Everyone wishes they had a pet dragon, myself included. In 2010, gamers will finally have the opportunity to create and train a dragon of their own when Activision releases How to Train Your Dragon for the Xbox 360, based off the upcoming DreamWorks animated-adventure film starring Hiccup. The plot of the game continues after the events of the DreamWorks film (of the same name) as you will take up the role of either Hiccup or Astrid (the two main characters - one male and one female) exploring the island of Berk and preparing your dragon for battle. Hiccup is a young Viking who doesn’t quite fit in with his tribe, and tries to prove himself by capturing a dragon then leading it to victory in the arena. When Hiccup befriends the dragon he captures, his world turns upside down as he tries to prove to his tribe that dragons aren’t as bad as they seem and can actually be used for more than just fighting. I don't want to reveal too many details of the plot within the game as it would take away from the film, but it is interesting to see a continuation of the movie play out. It's obvious that even though this game has some pretty cool features and customizable options it is still built for the young gamer, the same age person who will be lining up around the country to see the film version of How to Train Your Dragon this weekend.
For a kids-movie title, the gameplay actually turned out to be really interesting and somewhat original for a game of this genre. Players have the opportunity to create dragons as they see fit and then go through the process of training each dragon using mini-games such as ice sculpting, memorization puzzles, races, and more. You aren’t training an army of dragons for no reason, there is a heavy multiplayer segment (called Arcade mode) in the game in which you can challenge your friends with the dragons that you have created and raised. The multiplayer experience is limited to same-console versus match-ups but the customizable options allow for a much more personalized fighting experience than most other games out there, especially for kids who are really into the dragon's unique story. The controls are simple enough: one button for light attack, one for heavy attack, another to jump, one to block attacks, and the last to breathe fire. After a couple matches I was able to get the basic fighting system in How to Train Your Dragon down-pat, but there's a large upgrade and combo system that took a lot longer to master. You are also able to change the color, look, and build of your dragon throughout the game; using custom pieces that you pick up in the story mode.
KEY FEATURES:
- Dragons Fighting Dragons – Experience the exciting action of Dragon vs Dragon. Throughout their adventure, the player will battle their way to the top of the tournament taking out other Viking’s best dragons or they can battle their friends or AI in the Arcade mode.
- Challenges and Training – Players will start off with one dragon that they will be able to train to compete in the first cup of the tournament. Take your Dragon to the training area to level him/her up with various training challenges. The higher the level, the stronger your dragon will be when competing in the tournament. Keep in mind, training your dragon will tire it out; remember to gather goods to take care of your dragon in the Dragon’s den after each training session or tournament. Later in the game, the player will unlock access to challenges. This is an alternative way to leveling up your dragon. Completing these will unlock customization pieces and goods that you will be able to use on your dragon.
- Robust Customization for Dragons – Players can customize their Dragon’s with hundreds of combinations, customizing their horns, wings, head, tail and more. Players can also add markings to their dragons and even change their skin and scale color, further differentiating them from the dragon’s their friends may create. No two Dragon will be alike. The color wheel itself offers tons of color options including various shades of one selected color. Players unlock customization pieces for their particular dragon by completing training and challenges with their desired Dragon.
The unique cast of characters in How to Train Your Dragon, created by the film's writers, help bring a sense of humor to the experience. Graphically the game looks fine, with some nice-looking textures and fire-effects that any "dragon" game would be happy with. It's definitely made to resemble the film version, featuring a high-definition virtual recreation of the same art-style. The development team at Etranges Libellules didn't have to follow the movie plot, they were able to create their own story and pull key elements within the How to Train Your Dragon IP that make for great gameplay. It's basically a fighting game with a small amount of adventure and exploration thrown in for good measure. After spending a good bit of time with a final build of the game it's obviously aimed at kids, that being said it is one of those titles that is fun to sit back and watch your child play or even jump in and take him/her on with a dragon of your own. Some of the gameplay features are specific to the film while others could be snagged from a slew of movie tie-ins, even so we had a good time playing it and look forward to seeing the film in sometime in the near future. In a sea of games based off of movies, How to Train Your Dragon plays like it has the potential to be a great family game as well as one of the better movie tie-ins releasing this year, especially for the fantasy-driven children in your family. If you or your kids have any interest in the film make sure to pick-up How to Train Your Dragon for the Xbox 360, in stores today for the cost of $49.99.
