Drakengard tells a tale of love, sacrifice, obligation and bitter compromise following the struggles of a Union soldier named Caim. He comes to find that the Empire he once knew has raised an army with unexplainable great power and has taken his sister prisoner. In the ultimate sacrifice, Caim joins souls with the dragon he despises in order to save his sister. Together they begin their quest to unravel the mystery behind the Empire’s sudden rise to power. They will soon discover a connection between the Empire, Caim’s sister, the mythical Seeds of Resurrection and the gods themselves.
Drakengard features three battlefields and multiple experience and growth elements based on the player’s decisions, which immerse the player in an all-new gameplay experience combining fantasy, interactivity and a tragic saga.
Gameplay Features
Diverse battlefields
Aerial Combat
Players fly high above the landscape astride a powerful dragon and dispatch airborne opponents with devastating fire and thrilling special attacks.
Strafe Attack
Players can annihilate entire groups of soldiers with a blast of fire from the dragon. Strafe Attack also allows players to seek out hidden locations and rare items.
Melee Mode
Players can dismount the dragon and enter the battleground on foot attacking a myriad of enemies face to face. In addition, “melee mode” allows Caim to enter areas forbidden or inaccessible to the pact-beast.
Multiple experiences
Story
The story is conveyed through event sequences, over an hour of CG movies and through gameplay action itself. Depending on how the game is played, the player can experience different story elements and one of a variety of endings that can be uncovered.
Characters
In addition to Caim, players can “summon” other characters to control, each of whom has his or her own abilities, pact-beasts, weapons and troubled past.
Areas
Players can return to previously cleared areas and encounter new characters, changed environments and different enemies.
Growth element
Dragon Growth
As the game progresses, the dragon and its abilities will mature. Its physical appearance evolves into an imposing presence and dragonfire attacks become more powerful.
Character Growth
Caim’s battle attributes also evolve throughout the game. He is rewarded with improved combo attacks, more powerful magic and enhanced strength as his weapon’s levels increase.
Weapon Growth
As the player’s weapon levels up so will the visual representation of the weapon. Players can choose from a selection of over 60 weapons imbued with their own magic and history, revealing each of the weapons’ lethal past.
Marketing and Advertising Support
The launch of Drakengard is supported by television advertising campaigns throughout March. The spots will run in various time slots on target network, cable and syndicated programming such as Comedy Central, MTV, Spike TV, WWE and Fuse. Promotions in conjunction with Drakengard include MTV's “Fantasy Music Tycoon” and WWE's “Backlash” to be aired in April. The combined print and online advertising campaigns in various gaming magazines and sites will reach millions of gamers in March and April.
BradyGames’ Drakengard Official Strategy Guide is the ultimate resource to help players resolve the conflict between the Empire and the Union in this epic adventure. The detailed mission strategies will help gamers stop all foes dead in their tracks-whether it’s an aerial or ground mission. The area maps included in this section pinpoint the precise path through each area. In addition, players will have the power to uncover all 65 weapons, including the hidden ones, with the handy quick reference section. With all game secrets, including how to access the ultimate flying machine revealed, players will enjoy endless gameplay options and hours of replay value. The strategy guide is available at electronics, book and software retailers for $14.99 US/$21.99 CAN.
Drakengard is available at North American retailers for a suggested retail price of $39.99 (USD). The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has rated Drakengard “M” for Mature. Additional information on Drakengard can be found at http://www.square-enix-usa.com/games/drakengard. For more information about the ESRB, visit http://www.esrb.org.
About Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Square Enix, Inc.
Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix) develops, publishes and distributes entertainment contents including interactive entertainment software and publications in Japan, North America, Europe and Asia. Square Enix brings two of Japan’s best-selling franchises - FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 49 million units worldwide and DRAGON QUEST (DRAGON WARRIOR® in North America) which has sold over 31 million units worldwide - under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.
Square Enix U.S.A. Inc., located in Los Angeles, Calif., handles operations in North America including localization, marketing and publishing of Square Enix titles. More information on Square Enix U.S.A. can be found on the Internet at http://www.square-enix.com/.
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