After wandering through the endless expanses of roguelikes for so long, it's especially nice to come across something that isn't just another attempt to reinvent the genre, but a complete, stylish product that sticks to the established rules. Dragon is Dead is not about revolution, but the game is confident in what it does best: dark fantasy, dynamic gameplay, and endless build variations create that “one more run” effect so beloved by fans of the genre.
It's a 2D action game in the spirit of Blasphemous, Dead Cells, and Skul: The Hero Slayer, crossed with a Diablo-esque thirst for loot and harsh heroes whose faces say they are ready to die. And they will have to do so — more than once.
The protagonists of Dragon Is Dead constantly turn into walking meat grinders, sweeping away everything that moves in their path with a single button. And it is this feeling that makes the gameplay so addictive.
TeamSuneat studio has combined the beauty of dark pixel fantasy, aggressive fast-paced combat, and a not-too-bad end-of-the-world storyline in its side-scroller. The result is a game that is difficult to put down — even when your brain is tired and can't keep up with what's happening.
The plot is fairly formulaic: the world has been consumed by Corruption, the only surviving black dragon has risen from the ashes, and the gods have sent the chosen Heir — you — to fight your way through hordes of undead to the final battle. But the formality of the plot is quickly forgotten — because Dragon Is Dead speaks much more in the language of mechanics.
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Each race is a separate adventure. Procedurally generated level architecture and unpredictable drops from mobs and treasure chests at the end of locations are the only things that cannot be controlled.
But bosses and approximate build structures are figured out pretty quickly — as is loot, which does not disappear from the player's inventory. That's right: with each death, characters are not completely reset — skills and artifacts disappear, but all equipment remains. Legendary gloves, rare staffs, armor that summons lightning when dodging — all of this becomes your support in subsequent attempts.
This is the key to success in Dragon Is Dead: savable loot allows you to maintain and increase your strength. Unlike most roguelikes, where you start from scratch, here you return to battle with a powerful arsenal. Thanks to this, the game manages to convey that very ARPG fantasy of a “godlike hero” within the structure of a roguelike. The effect is almost narcotic.
(Not) difficult to be a god
The feeling of power here scales rapidly. Some artifacts and upgraded weapons — especially those of the Berserker in red armor and with a frightening face — destroy the initial enemies and most of the bosses in a flash, so that every run to the finale after 7–8 hours of play becomes a walk in the park.
And it's an extremely pleasant feeling when the hero becomes an invincible, unstoppable warrior — especially when compared to the much more hardcore representatives of the genre.