Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon

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After a couple of disappointments in the series, I bought this Spyro game for my daughter in the hopes that it would get a new look on the PS3. It most definitely does, with not only gorgeous visuals and breathtaking locations, but a surprisingly different take on the interface: this game has the same mechanics as the God of War series. You have light and heavy attacks, combos that involve simple button-press sequences, and a "level-up" capability that involves collecting special crystals and then choosing which abilities to funnel them into. The buttons even map exactly the same. I played this for a bit with my daughter, then out of curiosity I switched over to God of War when she was out of the room, and it felt pretty much the same--the flight mechanic even resembles God of War's "Icarus Wings".

Unfortunately, this new interface won't resonate with everyone who is a fan of the Spyro games. For example, camera control isn't always 100%--sometimes it's taken out of your hands. I'm used to the God of War series having none at all, so I don't find this as jarring in this title as others might. Not every special ability or chaining action is simple to pull off--but believe me, any 10-year-old will pick this up fairly quickly. The new "grab" mechanic that lets you seize hold of your opponents is surprisingly easy to do, but requires you to make some decisions in the middle of a pitched battle--there's a time when grabbing is a good idea, and a time when it's a bad idea. Flying is extremely fun, but not always perfect: there are times when the wind direction (which you can see) will limit your actions. You have to follow the lines that show you the direction of the air flow, so this won't be easy for the under-10 set. In fact, I almost think the "ages 10 and up" rating is more for a child's capability of understanding the game than it may be about the content.

Here's what makes Dawn of the Dragon tons of fun, though: it has sharing loosely coupled to the story. Gameplay is like a "prison escape" movie cliche--you have two heroes, and they're tied together. They have to work together to get through the story (often referred to in gamer circles as "two-player co-op"). Thankfully the magical "tether" tying Spyro to Cinder is a pretty long one, letting you rather freely move about. The game sticks two dragons together and not only lets a single player jump on-the-fly from one to the other, it also lets you switch in and out of two-player mode with a couple of button-taps. If a sibling wants to join in on the fun, they can take the reins of one of the two dragons. If they get bored and want to stop playing, just pause the game and select "one player" again and the game will resume exactly where it left off. Kids can share together without having to start over, reload, or commit to both of them finishing the level. Dawn of the Dragon also adds some fun for girls: while the previous Spyro entries have been boy-oriented, my daughter was thrilled at the chance to play Cinder, the girl dragon. Her abilities are different (and just as important) and she even seems to be a bit better at flying.

That said, the Spyro series doesn't just have kids in its fan base--there are "elite bosses" and hidden secrets that are more for an adult player looking to get the most out of their gaming experience. There are character cutscenes with a longer story and dialogue, and you may be surprised to know that some top-drawer talent lend their voices to the series: Elijah Wood (as Spyro) and Gary Oldman (as Ignitus). The elite bosses and secrets are optional parts of the game, and it may take some explaining to younger players that certain bad guys don't have to be defeated: they can be skipped. I'd recommend skipping them the first time through because the two that we've uncovered so far have turned out to be impossibly hard to battle. If you want to cut down on frustration, don't try to level every skill to the top, and definitely steer clear of the Elites.

If you have children who enjoy the Spyro series, chances are they will find this one fun, but they'll need to understand that it's not exactly the same as the rest of the series. They should also play it all the way through once before trying to master it all and beat the Elites. Consider it more for ages 8 and older, with 10 and up getting the most out of it. If you're an adult who likes the Spyro series and also enjoys God of War style games (like Heavenly Sword and Dante's Inferno), then there's a good chance you'll enjoy this makeover just as much as the younger fans will.

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Good Fun & Entertainment from an Old Friend!

I remember Spyro from the late 90's when he made his debut on the PS1. Here we are ten years later and he is still going strong. Yes, the last few Spyro titles have been a disappointment, but for some reason Activision did it right and churned out a great game. I have to admit that since Spyro landed on the PS2 and the Gamecube including the Wii that the games have been a bit of a let down. The games were still playable, but missing that certain something quality that made the original first three games so much fun. The magic from the original creators had faded away.

Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon is probably one of the most beautiful Spyro games to date. It's simply gorgeous. This is also the first time that Spyro can fly in a game. I think the Spyro the character has really matured a bit and there is a certain grown up element to this game.

I wouldn't call it a boss battle, but one of the big monsters in the first level is a bit on the scary side and the way the game plays reminded me a little of God of War. I would say this game isn't complete 3D like Mario. Spyro is restricted to what is visible on screen and the 2nd analog stick doesn't function the way I would like it to. The second analog stick has always been used to rotate the camera angle around the screen 360 degrees, but because of the fact you are restricted to semi 2D/3D layout that one can only move the camera to what the game lets the player see, so its pretty much a 180 degree turn. I didn't find this to be a BIG problem, but it was a bit annoying at times.

Other then that small annoyance i actually found the game to be quite entertaining. It brings back some of the magic from the original Spyro games that were lacking on his PS2 days. This is definitely a title you want to add to your library and its hours of fun with a familiar face.

Buy Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon Now

This is my second Spyro game and I really like this one. Here's why:

-The graphics are absolutely beautiful. In Avalar Valley, when Spyro and Cynder are free-flying around, you can see individual blades of grass, each leaf on the trees, and there is so much color! The environments are very passionate and have a mood that relates very closely to the storyline.

-The breaths are powerful and vivid. Spyro's fire breath lights up the whole screen! They have an instant effect on enemies and are very gratifying to use.

-Medium difficulty level. I am currently playing this with my seven-year-old sister and we both have no problem getting through puzzles and fighting enemies. I have definitely played easier games, but this was not the hardest. I've only died twice and I am halfway through the game. Contrary to earlier reviews, jumps don't have to be perfect; there is some margin for error.

-Runs smoothly. This game never gets choppy and I have yet to see a glitch (and I'm halfway through!). When Spyro and Cynder are flying and one wheels about, the camera moves without any hiccups. This makes the experience feel more lifelike and immersive.

The problems I have with this game include the following:

-The camera constantly drives me insane! Pushing really hard on the right analog stick makes the camera drift only a very small amount. This seems confining, especially in a game with such rich environments, puzzles, and intense combat.

-May be hard for some players. Some parts can be a bit confusing, and combat can drain life quickly, but this isn't a problem if you have some time and patience! Finding all the health and magic upgrades is constantly irking me as I can't seem to find any! The armor is a nice touch, and looks pretty cool, but finding all of it could be difficult.

OVERALL, this is a wonderfully made game with few hiccups and many hours of deep, bright, colorful gameplay that involves puzzle, platforming, and fighting elements. I would definitely recommend this game to anyone who has some money to spend and a few hours to play!

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My son loves this series. It is vastly superior to the previous release, being more intense and heavy in graphics. The story line is a bit more complex, as well.

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The game is somewhat confusing when I get to certain levels. But I will manage to get thru. I just put it away in cabinet until I have more patience to deal with it.