Dragon's Crown Critic Reviews

Dragon's Crown is quite literally a crowning achievement in the beat 'em up genre. Utilizing some of the best design concepts of the past 20 years, Vanillaware succeeds in creating a captivating world that you just can't help but experience over and over.

Dragon’s Crown is a masterpiece. The gameplay is simple enough for casual play but offers deep components to compliment it for those who want more from their games on both single and multiplayer levels.

There's just one reason to avoid Dragon's Crown: you hate old-school side scrolling beat'em ups. If you don't, you just can't miss Vanillaware masterpiece, a game built on a solid and deep combat system and George Kamitani's beautiful graphics.

Dragon’s Crown is certainly the most enjoyable Vanillaware game yet. Being part of a larger party - where their previous hack 'n’ slashers had you go it alone - is definitely the difference maker.

A good example to show there are not too-old formulas, just wrong approaches to reignite them. Taking the base of D&D Arcade and introducing plenty of RPG and Hack'n Slash elements, Vanillaware has made its finest game.

Dragon's Crown has a lot to offer, from building one of the finest co-op games this generation, to leaving one nagging issue for us critics to nitpick in the lack of cross-play support. It's one of the prettiest games around, the addictive structure of the game compliments how many hours can be sunk in (with friends or on your own), and there's even some PvP stuff for anyone who really wants to put their money where their mouth is. Even the music is charming.

Smashing baddies, exploring dungeons, and scrounging for as much money and items as you can find is a satisfying departure from many strategy-heavy games coming out these days. Dragon’s Crown is a nostalgic return to classic side-scrolling brawlers found in arcades in the early ’90s, complete with flashing “go” arrows and food that falls out of villains and chests.

While it scales back the complexity that defined Princess Crown and Odin Sphere, its focus on deep, varied fighting mechanics make it one of the best beat-em-ups released for any platform in recent years.

Dragon’s Crown is, hands down, one of the most beautiful and fun pieces of art that I have ever interacted with. The visuals alone would be enough to justify a high score, but the gameplay cements it in place, minus some confusion when the screen gets really busy and some minor annoyances with the menu system and story progression in couch co-op.

Atlus and Vanillaware make a strong case for the greatest tag team in modern gaming. Dragon's Crown is a brilliant reimagining of a classic genre that wields the depth of an RPG while keeping core elements intact.

Fans of the arcade beat ‘em ups of past would regret passing this one by. It is a simple, yet deceptively in-depth brawler that keeps you coming back for more; and thankfully it just keeps on giving.

Dragon’s Crown is Vanillaware’s best title to date. Not only that, but the company should be extremely proud of what they have accomplished. As the industry shows, it’s not easy to create a beat ‘em up that is mechanically solid, plays well and has depth to keep you coming back, but the studio has done just that.

Dragon’s Crown is an extremely well-constructed blend of old-school action elements and role-playing depth. It looks great, the gameplay is rewarding for the hardcore and accessible to newcomers, the control is rock solid, and the amount of content is worthy of the $50 price tag in my eyes.

Dragon's Crown is a perfect mixture between addictive gameplay and a friendly combat system that can be a real challenge for those seeking to submerge themselves in this beautiful world. In this time filled with mediocre beat'em ups, Dragon's Crown really sticks out.

Don’t be fooled into thinking this is a mindless beat ‘em up obsessed with treasure chests (and pleasure ones): it’s so much more than that. Dragon’s Crown is the renaissance of the genre and it’s well worth your gold, soon-to-behardened adventurer.

Dragon's Crown is equipped with an irresistible charge and a visual style that stands out the current landscape of the video game market. The game is above the already enviable previous productions from Vanillaware.

This is simply the best work Vanillaware so far. We absolutely recommend it for those looking for 2D action games, RPG adventures or multiplayer-focused experiences. This time there's more than beautiful graphics. It is a solid and fun experience you should try.

Dragon's Crown is an intense celebration of the good old-school arcade games. Vanillaware did a great job creating such an interesting and fun experience for both PS3 and PSVita. The lack of the Cross Buy and Cross Play options is a problem, because the game is so damn good on both the consoles.

Dragon's Crown is without any doubt the best heir of Golden Axe we have ever seen in the last years.

Dragon’s Crown is a fantastic addition to the RPG genre, bringing an original personality that’s hard to ignore. With an amazing amount of content, this is one game that’s worth the grinding it demands.