Dragonheart

Games like this may be a little tough to play, but quite honestly they make my job kind of easy. Dragonhead is great-looking with cool rendered backgrounds and digitized characters. Then the control and playability come into play and the game becomes below average. The idea is quite good and since it's based on the movie (and does a nice translation) the game gets points for that. But 1 can't get past the poor control and the jerky movement of the characters. Some of the hit detection of objects in the game are kind of strange as well. This one is a definite rental for me, but if you're really curious and loved the movie, try it.

Listen to my theory. Some game designer, who's out of touch with reality, decides that, "Gamers nowadays want great graphics. Let's make graphics our only priority!" And boom, out comes Dragonheart I said a long time ago that game designers should ask themselves, 'If we took away the fancy graphic, would we have a good game?" Sadly, in this case, the answer is no. Like Skeleton Warriors, DH consists of a tedious trek through pretty levels, killing all that gets in your way. For a more entertaining game, take a look at Batman Forever instead. Dragonheart has less substance in it than the Pope.

DH is very similar to Skeleton Warriors, in that it has pretty graphics, an excellent soundtrack and extremely weak gameplay. You do plenty of hackin' and slashin' in this game, but that's about it. The combat is nothing special-you strike, then duck or block with your shield. Repeat until the bad guys die. Sure, you can collect money to buy new weapons between levels, and you battle some pretty impressive-looking dragons, but there's very little else about the game that's notable. DH doesn't control well, either; your character's sword attacks are sluggish, and his jerky reactions make certain obstacles impossible to avoid.

Considering the failure of the movie, it's not surprising that the game would follow suit The graphic are actually nicely done, although they appear unfinished, like the developers expected high interest then halted production when the movie tanked. After the graphics, there is literally nothing worth mentioning. The music is okay, but not exactly mood-setting. The problems really start when you look at the gameplay. Dragonheart has the feel of a game stuck together with duct tape. Jumping is a joke, and your biggest enemy is a log! Yes, a log! The best gameplay comes with the blocking, parrying and attacks. Coaster Award!