. The entire point of the game is to open up four portals linking the different worlds to awaken, "The Dragon Mother" and resotore the old order. The pro's of playing this game vastly outweigh the cons; whether you fly around huge areas on the big orange, fire breathing Arokh, shooting other dragons out of the sky, or putting catapults and little frog like creatures out of commission; or playing as Rynn, going into various caves and tunnels to chop up the afforementioned frog creatures, and a few different varieties of enemies. I'd have to say, the most attracting quality of this game- for me at least, must be the freedom of the whole thing. Yes, you are assigned main quests that you must follow to complete the game, but you can fly (or walk) anywhere you like at any time and explore/ get side quests from random other people that can actually be quite fun. There is no set path for you to follow, again, the freedom. There are only downsides to the game- after a while, you begin to notice that all of the caves you fight through as Rynn seem repetitive and boring, and also at the end, you finally awaken the Mother but the only thing that seems to happen is a little talking and then black. It really does leave you wanting more, and that kind of ending just doesnt make the entire story a whole. However, this does add to the replayability. The only other downside I must point out are the various bugs lurking throughout the game. Here is a helpful hint: Do NOT go into a cave without Arokh unless he can not fit. If he can, TAKE HIM THROUGH. Otherwise, you will lose him forever, and then you cannot beat the game. Also, constantly save. Use two save slots too. Other than that, I give the game a 10/10 for playability, graphics, sound, voice acting, casting, replayability and controls. (More to come when I think of them! LOL)

Drakan: Ancients' Gates - Classic PS2 game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: December 06, 2006
Author: Amazon User

*Drakan: The Ancients' Gates - Review

Drakan presents the game where you play as 'Rynn', the sword-wielding woman, and 'Arokh', her dragon companion, who go on a quest to open the four gateways to awaken the Dragon Mother. Rynn explores on foot and in mid-air with her dragon companion 'Arokh'.

Off the bat, the first thing I noticed that was different about this game was the huge, expansive areas that are at your disposel to explore. For instance, when I was exploring in the Shadowmire (a large, underground swamp in a forest with enemies called "Troqs"), with 'Rynn I was exploring the northern area of the swamp and found a cave that I explored and fought "troqs" in for nearly 3 hours before I came back to the beginning area of the swamp. The caves in this game are really well-done and I really enjoy exploring.

**Gameplay: 10/10 Drakan: TAG has AMAZING gameplay.

While you're playing with 'Rynn', you can explore anything in the world and go just about anywhere where you have walking distance. It really is very fun gameplay and it never gets old or boring because when you do encounter enemies it's always in different surroundings and you can perform different techniques to block the enemies attacks. I love the "jump" and "roll" techniques that Rynn can do in this game. It really comes in handy when you have a huge sword-bearing goblin come out of nowhere and can kill you in three hits.

Another thing that I love about Drakan is the fact that it actually presents a challenge and you must use your surroundings to your advantage. Being able to explore any area at any time without the linear storyline is such a sigh a relief. Another thing that I forgot to mention is you can have Rynn actually ride on the back of her dragon, Arokh, and can fight enemies in mid-air that are targeting you from the ground or you can have Arokh fight flying enemies! It really is awesome and just the fact that you can fight in mid-air and land Arokh anywhere in the world that you wish to just go and explore caves, forests, etc. is great because each area is unique in its own way.

**Sounds: 10/10

First off, the sounds in this game are very well done. There are sometimes overworld themes that are very nice and then there are ambient sounds coupled with natural sounds such as water, monster grunting, and the like. For example, when I was exploring the Mushroom Caves, there were times when all I heard was the soothing sound of a calm rush of water and there were times when I heard a dark, mysterious background noise coupled with very disturbing monster sounds. It really is stunning!

**Re-playability: 10/10

This game has very good replayability because you can explore certain areas at any given time during gameplay without any hinderence of invisible walls, cutoffs, etc. Despite it's more linear storyline, there is still a huge amount of freedom in this game and it's very refreshing.

**Overall: 10/10 - Overall, this is a fantastic game and I have so much fun playing. This game has a good story behind it so it's the best of both worlds, and I would recommend anyone who likes fantasy games where you just get to explore and fight monsters to purchase this game! You won't be disappointed.

B. Arnesen's Drakan: The Ancient's Gates review

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: November 03, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I have always been a fan of the female hero, and I have always liked dragons. That said, I'm not much of a fan of console/computer Role Assumption Games. Drakan: The Ancient's Gates takes gives you the back story of Rynn and Arokh, briefly mentioning their previous campaign. I found the arrangment of which button did what to be awkard, though I must say I liked using the index finger buttons for drawing/sheathing weapons and for inventory.

What I like
-----------
-A few special combat moves.
-Makes fun of the concept of leveling.
-Good chemistry in the Rynn/Arokh voice acting.
-Breathtaking backgrounds.

What I didn't like
------------------
-UNFORGIVABLE: Inept Foreshadowing - due to both his voice acting and gesticulations, you know Zola Dane is your enemy the second you meet him.
-Areas you can't go back to, with little to no good reason for this predicament (particularly the Andrellian Isles).
-You can't parry with weapons that have magical effects until they're out of charges.
-The limited number of special combat moves.
-UNFORGIVABLE: Starting Rynn and Arokh at Level 1 when they've already had an adventure.
-UNFORGIVABLE: No quick select when riding Arokh.
-UNFORGIVABLE: Ending is not worth the amount of effort you put in to get to it.

OK game, but there are far better.....

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: March 04, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game is somewhat fun... You play as a redhead with a sword and huge knockers, as opposed to the usual big greasy armored dude you see in these types of games. There are plenty of quests and hidden features, and a nice bonus of blowing stuff up as a fire-breathing dragon.

A couple things keep the game from being more than mediocre. The combat can get repetitive-- swordplay is usually reduced to parry, attack, parry, attack; sniping with the bow gets old as the enemies are usually too stupid to realize they are being shot with arrows; and all the magic spells are so powerful that they unbalance the game (time slow and fear especially). The story is lame and predictable, and the dragon has horrible voice acting.

The most fun and challenge comes from riding the dragon: the game then turns to a kind of fantasy flying shooter. You battle other dragons, catapults, spellcasters, and even a huge two-headed monster at various points when you are in the open air. Plus the outdoor areas are way bigger. If the entire game was comprised of these outdoor areas and huge rolling landscapes, it might have been something special.

Greatest Dragon Game There Could Possibly Be!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: February 22, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Drakan: The Ancients' Gates is certainly one of the most enjoyable dragon games you could buy. I saw a video for this and found the look of the gameplay, graphics, and everything else to be stunning!
To start off, you watch a movie, or rather a book, telling the tale of the Order of The Flame. The Order was destroyed by the Dark Union, a bunch of evil dragons. So the Order sorta go on and hide. Rynn finds a dragon called Arokh and their souls were joined as one. It's very intrigueing. Thankfully, you don't require the the first game to understand it.
The basic story starts off with Rynn and her village, burying the villagers after a brutal attack from Wartoks (creatures that are large, reddish, and have big noses). As you progress through the game, you have to open the gates that will awaken a dragon called Mala-Shae. She's supposed to restore the Order of The Flame.

The controls of the game itself take time for even veteran gamers to get used to, considering there is a wide array of things you can do. You have to be able to block, dodge, hack, fly, and many others things if you want to get through the game cheat-free.

The graphics are probably one of the greatest things to enjoy in the game. Everything (except maybe the dungeons and indoor environments, because they look the same after a while) is absolute eye candy. You could stare at the scenery of the swamps, tundras, desserts, and forests for quite a while before moving on. I particularly enjoyed the dragon, Arokh. He's scaly and classic red.

The sound and music is quite memorable. I found myself humming the music of the title screen for quite awhile. It catches things in the right mood. There's no music when you're in a dungeon full of walking skeletons and the music pumps up in boss fights. I thought the actors did a good job displaying the characters' mood and thus adding a breath of life to the game.

The gameplay itself is the best experince; usually when your flying on Arokh's back. It was so fun to soar through the air and breathe fire like a true dragon. You can do loads of cool tricks by using the right stick to steer. The game captures the effect of what a real dragon might fly like. It's fluid, fast, and just amazing! Fighting can be a fun part of the game if you're the kind of person that blocks and dodges. Just mashing the attack button doesn't bring out the full potential in fighting. And when you're off Arokh and he's close to you while you're fighting, he comes up and shoots fireballs at enemies! It's pretty cool and adds an almost multiplayer aspect to fighting.

Unlike in I of The Dragon, Drakan has a lot of mission variety. You have to go on rescue missions, invade enemy territory, restore peace to certain areas by killing bosses, and a lot of other stuff. The twists and turns in the missions leave you satisfied.

Now for the drawbacks in the game. A few can be avoided if you know how to do it. To start off, the files are massive! One file is just 1,499 kilobytes of memory! If you're the player that has loads of saved games, saves this game with two separate files, or doesn't have a second memory card, be warned. Second, it's a problem with controls. When I'm on Arokh, I use the left stick to move forward and the right stick to steer. It improves flying experiance, but makes switching around to attack controls tedious and annoying. The control designers could have just made it so that you only had to steer with one stick. Third, the ending is fatal. Not much to watch. Don't play the game to find out the ending, because it's pretty boring. Fourth, you probably know about the Arokh disappearance thing. Go into a certain cave without him and lose him. It's a perfect partner for the two file save thing. You only need one save file if you know to go into every seperate area possible with him. If it's an area you have to go into without him, don't worry. Fifth, when you take out a potion to use while in a fight, your enemies come up and attack you, stopping the ridiculously slow process of drinking the potion. The potions are in the menu, so it doesn't make sense that an enemy can come up and whack you on the menu, when you're completely helpless. Last, Arokh is so stupid when it comes to calling him from far away. He just flies around in circles if you're far way. It's usually just best to take him wherever you can if you don't want to be bugged by this annoying problem.

Certainly, an almost flawless game. The good outweighs the bad by ten Arokhs. This game is destined to be one of the most famous, enjoyable, and memorable dragon games of all time. See you in Drakan!

I am in absolute gaming heaven!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: November 13, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Good gawd, where do I start? Though Drakan has its flaws here and there, I am blown away by this game. I'm pretty much a "simpleton" when it comes to games, I like fairly easy, fun, and enjoyable characters (like in the Sonic games), and the more fun ya add, the more I love your game.
So when you bring in one very crucial and major FUN part in this game, you have me riding on dragon-shaped clouds.
What I'm trying to say is...this game rocks and rocks bigtime for one single reason... AROKH. Whoever designed this game, I want to run up to them and hug them insanely. The BRILLIANT design team not only came up with huge and wonderfully realistic worlds, they said, "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if Rynn was bonded to a dragon but not only that, you could fly around the game on him?" HELL YEAH. You makers of this game are so friggin' cool, I seriously am gonna right a sweet letter and send it your way. I have never been happier with spending $10 measly bucks in my life for a nice used copy of this game.
I think I got a new slimmer PS2 system (instead of Gamecube, and I SO do not regret that decision) JUST so I could have Drakan, my favorite game ever. You could only make it better if you left out the human characters as players and made it entirely dragon-based. I actually get bummed that at times I have to leave Arokh's awesome presence and go battle by myself as Rynn. The first part of the game annoyed me because I had to go complete a quest in order to get Arokh. But man, was it WORTH it. I kid you not, I play this game for 30 minutes sometimes just flying around on Arokh, doing aerial loops, spewing fireballs, landing, crunching enemies with his teeth...gawd this game is so freaking awesome.

THANK YOU SURREAL!!

The Journey Continues...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: October 11, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I liked "The Order of the Flame" so much, I bought the PS2 just to play this game. I liked it as much as the first one. The female protagonist (Rynn) is what makes the game. I have played this game several times for the adventure, the involvment, and of course, just to look at Rynn.

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