In HG101 community there's agenda to play Namco's Dragon Valor (1999) on PSX. It looks interesting. I'm on it!
That's awesome logo but i don't like the font. That "N" looks like 9 to me. Then there's beautiful castle but imagine how many can of blue paint that required to paint those roofs. I'm guessing a thousand or so. They need to buy the paint from paint shops in entire kingdom. My first impression is: This game looks like Dragon View but in 3D. Also this game antagonize dragon whereas in Dragon View, the dragons assist the protagonist to fight evil although indirectly. They give him some kind of support power that related to plot (and not gameplay) or something.
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| Dragon Buster (Arcade) |
Before we begin the game, i should mention that this game is sequel to other Namco's Dragon Slaying game on arcade: Dragon Buster, released in 1984. I don't remember much about other than it's tedious game and the dragon here looks like miniaturized Brontosaurs or Loch Ness monster. It's cute.
Because this is PSX game with more complex controller, the control is more than movement and 2 buttons unlike the prequel. Although, i'm questioning why dash (run) and crouch has 2 buttons each? Anyway, i left the control configuration as it is and get on with the game next.
Breath of Fire? Like that Capcom's RPG? Heh! The prologue chapter starts with poem that straight antagonize dragon. I reckon not all dragon is cruel beast that live only to burn anyone or anything on its sight. There's benevolent dragon, like...ummm. Saphira in Eragon! Yeah!
In, Brize Forest...
A dragon valor catch a dragon red handed burning this forest. But it seems he's too weak to fight the dragon. Finally, he is incinerated with fire breath. Rest in peace, Dragon Valor. Dragon valor seems like strange term for someone dealing with dragon. It should be Dragon Slayer or Dragon Hunter, right?
On nearby village, EMIYA (Archer). I mean Clovis arrives and sees her sister Elena burned alive. If i were him, i will try to douse the fire with wet cloth or a bucket of water. But he hugs her burning sister instead. She could be saved if treated well but no! He choose to accept dramatic death on her beloved sister instead.
Clovis also see the dragon valor but he's already dead. Then he sees the sword that the dragon valor used to fight dragon and it's called "Dragon Valor" too! Dragon Valor is a term that used haphazardly and i do not like this case. Anyway Clovis take the legendary Dragon Valor that said is the only weapon that can defeat dragon, and swear a vengeance for her sister.
So off he goes to take revenge on the dragon that burned his village and sister. It seems too much for a complete amateur dragon hunter to go straight killing a dragon. Luckily, there's orcs nearby for his training. Pressing square up to 3 times can make Clovis do standard sword combo.
Clovis can do double jump from get go! But it looks silly. I know somersault as 2nd jump is quite common but it looks funny to me. Maybe because i gets used to see straight pose on double jump like in Devil May Cry 4, Vectorman, or Super Ghouls n Ghosts.
Protagonist in Dragon View can stab upward automatically when against flying enemies but Clovis can't. I have to hold down crouch button and then jump to perform this uppercut stab. It looks lame but has good vertical reach.
I can perform heavy downward attack like in Dynasty Warriors and other musou game by pressing crouch button after jumping. There's heavier version of it if i perform it after 2nd jumping. I'm intrigued by the complexity of moveset that Clovis has even though he becomes Dragon Hunter just 2 minutes ago.
Thankfully, i find healing potion inside crate that i just destroyed. I was afraid i don't get any healing after took some damage. The potion recover 10 hit points which is one third of my maximum hit points. Demoman_sf13_influx_small02.wav
By the way, i got this fireball magic from tentacle plant that i slain. Don't ask me how did i get it! It's quite disgusting process. I would criticize how typical the fireball magic is. But in the game's defense, it's stay true to the prequel so i tolerate it.
Finally, a showdown with the dragon! But that dragon looks too small to me. Even Rathalos from Monster Hunter who's Wyvern, has more mass than this skinny dragon. At least, he's improvement over that fire-breathing lizard in prequel.
Anyway. To defeat the dragon, you have to hit him in the head even if you have to resort to stupid jumping attack like this. This is quite unconventional method. By that i mean this is not what i normally do in Monster Hunter. Although calling hunting method in Monster Hunter is conventional, is pretty inaccurate like calling army uniform with red-white polka dot pattern is normal. So yeah. Hit the dragon in the head many times and dodge his fire breath. Nuff said.
However, there's small dragon comes out from the one that i fought. It's like butterflies coming out from their cocoon but more scaly and horrid. So the dragon manages to escape to live another day and Clovis' vengeance is not fulfilled.
Oh, now i can save. I was worried i lose my progress defeating dragon back then. Ok. He escapes but my point stands still.
The Avengers! Oops! Wrong game.
In this chapter, there's coup d'état in Raxis Kingdom by Azale Knights. Rumor said that the rebels use dragon's power. Knowing that, Clovis sets on to Raxis Kingdom.
Raxis border...
It seems they deploy fire-breathing dog as guard dog to patrol this border. They're quite overboard with border security. You notice that i have shield now. It's not for your typical decoration. I can block attack with it by staying neutral but the game reminds me that i can only block physical attack. So i can't block this fire breath. It also passes through barricade too for God's sake!
There we go. I block some attacks. Staying neutral for blocking seems unnatural to me although Tekken and Gekido-Urban Fighter do that too so it's fairly common. I see Clovis doesn't have qualm to kill humans. His vengeance is certainly bad for himself. Although these warriors are the evil rebels.
Moreover Clovis unintentionally save this girl from those evil warriors. Clovis ask her to clarify the dragon's existence in this land. He's happy knowing that the dragon is around this part. You're right, Carolina. Clovis is kind of not in his right mind due to his vengeance.
After finishing a level, i can
save the game, go to shop or go to next level of my choice. On my test run, i
went to Border Fortress. This time i go with Prison Ruins to break the tedium.
There's coins lie on the floor of this ruins. I made right decision! Engineer_mvm_collect_credits03.wav
Oh, what's this? A hub with 4 entrances! I was coming from left bottom entrance. So i have 3 options.
I try bottom right entrance. Ngggh! Door locked!
There's no locked door on right top entrance and i end up in this big room. This pushing block action reminds me of Brave Fencer Musashi, somehow.
On next room, i'm stumbled upon this arena. These skeleton gits are annoying. They will revive after defeated. It's firm tradition that skeleton enemies are tedious to fight like in Golden Axe, huh? But in that classic Sega's brawler, the skeletons don't revive but they can block attack instead which is less annoying but still annoying nonetheless. At least i got key by defeating rhino warrior there.
I went to top right entrance, which is the last entrance that i haven't checked.
Splat! I land face first after fail to jump over that spikes. Not to worry, i just eat this mushroom to restore my lost health. Dammit! It's poisonous mushroom. I'm dead.
Why would i go this way, anyway? I should use the key to unlock that door on the hub. I'm big dumb.
Fortunately, dying doesn't kick me to intermission or title screen but rather restart me from the beginning of this ruins. Speaking of kick, i find this cool trick. I can cancel the combo with back flip if i press jump after 1st or 2nd combo hit. After that i can either press attack button to perform this dive kick or press kick button to perform more back flips to get away from danger farther. I feel like this evasive back flip feels redundant because the sword combo is short and fast enough. But i like the dive kick though.
At the end of the locked door, i find more coins and activate a switch. Apparently, hitting the switch retracts the spikes on the corridor that i died. So i can walk there safely and i end up in this prison room. No prisoner as far as i can tell but i fight ninjas that presumably hired by the rebels.
At the end of this ruins is Lizardman as level boss. He's pretty easy to beat as Lizardman is barely a dragon. Heh! He drop this mine magic as he defeated. It sounds nice to have trap as additional combat option but i barely use fireball that's direct projectile magic and mine magic is even more unused.
Dude. Your shop sucks and you should feel bad. If i remember correctly wine is selling commodity and not healing item, so what's the point of buying it? Lithograph increase my max MP and Pendant increase my HP. They're both permanent stats increasing item. I should have more money that it is. Maybe dying will reset my money to 0? The way the shop works is kind of convoluted. He offers you the item from top to bottom and you must decline his offer to get into next item. Why can't i just browse the item freely, huh? Also there can only be 3 items offered at a time. You should learn from shopkeeper in Legend, mister!
Raxis City...
There's no free health refill after finishing a level but luckily i find this health potion in this secluded alley. Wait a moment! Isn't this kind of alley where people take a leak secretly? Demoman_jeers08.wav
I don't know what's the deal with these wisps. They doesn't look evil or at least something that can hold grudge against me. Also they are weak. So what's your point, guys?
There's another group of wisps and also a lizardman. Even if they get together against me, they pose no serious problem to me. But i don't get anything from their dead body, except story progress.
I meet again with Carolina the inventor. She invites me to tea party and she also inform me about secret underground passage to the Raxis castle where the rebel hiding. She slips off story of her father killed by those rebels because he refuse to invent weapon. Clovis grow tired of Caroline searching for the tea bags and decides go to the castle as soon as possible but he make promise he will come back after avenging his sister and Carolina's father.
Dude! Your shop still suck. Can't you see i don't need MP refill? (That's because i very seldom use magic) >:I
I can go to the castle through their front gate but i decide to go for secret underground passage. I don't want to waste Carolina's kindness. This underground passage is filled with water. Maybe this is sewer? However it's not entirely safe to travel here. There's jumping piranha, slimes, spikes, and falling pillars. I was gravely wounded by one of the pillars. Now i know the bad feeling of getting hit by falling pillar like those guys i murdered in Kagero - Deception II. What goes around comes around as they said.
Yes. I know. It's "Giant Enemy Crab" meme. Even though i barely can recover from that severe wound, i manage to kill these crabs with no problem. Demoman_taunts16.wav
For getting rid of giant enemy crabs, i'm rewarded with healing magic! Now i know how i will use those MP. Like in Saint Sword, i'm only interested in using MP for healing magic. You can deal damage with sword alone but you can't heal yourself by stabbing yourself, can you?
So, here's the status menu where you can ready your magic, see your inventory and stats. Unlike in other action RPG, Clovis doesn't get experience and eventually level up by killing enemies. The way Clovis getting strong is through random drop from enemies. There's item that increase Attack power, Max HP, Max MP, etc. Maybe there's fixed loot on defeated boss but i'm not sure. But i know i found permanent maximum HP up on optional room so there's some fixed loot on secret places. As for now, i'm quite glass bullet because my attack power is 100 while my defense power is 1. I prefer more balanced stats but i can't do nothing about this situation.
So i'm in the dungeon part of the castle and it's filled with these wicked demon armors. They remind me of Bishamon from Dark Stalkers.
Eventually, i encounter the Azale Knights. They're armed with bow and broadsword that as broad as their ego. This line up here is impressive. While i'm busy with the broadswordman, the archer will snipe from distance. This is where the blocking come in handy. As long as i face the enemy's attack and remember to not press anything, i should be fine.
If fearsome is the opposite of handsome. Yes. You're fearsome. :P
Everyone. Meet Volef. He's the "fearsome" leader of Azale Knight. I don't know about you but that loose tooth of his makes him funny instead of fearsome in my opinion.
I can't tell the detail of this boss fight except he charge straightforward, i dodge him, then i spank his rear with the legendary Dragon Valor and he doesn't like that.
After getting spank enough time, Volef informs me that the dragon is in tower but he only points me to where the alchemist knight conduct his experiment and he gets away. Whatever. Clovis only want piece of the dragon, anyway.
With no other clue to where the dragon is, we're going to the tower. On my way to the tower, i find these levers. I don't know what they're for but i'm just going to flip them all to right and we shall see what happens.
Oh, i see. Those lever change the position of stair section with corresponding colored mark. For example this yellow mark one, the lever is switched to right resulting the stair section rise. I need to make it lower so i can jump on it so i have to switch the lever to left.
Before the chamber where Raimun the alchemist knight resides, there's this horrible monster guarding the entrance. This is like Raimun conduct immoral experiment with all meatball leftovers from entire regiment Azale Knight's spaghetti lunch. It looks and smells horrible. That scorpion tail like thing can release fart that smells like rotten meat that left for 10 years. Heavy_negativevocalization04.wav
Here's Raimun, probably second in command of Azale Knight. He refuses the honorable fight like other knight. He use magic incantation and various alchemist flasks. Typical alchemist. Thanks to healing magic, i can defeat him.
Raimun passed away before giving me information on where the dragon is. but then the sword floats and points me where the dragon is. Scout_sf13_influx_small02.wav
Now this is more like it. I like that the bigger the healing potion the more economical the cost. The middle potion will restore 3 times hit points of the small one but it's only more expensive 1.5 times than the small one. The shopkeeper still afraid of the Azale Knight will harass him and Clovis said he will deal with them but actually he already defeat them. Of course, his business is not done yet. He will hunt down the dragon even it costs his live. The dragon is in...
...in catacombs which means more skeleton! I hate them so much. I try mine magic but that don't do much as they will revive again!
There's also traps, poisonous mushrooms, and invincible blanket ghosts. Spy_sf12_badmagic04.wav
Volef is back and he's stronger and faster thanks to Dragon's power. He also has new move where he conjure series of lightning orbs. I almost defeated but thanks to healing magic i come up victor.
Defeated Volef drops a stealth magic that makes me invisible for awhile. But what for? Skipping enemies is not my style besides there's a chance that they will drop stat up item when defeated. Oh, wait! I can pass those blasted undead undetected. Would be nice if i can get this magic quite earlier.
Volef escape again but later get incinerated by the Dragon for his incompetence even with Dragon's power. Serve him right. :D
And now time for Dragon Fight round 2! Like in previous fight, he's weak to hit on his head. But this time he's bigger (1.5 times at most) and he can generate shockwave around him. Jump over it to dodge.
I didn't get any recovery from fighting Volef redux and i died few second on the dragon fight. But luckily, i restart at the beginning of dragon fight with full MP and HP. The game is generous with checkpoint
Probably in attempt to make his head less reachable, the dragon can stand in his two legs! Or perhaps that's what he does when he's super angry. While he stands on his two legs, he shoot fireballs to the sky and later they fall to the ground like meteor rain. This is when dodge roll for action RPG, is not invented yet. So there's no other choice to run around avoiding it by holding L2 or L1 shoulder button and d-pad.
With The Dragon dead, Clovis lose his meaning of life even though he's more than capable being mercenary or castle guard. He needs steady job for God's sake! Living only for vengeance is definitely bad for you!
Oh, nice! Clovis return to Raxis City and together with Carolina, they "invent" a kid. Good for him! Demoman_goodjob01.wav
Wait! What? What do you mean it's not ending, game? Now i get to play Clovis' kid: Kodel who like to steal riches from pirates presumably he use the stealth magic learn from his father. I know that it brings bad thing to Clovis indirectly one day. As Clovis' kid, Kodel inherits his items and magic but not necessarily his stats so Kodel is (slightly) weaker than Clovis. Also the Dragon Valor too but Kodel uses it to steal from pirates. At least he doesn't steal from innocent civilians. So he's slightly righteous like Robin Hood, i guess.
He also happen to rescue damsel in distress named Fannah and she know about The Dragon Valor. But i don't like her. She's whinny annoying damsel. Back then she forces Kodel to rescue her. She will scream and ultimately alarm the pirates to Kodel's presence if she's not freed from her jail. Don't tell me, Fannah will be Kodel's wife. The thought makes me stop playing the game. But since this story doesn't involve dragon (yet), i better stop the playthrough here.
So Namco's Dragon Valor (1999) is big improvement over Dragon Buster. I once compared it to Brave Fencer Musashi which released in 1998. Perhaps Namco take inspiration for it to make sequel of Dragon Buster and it's job well done! Another comparison that i have in mind is with Legend on PSX which also released a year or so before Dragon Valor! I say the comparison is the polar opposite. Legend has tedious combat but exemplary shop system. Whereas Dragon Valor has fantastic combat but not great shop system. One of my complaint is there's no HP and MP recovery when finishing a stage which kind of harsh. The stage's length is quite adequate. Pretty short but intense. Checkpoint on each boss fight segment is very helpful. There's no life system. Maybe the penalty of dying is your money reset, i guess? It will be nice if there's healing potion that you can carry anywhere or more healing item respawn. Thanks to the length of the sword, my attack's reach is long enough to deal with most enemies safely and accurately. The blocking is certainly better than in Legend but pressing nothing is counterintuitive to me. The thing i hate in this game is those invincible undead. There's nothing i can do to deal with them except run away. Same goes to trap or other hostile contraptions but they're slightly tolerable because they don't chase me and rather doing thing in fixed pattern. The combat magic is useful but the healing magic is the most useful one to me. There's unique support magic that can increase your attack's range on top of increasing your defense power. To do heavy running attack, you have to press crouch button while running, which is very unusual method. The stats upgrading depends on item which kind of limited but so far i don't get softlocked due to lack of stats. I was hoping Carolina the inventor can boost my stats with her invention but no. Instead, she "invents" a kid of Clovis. Sometime shop sells stat upgrade item but rarely. Overall the combat is quite simple and very enjoyable also lots of variety into it. The music is pretty standard good. It also goes to the sound effect.
Dragon Valor (1999) is very action RPG. It could be rival to Dragon View. It gets my A-grade recommendation. But i still can't accept with inability to defeat undead. Paladin is their bane and not me the dragon slayer, i guess? I hope i don't have to fight bone dragon, that will be heavy problem to me. Another inacceptable thing is the story length. In other action RPG that i played, i never play anything that goes far to 30 years (and it still continue). The first protagonist getting married and have a kid. Then i control the kid. Utter craziness!
