Drakengard 2

Last updated
Drakengard 2
Drakengard 2 Coverart.png
North American box art
Developer(s) Cavia
Publisher(s)
Director(s) Akira Yasui
Producer(s) Takamasa Shiba
Artist(s)
  • Kimihiko Fujisaka
  • Taro Hasegawa
Writer(s)
  • Sawako Natori [1]
  • Fuminori Ishikawa [1]
Composer(s)
  • Ryoki Matsumoto
  • Aoi Yoshiki
Series Drakengard
Platform(s) PlayStation 2
Release
  • JP: June 16, 2005
  • NA: February 14, 2006
  • EU: March 3, 2006
  • AU: March 9, 2006 [2]
Genre(s) Action role-playing, hack and slash
Mode(s) Single-player

Drakengard 2, known in Japan as Drag-On Dragoon 2: love red, ambivalence black, [lower-alpha 1] is an action role-playing video game developed by Cavia and published by Square Enix in Japan and Ubisoft in all other territories for the PlayStation 2. [3] It is the second entry in the Drakengard series, set after the events of the original Drakengard : the story revolves around Nowe, a boy raised by the dragon Legna, fighting against a tyrannical faction of knights, encountering characters from the previous game and becoming entangled in the fate of the world.

Contents

Like the original, Drakengard 2 combines on-foot hack and slash with aerial combat stages and role-playing mechanics. The previous game's producer, writer and character designer returned to their respective roles. The game was designed as a more mainstream game in light of the previous game's dark aesthetic and story. The game sold 206,000 copies by the end of 2005. Western reviews praised the story, but gave mixed opinions about the graphics and widely criticized the gameplay. A spin-off from the series, Nier , was released in 2010, while a third entry in the series, Drakengard 3 , was released in December 2013 in Japan and May 2014 in North America and Europe.

Gameplay

Drakengard2ground gameplay.jpg
Drakengard2aerial gameplay.jpg
The on-foot and aerial combat, showing characters Nowe and Legna.

As with the original Drakengard, the game is split into chapters and subdivided into ground-based and airborne missions. [4] The story of the game dictates which missions come when during the initial playthrough and how they play out, though as the player progresses, new remixed versions of the various playable levels called "free missions" are unlocked, which allow the player to go through the missions with the story elements removed. The player can jump between the game world's self-contained areas via a world map unlocked after the first chapter. [5] In between the various chapters and missions, the player builds up their characters using experience points earned in battle: the characters' weapons and abilities, and the abilities of the player's dragon, can be gradually improved. The player's view of the world is through a fixed camera, which tracks the player's progress across the player area. Collectables in the form of weapons and items such as armor and health points and items needed to progress within the level are also available for the player to seek out. [6] The game features Normal, Hard, and Expert difficulty levels, and there are multiple weapons and items to collect throughout the levels. [7]

Combat in the game is similar to its predecessor, with the main series of missions beginning after an opening tutorial. The game features ground-based hack-and-slash gameplay and aerial combat. [4] In ground combat, the player controls multiple characters, switching between them via the pause menu in order to use their different weapons. The characters use physical attacks using character weapons for short-range battle, while magical attacks are used for long-range attacks and groups of enemies. [6] The magical attacks vary between the playable characters. Weapons, characters and magical abilities leave up and grow stronger as the player gains experience points in combat: weapons have a four-level cap. [4]

Aerial gameplay puts the main character atop his dragon, which is guided round by the player to attack enemy formations and large structures on the ground or enemies and airships in the sky. The player can also jump between the dragon and the ground during ground-based missions. [4] The dragon has the ability to launch two types of fireballs: a homing variety that deals damage to single enemies, and a widespread attack which does higher damage to groups. Alongside this, the dragon can perform a special attack called "Dragon Overdrive", which kills many normal enemy units outright and deals high damage to stronger units and bosses. [5] The dragon also gains experience and levels up through combat, dealing more damage in its attacks as it grows stronger. It also evolves and grows stronger at points directly linked to the game's narrative. [4]

Story

Setting and characters

Drakengard 2 takes place in an unnamed land nearly two decades after the events of Drakengard: originally said to take place after the game's first ending, it was later retconned so it took place in an isolated timeline following events similar to Drakengard. [8] [9] In the original game, two powers, the Empire and the Union, were engaged in a religious war over the Seals, magical bindings tied to a chosen Goddess of the Seal that kept dark entities known as the Watchers from appearing in the mortal world and destroying humanity. Caught up in the conflict were Caim and Angelus, a human and a dragon who had made a pact (a magical ritual that linked their souls), and fought to try to keep both the Seals and the Goddess safe. Though they ultimately failed, Angelus became the new seal, averting the end of the world. [8] Eighteen years later, the Seals are protected by the Knights of the Seal, who eventually grow to become a dominating force in the land. [10]

The game's main character is Nowe (ノウェ, Nōe), a Knight of the Seal who possesses superhuman powers. [8] Nowe's companion is Legna (レグナ, Reguna), a dragon who helped raise Nowe and was involved in the events of 18 years before. Accompanying Nowe on his journey is Manah (マナ, Mana), the main antagonist of the first game who now seeks to free the people from the oppression of the Knights; [11] Eris (エリス, Erisu), a female Knight of the Seal and Nowe's childhood friend; and Urick (ユーリック, Yūrikku) a former Knight who made a pact with the Grim Reaper in exchange for his mortality. The main villain of the game is Gismor (ジスモア, Jisumoa), leader of the Knights of the Seal. Returning from the first game are Caim (カイム, Kaimu), the previous game's main protagonist; Angelus (アンヘル, Anheru), the current Goddess of the Seal; and Seere (セエレ, Sēre), once a companion to Caim and now the Hierarch of the Union. Minor characters include the guardians of the Seals, Zhangpo (ザンポ, Zanpo), Hanch (ハンチ, Hanchi) and Yaha (ヤハ, Yaha), and Oror (オロー, Orō), who helped raise Nowe. [12]

Plot

The game begins with Nowe becoming a fully-fledged Knight of the Seal. During his first mission, Nowe begins to doubt the ethics of the Knights' methods, as the seals require human sacrifices to remain strong. [13] During a second mission to ensure the protection of the seal in the District of Soul Flame, Nowe encounters Manah, who kills the guardian Zhangpo and destroys the seal. Manah is sentenced to be burnt at the stake, but uses her magic to escape. After returning from the mission, Nowe is poisoned by Gismor, who reveals that he killed Nowe's adoptive father Oror. [14] Surviving and escaping with Legna, Nowe is pursued by the Knights, including Eris, who wishes to persuade him to return. Nowe and Legna eventually rejoin Manah and join her on her quest to destroy the seals and, in her mind, free the people from the Knights' oppression.

On their way to the second seal, Manah shows Nowe the true horror of the Knights' deeds, fully winning him over. [15] The two then fight and kill Lieutenant Hanch, destroying the seal in the District of Hallowed Water. After this, they are joined by Urick, a former Lieutenant of the Knights, to rout a group of bandits. Attacked by the Knights, they are unexpectedly saved by Caim, who is also working to destroy the seals and free his dragon Angelus from the pain of being the Goddess Seal.

After taking down Lieutenant Yaha and destroying the seal in the District of Precious Light, Manah is captured by the Knights and sentenced to death. Nowe manages to rescue her and heads for the seal in the District of Shining Life, which was once guarded by Urick before he fled in fear when Caim attacked the district. [16] Urick and Nowe face off against Caim, who mortally wounds Urick before being driven off. Urick dies content and the seal is destroyed. [17]

Nowe and Manah head for the final seal in the District of Heavenly Time, guarded by Gismor himself. Nowe and Gismor battle, and Gismor is wounded again, transforming into a shadow-like being and using Eris to block Nowe's final attack. Believing Eris dead, Nowe and Manah pursue Gismor, but are met by Seere, who unsuccessfully tries to stop them. When they confront Gismor, he reveals himself to be a vindictive survivor of the Empire from eighteen years before. [18] Defeated, Gismor destroys the final seal himself, releasing Angelus from her imprisonment. After Seere reveals the true consequences of Manah's actions, Nowe and Legna pursue Angelus. When they find her, they find that Angelus has been driven mad by the pain of being the final seal. [19] Caim asks them to kill her, and as she dies, he and Angelus share a final moment together before fading away. [20]

With the seals destroyed, the world begins to fall into chaos and Manah is driven mad by the memories of her actions eighteen years before. Legna then takes Nowe to the floating fortress of the Holy Dragons, where they hear a prophecy concerning Nowe: according to the prophecy, Nowe is a New Breed created to aid the dragons in their war against the Watchers. Nowe reunites with Eris, who has been healed by Seere, and frees Manah from her madness. Legna then takes the three to the Promised Land, a dragon stronghold that holds the Bone Casket, an object given to the dragons by, and imbued with the power of, the Watchers, that can speed up Nowe's evolution into the New Breed. It is also where Seere has gone to initiate a new Goddess of the Seal. [21] The game has three endings, each achieved on a separate playthrough. [22]

Development

Drakengard 2 was announced in December 2004. [26] Producer Takamasa Shiba and character designer Kimihiko Fujisaka returned to the team, [27] alongside actor Shinnosuke Ikehata, who voiced the dragon Angelus and its partner Caim in the previous game. [28] The original director, Yoko Taro, originally proposed a space adventure involving dragons, but this was vetoed at an early stage. Yoko was not involved in creating the narrative as he had been in Drakengard, being mostly tied up with another project, though he was able to observe the project's progress. He and Drakengard 2's director Akira Yasui suffered from creative differences, with the result that Yoko termed their relationship on the project as a "love-hate" story in a 2013 interview concerning the series. Their relationship inspired one of the stories created for an in-game weapon. Yoko was eventually brought on fairly late in the game's production to act as video editor for the CGI cutscenes and trailers. [29] [30] The CGI cutscenes were created by Studio Anima. [31] The game's cast featured multiple film and television actors, including Ryo Katsuji, Saki Aibu, Koyuki and veteran actor Yoshio Harada. [32] Shiba commented at the time that he felt they had gathered a very good voice cast for the game. [33]

One of the decisions Yasui made was to make Drakengard 2 far more colorful than the previous game, wanting to do something that was the "opposite" of Drakengard. [30] In contrast to the previous game, the game contained far less of the mature themes found in the original. Shiba, speaking in a 2013 interview, said that the reason for this was that Square Enix, the company's Japanese publisher, wanted that aspect toned down to make a more mainstream game. [34] It was designed to keep some dark aesthetics from its predecessor, with the previous game's theme of immorality as one of the key character and narrative themes, as well as themes of war and death. Other themes explored were love and hate, and the ambivalence represented in the world's prevalent factions (the Knights of the Seal, and the Cult of Watchers). Highlighted aspects of the story were the father-son relationship between Nowe and Legna, and how Manah had matured since the events of Drakengard. [28] [29] To promote the game in Japan, Fujisaka created a light-toned joke advertisement under the name Angelegna, referring to the original names of the two dragon characters. [35] While Square Enix published the title in Japan, they entered an agreement with developer and publishing company Ubisoft to publish the title overseas. [36] Ubisoft also handled the game's localization. [37]

Character design

One of the main concepts for main protagonist Nowe was surpassing one's father. For the fight between Nowe and Legna, special gameplay functions and mechanics needed to be created for Nowe. [38] Shiba had mixed feelings about the final fight between Legna and Nowe, which he saw as a drastic change from both the first game and the series mechanic of the protagonist riding a dragon. Shiba ended up writing their dialogue to emphasize their relationship and the difficulty of them fighting each other, paralleling earlier scenes between Caim and Angelus. [38] The deaths of Caim and Angelus was intended to be "short and ruthless", but Yasui had it changed to the more sentimental version present in the game. Dialogue from Caim for the scene was cut from the game due to it clashing with his previous portrayal as a mute. [39] Urick was created to be the supportive "big brother" of the party. [40]

Although the main characters were designed by Fujisaka, the character Legna, previously known as the "Black Dragon", was designed by Taro Hasegawa, who was also monster designer for both Drakengard and Drakengard 2. [41] In addition to designing the characters, Fujisaka drew the character portraits used for character dialogue boxes during in-game cutscenes, a feature he initially objected to. [29] Nowe, in contrast to the other protagonists of the Drakengard series, was designed around the concept of a stereotypical hero. Nowe was one of Fujisaka's favorite characters to design, although Shiba was less enthusiastic. Manah's redesign in Drakengard 2 reflected both her evolved personality and her more traditional depiction as a fantasy heroine. [38] [40] Elements of their designs were taken from Caim and Furiae, representing "passing the torch" between characters. [39] Because of Legna's different roles in Drakengard and Drakengard 2, his design and movements were altered for his second incarnation. Eris's design was inspired by Casca, a character from Berserk: while he tried not to copy any parts of Casca's design, Fujisaka tried to convey it using aspects of her personality. He also tried to balance this part of her depiction with a tender and more feminine side. Another idea he had in mind was the image of an honors student. Her dance-like fighting style was generally suggested by the game's staff. [38] [40] Caim's redesign was meant to represent his status as a wanderer. [39]

Music

Drakengard 2's soundtrack was composed by Ryoki Matsumoto and Aoi Yoshiki, with supervision by Nobuyoshi Sano, who worked on the music of Drakengard and acted as Sound Director for the game. [42] [43] The CGI cutscenes were scored by Masashi Yano. [44] Due to criticism of his work on the first game, Sano was asked by Shiba to bring in outside help for the second game's soundtrack: Matsumoto was brought in because of his work on the songs "Yuki no Hana" and "Tsuki no Shizuku", and, Yoshiki was brought on at Matsumoto's request. [43] The soundtrack was designed to be a fusion of J-pop and conventional video game music, and to evoke the emotions of the various characters and the feeling of battle. [45] The game's theme song in Japan, "Hitori", was sung by Mika Nakashima, who also worked as a sound producer. [46] [47] The theme song for the game's English release was "Growing Wings", a localized version of the first game's theme song sung by Kari Wahlgren. [48]

Reception

Drakengard 2 sold well in Japan. The game was considered a hit in Japan by Ubisoft, selling 100,000 units in its first week, [36] and reaching sales of 170,000 units by the end of the month, becoming the second best-selling game of June behind Sega's GBA port of Mushiking: King of the Beetles . [55] It eventually sold just over 206,000 copies by the end of 2005. [56] The game was eventually re-released as part of Square Enix's Ultimate Hits series, re-releases of high-selling titles. [57] Drakengard 2 received a score of 30/40 from Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu . [52] The game received "average" reviews, according to video game review aggregator Metacritic. [49]

The story received mixed to positive reviews. IGN's Ed Lewis said it "admirably [continued] the bizarre and fantastically medieval world that was established in the original game.", [7] while GameSpot's Greg Meuller called it "Interesting [...] with plenty of twists and turns". [53] Eurogamer's Simon Parkin cited the story as being very good, though he found Nowe "a little nauseating to watch as the weighty, dark (and pretty good) plot unfolds", [51] and VideoGamer.com's Adam Jarvis called the story "one of the highlights of the package". [22] The 1UP reviewer called the "clear undercurrent of "maybe the good guys are the bad guys,"" one of the main reasons to keep playing the game. [50] In contrast, the reviewer for GameTrailers called it "a cookie-cutter RPG plot" where players could "predict nearly every plot twist the game throws at [them].", [54]

The graphics received mixed reviews. Lewis called them "more interesting than the first game, but marginally so", [7] and Meuller called them "dated", with environments seeming "bland and drab, and the enemies [looking] generic". [53] The GameTrailers reviewer praised the character animations, but cited the environments as bland and felt that there were too few FMVs and too many game engine-driven cutscenes, which he described as "awful". [54] Parkin criticized the game's graphic capacities, commenting that players would "stop watching the main screen instead fixing upon the little map in the corner to guide your character towards hostile red dots that only materialize polygonal just seconds before you lock swords.", [51] while Jarvis said that it had not improved from the previous game and called the colors "very murky, drab and dark". [22] 1UP said that the graphics "[don't] hold up to the visual quality of Cavia's other titles like Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex [or] Naruto: Uzumaki Ninden ". [50]

The gameplay was universally criticized. Parkin called the battle gameplay "lightweight" and the balance between ground and aerial combat poor despite a good character leveling system, [51] while Lewis described it as being without strategy, with the game "just dumping in more boring enemies to wade through". [7] GameTrailers said that there was "nothing new here.", [54] while Meuller called it "dull at best and frustrating at worst". [53] 1UP said that the combat was "almost sickening to look at.", though he cited the RPG elements as a redeeming feature. [50] Jarvis simply called the gameplay "Same old, same old", citing it as a major fault of the game. [22]

Legacy

In September 2013, the game was given an honorable mention among Kotaku's Tim Rogers as one of the best games on the PS2. Rogers gave praise to the game's parry mechanic and atmosphere. [58] In the year of its release in Japan, the game received a novelization written by Emi Nagashima under her pen name of Jun Eishima. [59] Yoko and Shiba teamed up again to create another game in the series, but that eventually developed into Nier , a spin-off from the first game's fifth ending. [60] After Nier's release, Cavia was absorbed into AQ Interactive, [61] then Yoko left to become a freelance. [62] An attempt by Shiba to begin development of a third Drakengard game at AQ Interactive were unsuccessful. [63] Drakengard 3 was eventually unveiled in 2013, with Shiba, Yoko and Fujisaka returning to their former roles and the story being set before the original game. [27] [64] Both Shiba and Yoko have voiced their willingness to continue the series on next-generation consoles if there were sufficient sales and funds, while Yoko also expressed interest in making a second spin-off, although he did not specify whether it would be set in the world of Nier or not. [65] [66]

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: ドラッグ オン ドラグーン2 封印の紅、背徳の黒, Hepburn: Doraggu On Doragūn Tsū: Fūin no Kurenai, Haitoku no Kuro

Related Research Articles

Enix Corporation was a Japanese multimedia publisher who handled and oversaw video games, manga, guidebooks, and merchandise. It was founded in 1975 by Yasuhiro Fukushima as Eidansha Boshu Service Center, initially as a tabloid publisher and later attempting to branch into real estate management. Beginning in 1982, Enix began publishing video games. Three notable early collaborators were designers Yuji Horii and Koichi Nakamura, and composer Koichi Sugiyama. Horii, Nakamura and Sugiyama would all work on the 1986 role playing video game (RPG) Dragon Quest for the Family Computer; one of the earliest successful RPGs for consoles, it spawned a franchise of the same name which remains Enix's best-known product.

<i>Drakengard</i> (video game) 2003 action role-playing video game

Drakengard, known in Japan as Drag-On Dragoon, is a 2003 action role-playing video game developed by Cavia and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2. The game is the first installment of the Drakengard series and features a mixture of ground-based hack-and-slash, aerial combat, and role-playing elements which have become a staple of the series. The story is set during a religious war between two factions—the Union and the Empire—with the war tipping in favor of the Empire. The player controls Caim, a deposed prince of the Union, in his quest for vengeance against the Empire. Wounded in battle while protecting his sister Furiae, he is forced to make a pact with a red dragon named Angelus as they journey together on a quest to prevent the Empire from destroying magical seals that keep the world in balance.

<i>Fantasy Earth Zero</i> 2006 video game

Fantasy Earth Zero was a 2006 massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed for Microsoft Windows. Originally developed by Puraguru and Multiterm under the title Fantasy Earth: The Ring of Dominion, it was released by Square Enix as a paid product through its PlayOnline service. It relaunched under Gamepot as a free game, and was later handled by developers SoftGear and Ocean Frontier and was transferred back to Square Enix. Under the premise of a world where rival kingdoms engage in frequent conflicts, players choose an allied kingdom and fight against each other in groups of up to fifty players. The game closed down in September 2022.

Mistwalker Corporation is an American-Japanese video game development studio. The company was founded in 2004 by Hironobu Sakaguchi, best known for creating the Final Fantasy series. The company has created both game franchises such as Blue Dragon and Terra Battle, and standalone titles including Lost Odyssey (2007) and The Last Story (2011). With the financial problems caused by Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, and his growing dissatisfaction with management, Sakaguchi decided that he wanted to make games outside Square. Mistwalker's first two titles were Xbox 360 RPGs; Blue Dragon (2006) and Lost Odyssey. Following The Last Story for Wii, Sakaguchi and Mistwalker changed to focus on in-house mobile titles. The original Terra Battle saw widespread success and acclaim, leading to further mobile projects.

<i>Dragon Quest X</i> 2012 video game

Dragon Quest X: Rise of the Five Tribes Online, also known as Dragon Quest X Online, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed and published by Square Enix. It is the tenth mainline entry in the Dragon Quest series. It was originally released for the Wii in 2012, and was later ported to the Wii U, Windows, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, and Nintendo 3DS, all of which support cross-platform play. Other than a discontinued Windows version in China, the game was not released outside of Japan. A single-player remake, titled Dragon Quest X Offline, was released in 2022 in Japan. It is also set to release in other Asian regions in 2024.

<i>Nier</i> 2010 video game

Nier is an action role-playing video game developed by Cavia and published in 2010 by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. In Japan, the game was released as Nier Replicant for the PlayStation 3 with a younger main character, while an alternative version titled Nier Gestalt with an older main character was released for the Xbox 360; Gestalt was released outside of Japan as Nier for both platforms. A remaster of the Japanese version, Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139... was released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows in 2021.

Nobuyoshi Sano, better known as sanodg, is a Japanese video game composer, musician and record producer. He is best known for scoring tracks for the Ridge Racer and Tekken series, as well as Drakengard.

<i>Drakengard 3</i> 2013 action role-playing video game

Drakengard 3, known in Japan as Drag-On Dragoon 3, is an action role-playing video game developed by Access Games and published by Square Enix exclusively for PlayStation 3. It is the third main game in the Drakengard series and a prequel to the original game. The game, like the rest of the series, features a mixture of ground-based hack-and-slash combat and aerial battles. The story focuses on Zero, a woman who can manipulate magic through song. Partnering with a dragon named Mikhail, Zero set out to kill her five sisters, who rule the world's regions. As she travels, the player discovers the true reason behind Zero's rampage.

<i>The Irregular at Magic High School</i> Japanese web novel series and its franchise

The Irregular at Magic High School is a Japanese web novel series by Tsutomu Satō. It was published on Shōsetsuka ni Narō, a web novel website, from October 2008 to March 2011. Satō reached a deal with Dengeki Bunko and began releasing his work in a light novel format beginning July 2011. The story takes place in the 2090s where technology has allowed magic to exist, and follows Tatsuya and Miyuki Shiba, siblings who enroll into First High magic high school. While keeping their connections to the infamous Yotsuba clan secret, they attempt to live their daily life in peace, but Tatsuya is shunned for his apparent ineptness and Miyuki is validated for her magical abilities.

Drakengard, known in Japan as Drag-On Dragoon, is a series of action role-playing video games created by Yoko Taro. The eponymous first game in the series was released in 2003 on the PlayStation 2, and has since been followed by a sequel, a prequel and several spin-offs. A spin-off series titled Nier, taking place in an alternative timeline set after a different ending to the first Drakengard than the one 2005's Drakengard 2 followed, was started in 2010 with the eponymous game. Yoko has directed every game in both series, with the exception of Drakengard 2 in which he only had minor involvement.

Characters of the <i>Drakengard</i> series Fictional character

Drakengard is an action role-playing game released on PlayStation 2 (PS2) in 2003 in Japan and 2004 in the West. The first entry in a series of the same name, it spawned two follow-up titles; a direct sequel Drakengard 2 (2005), and a prequel Drakengard 3 (2013). A subseries spun-off from one of the original game's endings began in 2010 with the release of Nier, which was followed by Nier: Automata (2016) and Nier Reincarnation (2021). Both the Drakengard and Nier series have been supported by expanded media.

Zero (<i>Drakengard</i>) Fictional character of the Drakengard series

Zero is a character of the 2013 action role-playing game Drakengard 3, the third main entry in the Drakengard series, developed by Access Games and published by Square Enix. She also appeared in the arcade game Lord of Vermilion III. Zero is an Intoner, one of six god-like beings who control magic through their singing abilities. In trying to destroy the flower that gave birth to her powers and tried to use her to destroy humanity, she sets out to kill the five other Intoners spawned from her body by the flower to carry out its mission, referred to as her sisters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yoko Taro</span> Japanese video game director

Yoko Taro is a Japanese video game director and scenario writer. Starting his career at the now-defunct game company Cavia, his best-known work was on the action role-playing video game series Drakengard, and its spin-offs, Nier and Nier: Automata. Yoko was born in Nagoya, Aichi, and studied at the Kobe Design University in the 1990s. While he did not initially intend to pursue a career in video games, after working at Namco and Sony, he joined Cavia and became the director and scenario writer for the first Drakengard game. He has since worked extensively on every game in the series, and on mobile titles, after becoming a freelancer after Cavia's absorption into AQ Interactive.

The music for the Drakengard series, known as Drag-On Dragoon in Japan, has been handled by multiple composers since the release of the original game in 2004. Drakengard's composers were Nobuyoshi Sano and Takayuki Aihara, Drakengard 2 was handled by Ryoki Matsumoto and Aoi Yoshiki, and Drakengard 3 was composed for by Keiichi Okabe, the composer for series spin-off Nier. Sano remained as a sound director for the second game, and his music was used as a reference for the third. Multiple albums have been released for the music of the series: Drag-On Dragoon Original Soundtrack Vol.1 and Vol.2 were released on October and November 2004, while a two-disc re-release titled Drag-On Dragoon Original Soundtrack was released in April 2011. The Drag-On Dragoon 2 Original Soundtrack was released on July 20, 2005. A promotional disc with two tracks from the soundtrack was released in the same year. The official soundtrack for the third game, Drag-On Dragoon 3 Original Soundtrack, was released January 21, 2014. A compilation of chiptune remixes of the previous games and Nier, Drag-On Dragoon Chips Music, was released on December 19, 2013 as part of the Drag-On Dragoon 10 Anniversary Box.

<i>Cry On</i> Cancelled video game

Cry On was a cancelled action role-playing game in development by Mistwalker and Cavia for Xbox 360. Mistwalker founder Hironobu Sakaguchi acted as co-producer and writer, Drakengard artist Kimihiko Fujisaka was designing the characters, and composer Nobuo Uematsu was attached to the project. From 2007 onwards, artwork was redesigned by Manabu Kusunoki.

Square Enix Image Studio Division, is a Japan-based CGI animation studio dedicated towards creating video game cut scenes and full-length feature films for Square Enix. Square Enix Image Studio Division was founded as Visual Works as the CGI department for Square and was responsible for creating the pre-rendered CG sequences for the company, starting with Final Fantasy VII in 1997.

<i>Nier Reincarnation</i> 2021 video game

Nier Reincarnation was a 2021 role-playing video game developed by Applibot and published by Square Enix for Android and iOS devices. The game is a sequel to Nier, forming part of the wider Drakengard series. Set in a realm called the Cage, the game followed the story arcs of multiple characters, each exploring their troubled pasts while manipulated by a greater outside threat. Gameplay was split between exploration within the Cage and narratives dubbed Weapon Stories, and turn-based battles against monsters infesting the Weapon Stories. The game was free-to-play, incorporating a gacha-based system for character variants and weapons.

Kainé is a character from the 2010 video game Nier, a spin-off of the Drakengard series developed by Cavia and published by Square Enix. She is a lead character and player companion in Nier, and prominent in related media and merchandise. During Nier she accompanies the unnamed protagonist in his quest to help a young girl called Yonah, first to cure her disease and then to rescue her from a being called the Shadowlord in a post-apocalyptic world beset by creatures called Shades. Kainé's storyline focuses around her quest for revenge against a monstrous Shade called Hook, and her history of discrimination due to being possessed by a Shade and being born intersex.

Protagonist (<i>Nier</i>) Fictional character of the Drakengard series

The protagonist is a character from the 2010 video game Nier, a spin-off of the Drakengard series developed by Cavia and published by Square Enix. He is the lead and main playable character in Nier, and prominent in related media and merchandise. During Nier, the protagonist goes on a quest to help Yonah, a young girl who falls ill with the terminal Black Scrawl illness, then to rescue her from a being called the Shadowlord in a post-apocalyptic world beset by creatures called Shades. Due to publisher feedback, two versions of the protagonists exist; a brother looking after his sister originally exclusive to Japan, and a father caring for his daughter designed for the West.

References

  1. 1 2 Cavia (2006-07-10). Drakengard 2 (PlayStation 2). Square Enix. Scene: Credits.
  2. ↑ Jastrzab, Jeremy (2006-02-27). "Updated Australian release list, 27/02/06". PALGN. Archived from the original on 2012-07-17. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
  3. ↑ "Cavia Inc. Line-Up". Cavia Inc. Archived from the original on May 12, 2008.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Mueller, Greg (2006-02-03). "Drakengard 2 Updated Hands-On". GameSpot . Retrieved 2014-02-15.
  5. 1 2 Roper, Chris (2006-01-30). "Drakengard 2: North American Impressions". IGN . Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  6. 1 2 Gantayat, Anoop (2005-07-07). "Drakengard 2 Update". IGN . Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Lewis, Ed (2006-02-16). "Drakengard 2". IGN . Retrieved 2013-11-14.
  8. 1 2 3 Torres, Ricardo (2005-06-20). "Drakengard II Import Hands-On". GameSpot . Retrieved 2014-02-23.
  9. ↑ ドラッグ オン ドラグーン3 設定資料集＋ザ・コンプリートガイド[Drag-On Dragoon 3 The Complete Guide + Settings] (in Japanese). Tokyo: ASCII Media Works. 2014-04-11. pp. 180–181. ISBN   9784048660860.
  10. ↑ Cavia (2006-02-14). Drakengard 2 (PlayStation 2). Ubisoft. Scene: Opening. Narrator: Five seals hold in place the red dragon, the last bastion against world destruction. Charged with protecting them are the Knights of the Seal. In charge of each is a guardian, a lieutenant among the knights.
  11. ↑ Gantayat, Anoop (2004-12-17). "First Details: Drakengard 2". IGN . Retrieved 2014-02-23.
  12. ↑ 『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン2』が描く愛と狂気の終着点――紅と黒が交錯する『DOD2』の存在意義（レゾンデートル）を見つめ直す. Dengeki Online. 2013-03-27. Archived from the original on 2013-05-22. Retrieved 2016-03-11.
  13. ↑ Cavia (2006-02-14). Drakengard 2 (PlayStation 2). Ubisoft. Scene: Verse 3.Level/area: Chapter 1. Eris: Nowe! Don't be a fool! They are the chosen ones, proud martyrs... / Nowe: They're not proud martyrs! Look how terrified they are! The knights are just forcing the weak and dispossessed to be sacrificial victims!
  14. ↑ Cavia (2006-02-14). Drakengard 2 (PlayStation 2). Ubisoft. Scene: Verse 1.Level/area: Chapter 3. Gismor: Yes, three years ago, I gave the same drink to Oror, before he left to head the defense. He drank it all down without hesitation, just like you. / Nowe: Wh-? My eyes...I can't see... You have poisoned me!
  15. ↑ Cavia (2006-02-14). Drakengard 2 (PlayStation 2). Ubisoft. Scene: Verse 5.Level/area: Chapter 4. Manah: Now do you see, Nowe? How they suffer? They have nothing to eat. They're starving to death... But they cannot leave. If they do try, the Knights punish them. But staying here means that they weaken and die, one by one. / Nowe: Hell for them if they stay, and hell if they flee.
  16. ↑ Cavia (2006-02-14). Drakengard 2 (PlayStation 2). Ubisoft. Scene: Verse 9.Level/area: Chapter 7. Manah: You're the missing lieutenant, and the guardian of the key to the District of Shining Life. Isn't that so, Urick? [...] / Urick: I'm just a coward. During the attack on the seal three years ago, I was defeated by Caim. General Oror saved me. I left him to die, and ran away.
  17. ↑ Cavia (2006-02-14). Drakengard 2 (PlayStation 2). Ubisoft. Scene: Verse 9.Level/area: Chapter 7. Nowe: Urick! No! Don't go! Urick! / Urick: You ask too much of me... If we live long enough to atone for our sins, we've lived long enough. I've lived... too long... I'll be training with General Oror in the afterlife... See you around... kid.
  18. ↑ Cavia (2006-02-14). Drakengard 2 (PlayStation 2). Ubisoft. Scene: Verse 4.Level/area: Chapter 8. Gismor: What do you know of suffering? Of humiliation? Have you ever slept on cold earth? Eaten dirt to stave off hunger? You were blessed with powers by birth. You cannot understand or even imagine the suffering I endured as a survivor of the Empire.
  19. ↑ Cavia (2006-02-14). Drakengard 2 (PlayStation 2). Ubisoft. Scene: Verse 1.Level/area: Chapter 9. Nowe: Legna! What is the red dragon saying? I can't tell! / Legna: I cannot tell, either. It's an explosion of rage... I fear her mind is broken.
  20. ↑ Cavia (2006-02-14). Drakengard 2 (PlayStation 2). Ubisoft. Scene: Verse 3.Level/area: Chapter 9. Angelus: Is it over, Caim? / Caim: It's over. We're together now.
  21. ↑ Cavia (2006-02-14). Drakengard 2 (PlayStation 2). Ubisoft. Scene: Verse 1.Level/area: Chapter 12. Nowe: What's in the Promised Land? What would Hierarch Seere be doing there? / Eris: He'll perform the sealing ceremony, and restore order to the world. / Nowe: Hierarch Seere found a goddess? [...] / Eris: Yes, the red dragon replaced the last goddess. Now that the dragon is dead, a new goddess is to be born...or so I hear.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 Jarvis, Adam (2006-03-13). "Drakengard 2 Review for PS2". VideoGamer.com. Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-02-15.
  23. ↑ Cavia (2006-02-14). Drakengard 2 (PlayStation 2). Ubisoft. Scene: Ending A. Manah: Nowe, I cannot believe in a peace achieved by one woman's sacrifice. / Nowe: I know. But you also know that we have no other choice. / Manah: Yes. [...] I'll wait for the day when Eris can lead the life of an ordinary woman again.
  24. ↑ Cavia (2006-02-14). Drakengard 2 (PlayStation 2). Ubisoft. Scene: Ending B. Eris: The dragons never forgot their history. They lived to honor it. Now, they are about to surpass the Gods, with the New Breed as their weapon. / Nowe: If the world is truly to be free from the law of the Gods, I shall become a weapon. / Eris: Do you think that's what Manah would have wanted? I don't suppose we'll ever knew. All we have left is war, and the desolation it leaves in its wake.
  25. ↑ Cavia (2006-02-14). Drakengard 2 (PlayStation 2). Ubisoft. Scene: Ending C. Seere: The other dragons are fading. / Eris: I...I no longer need to become a Goddess. / Manah: No more dragons or gods. This is the beginning of a new world. [...] / Seere: At last, the fate of humanity rests in human hands. It's up to us to create a paradise, or a hell.
  26. ↑ Gantayat, Anoop (2004-12-15). "Drakengard Sequel". IGN . Retrieved 2014-01-04.
  27. 1 2 "『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン3』キャラデザ担当の藤坂公彦氏と柴貴正Pのロングインタビューをお届け". Famitsu. 2013-09-02. Retrieved 2013-12-12.
  28. 1 2 "『ドラッグオンドラグーン2』の完成披露会が開催！". Famitsu. 2005-06-02. Retrieved 2013-12-13.
  29. 1 2 3 "Drag-On Dragoon 2: Staff Comment". Drag-On Dragoon 2 Website. 2005-05-27. Archived from the original on 2009-06-04. Retrieved 2015-06-22.
  30. 1 2 『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン』シリーズ座談会、佳境へ。ヨコオタロウが暴く『DOD2』安井ディレクターの心の闇＆『ニーア』反省話. Dengeki Online. 2013-04-22. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-03-09.
  31. ↑ ドラッグ オン ドラグーン2 封印の紅、背徳の黒 (in Japanese). Studio Anima. Archived from the original on 2009-11-01. Retrieved 2019-04-06.
  32. ↑ "前作に続き『ドラッグオンドラグーン2』も豪華キャスト！ピーター、小雪らが出演". Dengeki Online. 2005-02-16. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  33. ↑ "小雪さんやピーターさんも駆けつけた！『ドラッグオンドラグーン2』完成披露会". Dengeki Online. 2005-06-02. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  34. ↑ Yoon, Andrew (2013-10-18). "Drakengard 3 trying to avoid 'formulaic' JRPG tropes with its dark setting". Shacknews . Retrieved 2013-11-11.
  35. ↑ "『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン3』キャラデザ担当・藤坂氏インタビュー。伝説の学園恋愛ゲーム化企画"エンジェレグナ"もチラリ【電撃DOD3】". Dengeki Online. 2013-09-05. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
  36. 1 2 "Ubisoft and Square Enix Deliver DRAKENGARD 2 To North America and Europe". Ubisoft. 2005-11-16. Archived from the original on 2013-12-11. Retrieved 2013-12-11.
  37. ↑ Thew, Geoff (2014-03-26). "A Look Back at Ubisoft's JRPGs". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on 2014-04-04. Retrieved 2014-04-26.
  38. 1 2 3 4 『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン（DOD）』シリーズの裏話を柴プロデューサーが暴露!? 『DOD3』の使徒のデザイン秘話も掲載. Dengeki Online. 2013-06-19. Archived from the original on 2015-03-17. Retrieved 2014-11-07.
  39. 1 2 3 『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン（DOD）』シリーズのキャラ人気投票結果を開発者が総括！ カイムとアンヘルのラストにまつわる秘話とは？. Dengeki Online. 2013-06-21. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  40. 1 2 3 『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン（DOD）』シリーズ居酒屋座談会、再び。柴プロデューサーと藤坂さんがヨコオタロウに物申す!?. Dengeki Online. 2013-06-17. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-11-07.
  41. ↑ ドラッグオンドラグーン2 設定資料集[Drag-On Dragoon 2: Memory of Blood] (in Japanese). Square Enix. 2005-08-05. ISBN   4-7575-1516-2.
  42. ↑ Wilson, Mark (2005). "Drag-on Dragoon 2 OST". RPGFan. Archived from the original on 2014-04-02. Retrieved 2014-01-04.
  43. 1 2 Schweitzer, Ben. "Drag-on Dragoon 2 Original Soundtrack :: Liner Notes Translated by Ben Schweitzer". Square Enix Music. Archived from the original on 2013-12-10. Retrieved 2014-02-15.
  44. ↑ Bullet Witch / Staff Blog / 2006年6月 (in Japanese). Bullet Witch Official Blog. Archived from the original on 2007-05-28. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  45. ↑ ""融合"をテーマにした『ドラッグオンドラグーン2』のサウンドトラックが7月20日発売". Dengeki Online. 2005-07-08. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  46. ↑ Dunham, Jeremy (2005-03-21). "Pop Hottie for Drakengard 2". IGN . Retrieved 2014-01-04.
  47. ↑ "シリーズ最新作『ドラッグオンドラグーン2』の主題歌を歌うのはあの中島美嘉さん！". Dengeki Online. 2005-03-18. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  48. ↑ "Square Enix Music Online :: Drakengard 2 - Growing Wings". Square Enix Music. Archived from the original on 2014-03-01. Retrieved 2014-03-01.
  49. 1 2 "Drakengard 2 for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic . Archived from the original on 2014-03-24. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
  50. 1 2 3 4 1Up staff (2013-02-17). "Drakengard 2 Review for PS2". 1UP.com . Archived from the original on 2013-12-11. Retrieved 2013-12-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  51. 1 2 3 4 Parkin, Simon (2006-03-13). "Drakengard 2 Review". Eurogamer . Retrieved 2013-11-14.
  52. 1 2 "ドラッグ オン ドラグーン2 封印の紅、背徳の黒" [Drag-On Dragoon 2: Sealed Red, Immoral Black]. Famitsu. Archived from the original on 2013-09-20. Retrieved 2014-05-03.
  53. 1 2 3 4 Mueller, Greg. "Drakengard 2 review". GameSpot . Archived from the original on 2014-02-15. Retrieved 2013-11-14.
  54. 1 2 3 4 "Drakengard 2 review". GameTrailers. 2006-07-06. Retrieved 2014-01-04.
  55. ↑ Gamespot Staff (2005-06-12). "DS beating PS2 in Japan". GameSpot . Archived from the original on 2014-03-29. Retrieved 2014-03-29.
  56. ↑ "GEIMIN.NET／2005年テレビゲームソフト売り上げTOP500" (in Japanese). Geimin.net. Archived from the original on 2014-12-28. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  57. ↑ "9月発売の「アルティメット ヒッツ」は『DC -FF7-』など3本！". Dengeki Online. 2008-07-10. Retrieved 2013-12-15.
  58. ↑ Tim Rogers (2013-09-01). "These Were My 8 Favorite PS2 Games". Kotaku. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  59. ↑ Eishima, Jun (September 30, 2005). Drag-On Dragoon 2: Sealed Red, Immoral Black (in Japanese). Tokyo: Square Enix. ISBN   978-4-7575-1086-9.
  60. ↑ Sato (2013-05-05). "Drakengard 3 Producer And Creative Director Explain How The Game Came To Be". Siliconera. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
  61. ↑ Quillen, Dustin (2010-07-13). "Nier Developer Cavia is No More". 1UP.com . Archived from the original on 2011-07-05. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
  62. ↑ Gantayat, Anoop (2010-11-04). "NieR Director Quits Cavia/AQi". IGN . Retrieved 2013-11-14.
  63. ↑ "結果的に新情報満載 『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン3』開発者インタビュー". Famitsu. 2013-04-04. Retrieved 2013-12-10.
  64. ↑ Phillips, Tom (2013-03-04). "Deadly Premonition developer making Drakengard 3". Eurogamer . Retrieved 2013-10-09.
  65. ↑ Hawkins, Matt (2013-10-13). "Drakengard 3 Connects To Nier, Will Have A Balance Between Darkness And Humor". Siliconera. Retrieved 2013-12-10.
  66. ↑ Ashcraft, Brian (2014-01-06). "Drakengard 3's Director Is Keen for Drakengard 4". Kotaku . Retrieved 2014-05-25.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.