IGN Reviews Blue Dragon

Since 6858 Days

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/812/812365p1.html

I thought it was a pretty fair review. Seems like the good stuff is on the 3rd disc.

The amount of time you have to invest in Blue Dragon before the payout occurs is excessive by any measuring stick. The presentation of character development, skill acquisition, and interesting side quests is skewed heavily towards the latter third of the game. For the first 10-15 hours Blue Dragon offers linearity, characters you know little about, and little in the means of interesting action or combat. It's not a far stretch of the imagination at all to think that a great number of gamers won't make it over this first hump. The pacing just isn't one that will hook anybody early on and likely won't resonate with a good portion of the American audience. You won't be alone if you're 5-10 hours into the game scratching your head as you wonder when the fun starts.

Is the payoff worth the time? Yes and no. By the end of the third disc, the world of Blue Dragon opens. The requisite airship is introduced and players are encouraged to go back and re-explore areas they've previously been to. The optional side quests at the end of the game are fun and present the only real challenges in the game. High level enemies can be found, new towns and islands become available to explore, and a good number of previously inaccessible chests holding goodies present enough new and fun reasons to delay the inevitable end of the game. Even the Corporeal attacks, Blue Dragon's version of summon spells in which the shadows take physical form for massive damage, don't appear until this latter portion of the game. This is what you've been waiting for.

The concept isn't new for RPGs, in fact it's almost quaint at this point, but Blue Dragon is traditional if nothing else. Though the first disc is a bore, as things open up and more challenges are offered, Blue Dragon becomes very enjoyable. Invest the time and you'll fiind a game worth playing to its conclusion.

In reply to

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/812/812365p1.html

I thought it was a pretty fair review. Seems like the good stuff is on the 3rd disc.

[quote]The amount of time you have to invest in Blue Dragon before the payout occurs is excessive by any measuring stick. [b]The presentation of character development, skill acquisition, and interesting side quests is skewed heavily towards the latter third of the game.[/b] For the first 10-15 hours Blue Dragon offers linearity, characters you know little about, and little in the means of interesting action or combat. It's not a far stretch of the imagination at all to think that a great number of gamers won't make it over this first hump. [b]The pacing just isn't one that will hook anybody early on and likely won't resonate with a good portion of the American audience. You won't be alone if you're 5-10 hours into the game scratching your head as you wonder when the fun starts.[/b]

[b]Is the payoff worth the time? Yes and no. By the end of the third disc, the world of Blue Dragon opens. The requisite airship is introduced and players are encouraged to go back and re-explore areas they've previously been to.[/b] The optional side quests at the end of the game are fun and present the only real challenges in the game. High level enemies can be found, new towns and islands become available to explore, and a good number of previously inaccessible chests holding goodies present enough new and fun reasons to delay the inevitable end of the game. [b]Even the Corporeal attacks, Blue Dragon's version of summon spells in which the shadows take physical form for massive damage, don't appear until this latter portion of the game. This is what you've been waiting for.[/b]

The concept isn't new for RPGs, in fact it's almost quaint at this point, but Blue Dragon is traditional if nothing else. Though the first disc is a bore, as things open up and more challenges are offered, Blue Dragon becomes very enjoyable. [b]Invest the time and you'll fiind a game worth playing to its conclusion.[/b][/quote]

Phaethon, the forum Spectre.

dcdelgado

Since 6872 Days

I had a feeling this would be too deep for the Western market, looks like its true.

In reply to

Halle Berry: Delgado i am feeling really reall dirty tonight, shall i call Jessica Simpson for a threesome?

Delgado: HALLE what have i told you about bothering me when i'm playing Mass Effect!!! now get out and dont come back for 2 months!! (Slams door

Phaethon360

Since 6858 Days

I don't know, I think it's just been released in a very bad schedule. This would have been the perfect summer title. No games were being released, and everyone had a ton of time to invest in something like this. Now, there's just too many games to buy and not enough time to play them. If they had made the Asian subtitled version region free, I would've definitely bought it.

Does it really look like LO will be releasing this Fall? These two games could possibly be competing with each other in the US if thats the case. I have a feeling LO will be pushed back to 2008.

In reply to

Phaethon, the forum Spectre.

mt_sabao

Since 6443 Days

3 DVDs?! 15 before the fun starts? Man, what with all the amazing fun games coming along who has time to invest 15 hours before the fun starts?!

In reply to

RAZurrection

Since 6885 Days

http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1365/Blue-Dra...

TXB= 8.5

In reply to

Jollipop

Since 6895 Days

To be honest I think the exact oppisite, i found the game well paced and it kept me entertained up to the last minute.

I found the exploration and side quests extremely boring and tiresome (which obviously you don't need to do)

The 3rd disc is obviously the best disc because its the end of the game, the 2nd disc is basically full of FMV.

The dungeons on the 3rd disc are huge and this bored me a little also.

I have a feeling LO will be pushed back to 2008.

How dare you!

In reply to

Marumaro for the WIN !!

KORNdog

Since 6416 Days

This message is in "Boulet Time" (TM), If you still *really* want to see it, click here

Posted by dcdelgado

I had a feeling this would be too deep for the Western market, looks like its true.

too deep?!? too boring by the sounds of things.

gmulis

Since 6800 Days

maybe sakaguchi is too old school for 2007

In reply to

mess with the best die the like rest

Heretic

Since 6986 Days

i can't wait! this will be the game to hold me over till the greatest game of all time ships, Halo 3!

i have made it my goal to finish this game by then or else the same thing will happen that happened to Fable, left in the dust.

I can't wait to explore the world!

I love you Halo...

In reply to

Finish The Fight Sept. 25th

Halo 3 Bitches!!!

Beware, Heretic is on the prowl!!!

unfettered

Since 7000 Days

Geez, I was afraid of this. Especially after playing the demo. But I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt, and just assume that it was a mediocre demo, and that the game would be way better. Well it is certainly appearing like my first instinct about Blue Dragon, from playing the demo, was spot on. There is nothing new here to jRPGs to warrant a purchase. I mean, in the demo, they even through in what we now know to be some of the advanced features from the third disc, like the corporeal, and still the game did not seem to live up to what I was hoping it would. And on top of the fact that there is nothing new for the genre in this game, the pacing is all BS. Here is a 50+ hour game, and for the entire first disc, the pacing is as slow as molasses? C'mon, give me a break. And then there isn't even any character development until disc three? That's over 30 hours into the game. It sounds to me, after reading both IGN's and Team Xbox's reviews, that the first two discs of Blue Dragon are more like a prelude to the story, and the real story does not even begin until you get to disc three. The problem is, to get to disc three you have to play through the 30 hours of gameplay that is disc one and disc two. People, I don't know about the rest of you, but that is just way too much of an investment. Made even worse by the fact that there are virtually a ton of AAA titles being released starting with BioShock, due out the week before Blue Dragon. Two Worlds, another promising RPG, is also due out the week before Blue Dragon. Stranglehold, who's demo absolutely kicks insane amounts of ass, comes out on the same day as Blue Dragon. And then three weeks after Blue Dragon will see the release of Eternal Sonata, which if the demos is anything to judge by, is looking to be a far better jRPG experience than Blue Dragon. I figure by the time I complete beating BioShock and Stranglehold, Eternal Sonata will be coming out and I will pick that one up instead. Tri-Crescendo seems to have their thinking caps on with this one, and Eternal Sonata seems to have everything under the hood that is missing from Blue Dragon: well-paced story, well-paced character development, dynamic battle system, pays offs scattered throughout the adventure and not just reserved for the last few hours of the game, etc.

Yeah. So I think that I am just going to cancel my Blue Dragon pre-order, and move the money over to Eternal Sonata. And in the meantime while I am waiting for Eternal Sonata, get some AAA quasi-RPG/FPS action on with BioShock. And then if I beat that before Eternal Sonata, pick up Stranglehold as well.

In reply to

Geez, I was afraid of this. Especially after playing the demo. But I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt, and just assume that it was a mediocre demo, and that the game would be way better. Well it is certainly appearing like my first instinct about Blue Dragon, from playing the demo, was spot on. There is nothing new here to jRPGs to warrant a purchase. I mean, in the demo, they even through in what we now know to be some of the advanced features from the third disc, like the corporeal, and still the game did not seem to live up to what I was hoping it would. And on top of the fact that there is nothing new for the genre in this game, the pacing is all BS. Here is a 50+ hour game, and for the entire first disc, the pacing is as slow as molasses? C'mon, give me a break. And then there isn't even any character development until disc three? That's over 30 hours into the game. It sounds to me, after reading both IGN's and Team Xbox's reviews, that the first two discs of Blue Dragon are more like a prelude to the story, and the real story does not even begin until you get to disc three. The problem is, to get to disc three you have to play through the 30 hours of gameplay that is disc one and disc two. People, I don't know about the rest of you, but that is just way too much of an investment. Made even worse by the fact that there are virtually a ton of AAA titles being released starting with BioShock, due out the week before Blue Dragon. Two Worlds, another promising RPG, is also due out the week before Blue Dragon. Stranglehold, who's demo absolutely kicks insane amounts of ass, comes out on the same day as Blue Dragon. And then three weeks after Blue Dragon will see the release of Eternal Sonata, which if the demos is anything to judge by, is looking to be a far better jRPG experience than Blue Dragon. I figure by the time I complete beating BioShock and Stranglehold, Eternal Sonata will be coming out and I will pick that one up instead. Tri-Crescendo seems to have their thinking caps on with this one, and Eternal Sonata seems to have everything under the hood that is missing from Blue Dragon: well-paced story, well-paced character development, dynamic battle system, pays offs scattered throughout the adventure and not just reserved for the last few hours of the game, etc.

Yeah. So I think that I am just going to cancel my Blue Dragon pre-order, and move the money over to Eternal Sonata. And in the meantime while I am waiting for Eternal Sonata, get some AAA quasi-RPG/FPS action on with BioShock. And then if I beat that before Eternal Sonata, pick up Stranglehold as well.

Schmooboo

Since 6569 Days

Well, BD, is really cute looking game, im sure theres alot of young people that will love it, and im pretty sure, by western standards its intended for a younger audience, with Lost Odysey for an older audience.

But the IGN review is unnecessarily harsh.
I felt they reviewed with the intent on trashing than the intent on playing the game and enjoying it.

I think for anyone who finds the art design nice, they will get from this game. IGN just got up on the wrong side of the bed when they reviewed this.

TXB, review is very diff, on the important notes, they say this game is worth it, while IGN basically feels it was a waste of time. I feel like cheking their reviews of FF 8, 9 and 12to compare.

In reply to

GoW, War3, Halo, MYST, Civilazation

unfettered

Since 7000 Days

http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/...

I was just over at Metacritic checking out the reviews thus far on Blue Dragon, and it is shaping up to be one of those games where either you like it or you pass on it - I think it's mostly due to the fact the game is far too old school for long time players of jRPGs. Pacing issues seem to be raised in quite a few of these reviews as well; even in some of the favorable reviews.

Overall scorage is pointing at Blue Dragon just being an average game, which considering that it has long been billed as God's gift to jRPG fans, will come as a let down to everyone, I feel.

Ultimately, I feel that Phaethon360 nailed it on the head when he said the game is going to be a victim of bad scheduling. What we have in our hands is an average game at best. But it is besieged on all sides by truly excellent game titles of all ilk from too many competitors for the same $60 purchase. And that is just on the 360, Wii is bringing the love with Metroid Prime 3: Corruption on the same day Blue Dragon lands, and PS3 has well . . . nothing really coming out in the same timeframe, unless you count the finally released GRAW 2 (which is a AAA title any day of the week). Multi-platform owners are covered with on all fronts with truly excellent software to purchase with the same money they would be expected to pay for Blue Dragon. Had Blue Dragon turned out to be a AAA title, say a true, next-generation ChronoTrigger, things would be very different indeed. But unfortunately as can be seen by the review scores, on the level of ChronoTrigger it is not. For every reviewer who walks away impressed with the title, another one walks away unimpressed. Neither ChronoTrigger, nor the lesser, ChronoCross, had to deal with this hot & cold issue. So for Blue Dragon, it comes back to timing. Had been released in June or July when there was simply nothing of worth to play at all on any game console, it may have scored higher and when all is said and done, it certainly would sell a helluva lot more copies.

In reply to

http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/bluedragon?q=blue%20dragon

I was just over at Metacritic checking out the reviews thus far on Blue Dragon, and it is shaping up to be one of those games where either you like it or you pass on it - I think it's mostly due to the fact the game is far too old school for long time players of jRPGs. Pacing issues seem to be raised in quite a few of these reviews as well; even in some of the favorable reviews.

Overall scorage is pointing at Blue Dragon just being an average game, which considering that it has long been billed as God's gift to jRPG fans, will come as a let down to everyone, I feel.

Ultimately, I feel that Phaethon360 nailed it on the head when he said the game is going to be a victim of bad scheduling. What we have in our hands is an average game at best. But it is besieged on all sides by truly excellent game titles of all ilk from too many competitors for the same $60 purchase. And that is just on the 360, Wii is bringing the love with Metroid Prime 3: Corruption on the same day Blue Dragon lands, and PS3 has well . . . nothing really coming out in the same timeframe, unless you count the finally released GRAW 2 (which is a AAA title any day of the week). Multi-platform owners are covered with on all fronts with truly excellent software to purchase with the same money they would be expected to pay for Blue Dragon. Had Blue Dragon turned out to be a AAA title, say a true, next-generation ChronoTrigger, things would be very different indeed. But unfortunately as can be seen by the review scores, on the level of ChronoTrigger it is not. For every reviewer who walks away impressed with the title, another one walks away unimpressed. Neither ChronoTrigger, nor the lesser, ChronoCross, had to deal with this hot & cold issue. So for Blue Dragon, it comes back to timing.  Had been released in June or July when there was simply nothing of worth to play at all on any game console, it may have scored higher and when all is said and done, it certainly would sell a helluva lot more copies.

Optimusv2

Since 6904 Days

Heh doesn't change my opinion of the game any to be honest :)

From what I played I didn't find the earlier parts of the game boring at all really. Teamxbox's review was badly written. Seems to me IGN played the game a lot more.

In reply to

Hironobu Sakaguchi is coming back to reclaim the throne :)

October 20th 2007 (A good day)

Don't ask any questions just shut up and buy Halo : Ghosts of the Onyx one of the greatest books ever.

pssh! more like electronic gay-ming monthly! amirite

Optimusv2

Since 6904 Days

Unfettered Blue Dragon isn't average at all. Maybe its average to people that aren't into such a game or it probably isn't violent enough for the people that would probably enjoy things such as Ninja Gaiden, Bioshock or gears, but its a great game.

I guess I sorta expected this type of reaction to Blue Dragon by the general public, but people that love these things like myself will be viewing this as a great game and not by any means an average one. You call it an average game at best because you don't like this type of game unfettered.

In reply to

Hironobu Sakaguchi is coming back to reclaim the throne :)

October 20th 2007 (A good day)

Don't ask any questions just shut up and buy Halo : Ghosts of the Onyx one of the greatest books ever.

pssh! more like electronic gay-ming monthly! amirite

JediMasterMalik

Since 6748 Days

But you're a Gooch fanboy. ;)

In reply to

Optimusv2

Since 6904 Days

Posted by JediMasterMalik

But you're a Gooch fanboy. ;)

Thats very very true, but I've played this game more than enough times to know a great game when I see one. I mean I absolutely loved Kingdom Hearts 2 and IGN gave it a 7.6. IGN was a bit harsh in areas and I can't believe they called maru annoying.... he's such a cool character. That there to me makes me think they approached bd the wrong way. Its all opinion though. Still I'll respect their opinion because their review seemed very thorough. I'll disagree, but I'll respect it.

In reply to

Hironobu Sakaguchi is coming back to reclaim the throne :)

October 20th 2007 (A good day)

Don't ask any questions just shut up and buy Halo : Ghosts of the Onyx one of the greatest books ever.

pssh! more like electronic gay-ming monthly! amirite

LEBATO

Since 7134 Days

Meh, I'm not going to say anything any more about RPGs. I thought there was something fishy about the EGM review, but I guess I just don't know how to judge these kind of games. Oh well, another one bites the dust I guess.

In reply to

Optimusv2

Since 6904 Days

Yea it isn't for everyone that much is fairly obvious by now. I was hoping all the charm in the game people saw as Blim was displaying it would overcome even the most resistant of persons to this type of jrpg, but I guess not :)

I'm just as confident about this game as I've always been though. Just as proud to say this is why I bought a 360 as I was when I first got it.

In reply to

Hironobu Sakaguchi is coming back to reclaim the throne :)

October 20th 2007 (A good day)

Don't ask any questions just shut up and buy Halo : Ghosts of the Onyx one of the greatest books ever.

pssh! more like electronic gay-ming monthly! amirite

GriftGFX

Since 7012 Days

Posted by dcdelgado

I had a feeling this would be too deep for the Western market, looks like its true.

Too deep.. because they gave it a 7.9! Yes I'm sure it's much deeper than Mass Effect!

In reply to

Optimusv2

Since 6904 Days

Posted by GriftGFX

Too deep.. because they gave it a 7.9! Yes I'm sure it's much deeper than Mass Effect!

Forgive me, but thats such a ridiculous statement... how can you even remotely compare Blue Dragon to Mass Effect? Blue Dragon is catching a lot of crap because it doesn't appeal to western tastes.

They can't stand how traditional it is. They can't stand the turnbased combat. They can't stand the anime humor (they find marumaro annoying) they final all the characters annoying. They don't appreciate the visual style, they are annoyed by anime cliches in the story. They find playing through it boring and tedious I find it enjoyable. People found playing through final fantasy 7 boring and tedious too, but back then turn based was totally acceptable :)

In reply to

Hironobu Sakaguchi is coming back to reclaim the throne :)

October 20th 2007 (A good day)

Don't ask any questions just shut up and buy Halo : Ghosts of the Onyx one of the greatest books ever.

pssh! more like electronic gay-ming monthly! amirite

GriftGFX

Since 7012 Days

I agree. Almost as ridiculous as claiming that Blue Dragon is "too deep for western audiences."

In reply to

Optimusv2

Since 6904 Days

Posted by GriftGFX

I agree. Almost as ridiculous as claiming that Blue Dragon is "too deep for western audiences."

Its sorta accurate, but maybe he could've used a better word. I personally think its too much of a traditional jrpg for the western market. Its a new IP it doesn't have the recognition of a final fantasy or dragon quest title so I guess I should've expected this.

Lost Odyssey is really traditional too, but it atleast appeals to what western gamers like. A more mature, serious looking type of game and Blue Dragon isn't that.

In reply to

Hironobu Sakaguchi is coming back to reclaim the throne :)

October 20th 2007 (A good day)

Don't ask any questions just shut up and buy Halo : Ghosts of the Onyx one of the greatest books ever.

pssh! more like electronic gay-ming monthly! amirite

endaround

Since 6589 Days

The point is, as gorgeous as Blue Dragon is, is it a better experience than Persona 3?

In reply to

Ronsauce

Since 6997 Days

Posted by Optimusv2

Its sorta accurate, but maybe he could've used a better word. I personally think its too much of a traditional jrpg for the western market. Its a new IP it doesn't have the recognition of a final fantasy or dragon quest title so I guess I should've expected this.

Lost Odyssey is really traditional too, but it atleast appeals to what western gamers like. A more mature, serious looking type of game and Blue Dragon isn't that.

I'm still wondering how it's even "sorta accurate."

The claim that BD is too deep for Western audiences seems like a poor attempt at damage control. Whereas....

Posted by Optimusv2

They can't stand how traditional it is. They can't stand the turnbased combat. They can't stand the anime humor (they find marumaro annoying) they final all the characters annoying. They don't appreciate the visual style, they are annoyed by anime cliches in the story.

...is definitely a much better guess at why it wasn't reviewed so well.

In reply to

Optimusv2

Since 6904 Days

Well I say sorta accurate in the sense that I knew what he was trying to say even if it didn't come out right.

endaround I'll judge that when i play both Persona 3 and Blue Dragon :)

In reply to

Hironobu Sakaguchi is coming back to reclaim the throne :)

October 20th 2007 (A good day)

Don't ask any questions just shut up and buy Halo : Ghosts of the Onyx one of the greatest books ever.

pssh! more like electronic gay-ming monthly! amirite

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