Customer Reviews

Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is the third Spyro game in the "Legend of Spyro" series. This is also the first game in which Spyro can actually fly and is the first game made for the XBOX 360 and PS3 generation of consoles.

The original Spyro games, that came out for the Playstation One, were highly rated. Moreso than the more recent "Legend of" series.

That being said, I think this game delivers in providing some really cool, great looking next-gen environments along with, for the most part, the kind of quality gameplay that satisfies.

Graphically the strengths are that the environment and ambient surroundings are among the best I've seen for a game that is intended to be charming for both kids and adults. The weaknesses are that the camera angles get very restricted and the frame rate drops and gets choppy at times. Both Spyro and Cynder, along with the environments, look great in this game. Just as you'd expect on the 360.

Gameplay-wise I have to say the God of War like boss battles are very enjoyable and work well. Battling the typical onslought of enemies can get repetitious as they come out in large numbers at times and respawn over and over. Though you'll probably find yourself button mashing the x and y buttons to continually attack in these instances, there are some nice grabs and combo moves that you can do that help to break up the monotony of it. Each dragon has specific breath attacks, such as fire,ice, electricity ...etc, that can be upgraded to be more powerful throughout the game. Armor can be obtained and upgraded as well.

The co-op play works well. All you have to do is pause the game and you can choose "Single Player" or "Two Player" from the menu at any time and a friend can join in. Both Spyro and Cynder are joined together by what appears to be an electro-magnetic tether that keeps them within a close range of each other. This means in co-op mode the two players have to work together to try and basically move in the same direction throughout the gameplay.

The flying is sweet and I really enjoy it with only the downside being that it is limited by barriers. Tap the "A" button three times and you're in the air, any time at any place in the game. However, you usually have to get a long flying run, or have to go through a predefined route, in order to get to higher locations that Spyro can't immediately ascend to. If you're like me, you'll enjoy flying through the awesome environments at times.

The story plays out in a kind of superficial way. It is decent enough to carry the game but not quite up to par with the epic soundtrack and background music. The audio is top notch and the voicework is well acted. Background ambient music is movie-like and helps this to truly feel like a game for this generation.

Aside from the frustrations of limited camera angles, invisible barriers and repetitious fighting of common enemies, I think this game is great and I am glad I bought it :)

My boys love to play video games and this new Spyro is great! I even love playing this one!

Shipped on time without damage. My niece and nephew can play this game for hours. It isnt violent or confrontational.

I have a lot of good memories of the early days of Spyro. He is still a lot of fun to be and also has a partner to help him out. My only complaint is the camera angles/views. It can be difficult to see what you're doing at points in the game. Spyro fans should enjoy playing this.

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.

This is the final entry in the less than hallowed Legend of Spyro series. I loved this series and really didn't think it was as bad as some people said it was. Once again, some fanboys have popped up and once again have whined and complained about Spyro not being exactly the same as he was on the PSone. Critics liked this game better than the last one, but it still received a mixed average (62 out of 100 on Metacritic for this version). While I won't deny this series is without flaws, it is a good series worth picking up.
WHAT THE GAME IS: A continuation of Krome Studio's Legend of Spyro series (This one was developed by Entranges Libellues). Taking place three years after the events of Spyro: The Eternal Night, Spyro, Cinder, and Sparx have remained entombed in crystal, and when they are freed of their crystal prison, they are taken prisoners by the Dark Master's forces. After fighting a boss, Spyro and Cinder realize that they are tied together with a powerful magical chain that cannot be broken. Then the group comes across Hunter (Remember the cheetah character with the bow and arrow?) who helps them escape the temple because he was sent by Ignitus (The head-honcho of the dragons) and they must meet him in Dragon City along with the rest of the group. The group is pulled into an adventure to stop the Dark Master from taking over the world and fight legions of enemies along the way. The story isn't entirely original, but it works as a pleasant children's fantasy. This game is basically part flight simulator/part platformer/part beat 'em up/part puzzle-solving.
GRAPHICS: These aren't the best graphics you'll see on the Xbox 360 (Look into Resident Evil 5 for that), but they are certainly the best graphics of the series. The environments are beautifully detailed and very colorful. It never got boring wandering around these wonderful environments. However, I did notice the animation reminded of robotic PS2 animation in the ways the characters moved. There also some moments in which the game has to load for new sections (Don't worry, they aren't long). Animation and loading blunders aside, this game looks great.
MUSIC: This series has been known for its great music, and this game is no exception. The music is great from its calm and peaceful tone, to its booming orchestral score, this music is fantastic and fits the fantasy mood perfectly. Props to the composer.
SOUND: They managed to get together some top-notch talent in here. Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings trilogy, Sin City, Happy Feet) returns as Spyro, Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, The Fifth Element) returns as Ignitus, Christina Ricci (Sleepy Hollow, Monster, Casper, Cursed, The Adams Family, Black Snake Moan) plays the role of Cinder, Mark Hamill (Star Wars Episodes IV-VI, Animated Batman series) plays the role of the Dark Master, and they recruited other great actors as well. I also enjoyed the voice-work done with Hunter, and once again Sparx's voice has been changed. I had no gripes with their acting except for some moments of dumb dialogue ("Let's blow this 'dam' thing up!" As a reference to when you do a mission to destroy a dam). The other sound effects were pretty good as well.
GAMEPLAY: For the first time in the series, you have unlimited flight and there is co-op. It's about damn time! However, it will take practice to get used to the gameplay, so let's start off with the bad parts of the gameplay. Flight controls are handled with the A button and analog sticks, and the flight controls are touchy and can be frustrating. Puzzles during the game can at times be very tedious and frustrating thanks to the God-awful camera (Why can't I turn it 360 degrees?!). Co-op can also be a touchy situation because of the camera and it can cause problems at the wrong times. So after criticizing this game for all these problems, how do I give it an 8? Once you learn how to play (Along with a friend if you decide to do co-op), this game is very fun and you can't help but have a blast exploring this endearing fantasy world. Flying all over the place is a wonderful experience that never gets old and there are items and tougher enemies hidden around the levels (Such as armor and crystal upgrades for your health and powers) for you to find. As in the previous games, there is an upgrades system. To upgrade your powers, you must find blue crystals. Also, as in the previous games, red crystals heal you, while green crystals restore your ability to use your elemental powers. As in the previous two games, there is a lot of beating up of enemies. The X and Y buttons are most commonly used in combat, along with the occasional jumping in the air and pulling off combos there. This game seems to borrow ideas from games such as God of War and Shadow of the Colossus, as well as taking ideas from Lord of the Rings. It steals the button presses and some environmental designs from God of War, while the giant bosses feel like they were pulled from Shadow of the Colossus, and the rest of the designs felt a lot like Lord of the Rings. This isn't a bad thing, considering that it works well in here. Overall, while the gameplay takes time to get used to, it's a great and very fun experience (Especially when you bring a friend into it).
OVERALL: Looking for a great interpretation of what Spyro can be? Look no further. This is a great game by itself, and is even better during co-op mode. While the gameplay can be difficult, pulling off combos, flying through the beautiful environments, and finding hidden secrets is worth the price of admission into this awesome fantasy world. Also available on: PS3, PS2, Wii, and DS.
THE GOOD: Beautiful graphics, fun flight gameplay, lots of hidden extras, wonderful music, great voice-acting, co-op, and fun combos.
THE BAD: Awful camera, touchy flight controls, some tedious puzzles, some odd animation, and the story wasn't taken as far as it could have gone.

This used video game came without being wrapped in plastc and it was scratched bad on the back. Its rating as a used game should have been a lot lower than 95 percent. I believed that when the ranking of 95 percent would get me a game in excellent condition, which wasn't the case at all. The consumer trusts the ranking system to help with these unknown games and trust that the rankings are accurate. This game didn't measure up and I was disappointed with my purchase. Improvements need to be made in the evaluation process and not take the word of the seller. Amazon dropped the ball this time!

purchased to go with the rest of a gift for someone. came in ontime was as described. great service. would order again. person seemed to be happy with it

I was a huge Spyro fan back when I had the original Playstation, and when my girlfriend said she was one too I figured, hey, why not pick up Spyro for the 360? The game definitely re-acquaints you with Spyro, as well as his darker counter part, Cynder. You play both in the game, because you're connected at the throat and can only go so far away from one another. The concept is a good idea, but the whole connection gig gets rather burdensome after playing the game for a while. The mechanics while playing two player, cooperative, of course, also get rather onerous and downright annoying after a while. But, if you're a die hard Spyro fan and want a light, non intensive game to play by yourself or with a friend, Dawn of the Dragon is right for you.

The only other thing I'd really note is that the graphics are rather terrible, especially for 360 games. The game experience is fun, overall, but I feel like the game play should definitely have been tweaked a bit before release.

Just my two cents.

The boys have graduated from the Gamecube and the Wii. They still love the Spyro series and the "Dawn of the Dragon" is their first hi-def Spyro game for the big screen. Of course the first obvious improvement is the graphics. Their world looks fantastic, dreamy, almost like you want to explore it yourself in the real world.

This can be played by 2 players working in tandem or single player with the computer taking the role of the other player. The game started with Spyro freed after years of being imprisoned inside a crystal. With the threat of evil overcoming their world, Cynder, his former nemesis will now work with him to try stop the looming disaster.

As you progress on the game, you have upgrades for your dragons for their abilities and armor. You have to collect a lot of points to do this. You also have to find two types of crystals that will lengthen your health (or life) meter and elemental meter. Red for the former, and green for the later.

The game is fun. They have a lot of puzzles and problem solving. It is just that some of the battles are prolonged and repetitive. Tiring at times. Some of the maneuvers are not easy to master in two players, like traveling along the sidewalls of the canons which also requires some help from the wind.

The game features the star voices of Elijah Wood, Gary Oldman and Christina Ricci.