Draconus: Cult of the Wyrm for Sega Dreamcast

Released: June 30, 2000
Platform: Dreamcast
Publisher: Crave Entertainment
Developer: Treyarch
Genre: Action/Adventure

Draconus: Cult of the Wyrm, I feel, is one of those hidden gems for a system. A game that didn't do fantastic at retail, a game that didn't get the best reviews, but a good game, nonetheless. A game that really is worth the monetary and time investment to play it.

Draconus is a game that I picked up used, well after it came out. I was so excited about Dreamcast back then that most of the games that I knew I would like, I had on preorder, and therefore got them on day one. This game had virtually no hype. I had no idea what to expect. I worked for Babbage's back then. So, I took advantage of the "free rental" policy. After one day I was hooked, and I went back to work and made the purchase.

This is a decidedly action game with strong adventure elements. In the beginning players have the option of playing as a male character (Cynric) who has more strength, or a female character (Aeowyn, a sorceress) with less and a little more speed. There's zero reason to not play as the male character, as sorcery is contingent on finding items throughout the game. Cynric can be just as proficient as Aeowyn in the mystic arts.

The setting is fantasy. The story is very Tolken-esque. It has to do with reuniting a kingdom of many races, humans, elves, trolls, et cetera, and overcoming a great evil. The level design is sprawling and interesting, and there is an incentive to explore in the form of hidden items that are necessary to increase stats.

Action is hack and slash. It's fun. Pretty damn fun, actually. Putting down hordes of goblins is satisfying. After all, how dare they fuck with you in the first place? The audacity. The characters have the ability to attack with a blade, block with a shield, and use some magic. There's a great deal of swordplay, and towards the end there's even more blocking as the difficulty increases... to near ridiculous proportions in the last stage and final battle. But that ought to satisfy gamers who say they don't find challenges in games any longer. There is obviously magic, but I used it mostly for healing, and not so much for offense.

The game is pretty good looking for a first generation Dreamcast title. Even the voice acting is pretty good. I chalk that up to the talent having British accents. The controls are responsive, and the glitches are kept to a minimum, though they're not non-existent. On occasion your arm and sword may go through a hillside. The biggest drawback is the Dreamcast's limited single analog stick. Draconus screams for dual analog control. Alas, it's impossible.

Even with those shortcomings, Draconus is a game that should be in every gamer's Dreamcast library. If you haven't given it a chance yet, then do so. It's worth it.