What is it that’s so appealing about battling with monsters? If you look at most movies, fairy tales, and video games, it seems like the entire mission is simply to battle some evil monsters. It’s never about talking about the issues in a calm, peaceful manner with the monsters and figuring things out in a civilized fashion. I suppose, to be fair, that wouldn’t make for a very fun game.. Anyways, where was I going with all of this? Oh yes, I’m writing a review of Drancia for Android devices. It’s about battling monsters. In case you couldn’t tell.
The Basics
Just from looking at the game, you can tell there’s going to be a heavy emphasis on retro-ness. If that’s a word. The graphics have that great mixture of classic and modern appearance, letting me fuse feelings of personal nostalgia with my never-ending love of games. Wow, that was pretty poetic.
The Gameplay
I’m not exactly sure how to explain what Drancia is. You see, the game is all about battling monsters, collecting loot, and upgrading your powers. You’re moving nonstop, meaning it’s up to you to control directions, dashing, and jumping. And really, that’s about it. You simply choose your character and get battling. And what characters are available? Well, you’ve got a pretty wide arrangement, from swordsman to witch to bear. Yes, that’s right. Bear. Is it to early to give this game a perfect score?
Is It Fun?
From the moment I started up Drancia I was having a great time. The simple gameplay works really well, as you’re not simply mashing buttons to battle your enemies. It really reminded me of those classic arcade “beat ‘em ups”, where your sole mission is to battle and survive. Additionally, there’s a surprising amount of depth in the different characters available. Each one has unique stats and plays differently, meaning each runthrough will feel fairly fresh. Although, as I said, the bear is my favorite. His weapon is a fishbone after all.
The Bottom Line
Drancia may just be one of my favorite Android games I’ve played so far. Everything about it is fairly simple, and I wholeheartedly believe that works to its advantage. It’s one of those games that’s perfect to shut off your mind and relax while playing. Even though, while relaxed, you’ll be obliterating hordes and hordes of incoming monsters. Isn’t that how everybody relaxes?