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Drakensang Online

Drakensang Online is a 3D browser-based action MMORPG that features action-oriented gameplay similar to games in the Diablo series. Drakensang Online is playable on the browser as well as through a stand-alone download. The game features a top-down isometric camera angle, typical of hack-n-slash titles.

Publisher: Bigpoint
Playerbase: Low
Type: MMORPG
PvP: Arenas
Release Date: August 8, 2011 (NA/EU)
Pros: +Cash shop currency dropped by monsters. +Lots of quests. +Good Diablo-like item system.
Cons: -Cash shop dependent. -Minimal character customization. -Repetitive grindy gameplay.

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Overview

Drakensang Online Overview

Drakensang Online is a 3D fantasy MMORPG based on the relatively unknown Drakensang franchise. The game's core gameplay is inspired by Blizzard's Diablo series as well as other hack-n-slash action MMORPGs. One appealing aspect of Drakensang is that it is accessible on both the browser as well as a stand alone client. Jumping into the game requires no download and can be done in minutes.

Drakensang Key Features:

  • Grind for Currency – the cash shop currency is dropped by monsters, so if you are a F2P player, you can grind your way to that flashy merchandise in the Item Mall.
  • Available on the Web – you can play the game on a standalone client, or on the browser on any computer with the minimum system requirements.
  • Fast-Paced Combat – find your adrenaline pumping as you fight mobs of enemies in this fast, action-packed combat system.
  • Great Graphics – smooth graphics for a brower-based game. You won't notice any wrinkles, unless you move to another area and it needs to load.
  • Good Class Balance – though there are only four classes, they are well-balanced, giving the game a solid feel.

Drakensang Online Screenshots

Drakensang Online Featured Video

Drakensang Online - Official Gameplay Trailer 2014

Classes

Drakensang Online has four playable classes, with the Steam Mechanicus being the newest.

  • Spellweaver Spellweavers are the traditional offensive magic user class in Drakensang. They specialize in dealing as much damage as possible from a distance through the control of fire, ice, and lightning.
  • Dragonknight – Dragonknights are the quintessential "warrior" class in Drakensang. They specialize in melee combat and have the highest defense in the game.
  • Ranger – Rangers deal physical damage to their opponents from a distance using bows. They can also execute weakened enemies from close range with their blade bows. Rangers are seen as offensive supports, as they have high damage and the most effective crowd control abilities.
  • Steam Mechanicus – Steam Mechanicus dwarves are adept at mid-range combat. They're engineers of sorts as they can use steam-powered cannons, tanks, and grenades.

Full Review

Drakensang Online Review

By Marc Marasigan

Drakensang Online is a browser-based fantasy-themed MMORPG set in the mythical medieval European world of Dracania. The game was developed and published by Bigpoint Games, a German company famous for browser-based and social media games like Battlestar Galactica Online and Farmerama. The game went into open beta in August 2011. The game can be classified as a hack-and-slash dungeon crawler similar to games like Diablo and Path of Exile. The game is browser-based, but Bigpoint offers a stand-alone client for those that want a slightly enhanced gaming experience (better visuals and sound).

The Beginning

Since Drakensang Online is a browser-based game no download is required. You can start playing right off the bat. Players get to choose between four playable classes, each with their own advantages and disadvantages as well as a variety of unique builds and playstyles. Character creation is pretty straightforward, although customization is limited to changing hair styles and a number of facial hair options for male characters. The game starts with a quick quest to show you the basics of the game. The tutorial is easy to understand and follow with tool tips appearing whenever you encounter something new. This goes on until you’ve experienced everything in the game. You also have the option of turning it off in the settings menu. Unfortunately, the mission is part of the storyline and there is no option to skip it, even for veterans rolling new character. Players are given a taste of what group play feels like when you party up with NPCs as part of the storyline. Once you reach the town of Grimford, you can start interacting with other players and form parties to take on quests and dungeons.

I would like to point out that even this early in the game, I was really impressed by the quality of graphics and the amount of detail the developers put in. It doesn’t feel at all like you’re playing a browser-based game. The only time this becomes evident is when you enter a new area. The environment takes a while to load, which is understandable considering that you don’t have to download anything to start playing. The game also features superb background music that matches the environment and only serves to heighten your experience even more. Sound effects are nothing special, though.

Gameplay

Drakensang, like most games, starts off incredibly easy early on, but it doesn’t take long before players find themselves being ambushed by mobs of foes. This makes for a fast-paced combat experience that will get your adrenaline pumping. Killing monsters close to my level gave a decent amount of experience, even when farming monsters a few levels below mine. Gaining experience and levelling is quick enough with the bulk of experience you receive coming from quests. The quests keep mindless grinding down to a minimum and guide players from one area to the next while unfolding a story of good versus evil. The story is a bit cliché, but the trope has been proven to work by countless games in the past.

The four playable classes appear to be well-balanced. Dragonknights, the only melee class in the game, are designed to tank enemies and thus, can absorb a lot of damage. Spellweavers, on the other hand, are glass cannons. They can cast elemental spells that are capable of taking out a horde of monsters at the expense of defense. Rangers, a versatile archer class, brings the best of both worlds by being able to snipe enemies from afar or take them down at close range using their blade bows. They have slightly better defense than Spellweavers and often take up the role of off-tanks because of their crowd control skills. The Steam Mechanicus is a dwarf class that relies on guns and inventions to deal damage from mid-range. Note that their guns can only damage enemies within a specific range. They more than make up for this, however, with their arsenal of deployable turrets, bombs, and missiles.

One aspect that Drakensang could definitely improve on is their skill system. Players gain access to only a handful of skills. These are automatically unlocked when you reach a specific level or by purchasing them using the in-game currency. The game’s skill tree is also a bit limited. Unlike other MMORPGs, where players have the freedom to choose from a variety of builds, Drakensang only gives a choice between two skills every five levels.

Economy

Gold, silver, and copper is the currency accepted throughout Dracania. Use it to buy new weapons, armor, items, potions, or to repair your damaged equipment. The game also uses another currency, Andermant, which can be bought with real world cash. You can use Andermant to buy rare equipment, gems, or to instantly teleport from one town to another. For those of you who may think that this makes the game pay-to-win, Andermant is also randomly dropped by monsters and given as quest reward. While people willing to spend the cash will get an advantage, it’s not a complete game breaker. Drakensang is one of a handful of free-to-play games where premium currency can be obtained regularly throughout the game without paying. It does take a long time to save up for those rare pieces of equipment, though a very long time.

Despite what some players think, the game's developers have been somewhat responsive to player complaints. One of the biggest problems with Drakensang was that newly found weapons and armor couldn't be used until they were identified. Identifying rare loot required either farming crystals of truth (used to identify) for HOURS on end or paying for premium membership. As of Release 139, everything can now be identified for free.

Gems & Essences

Gems serve the same purpose in Drakensang Online as they do in the Diablo games. They increase a character’s defensive and offensive stats by embedding them in equipment with the necessary slots. Gems are randomly dropped by monsters, obtained as a daily log-in bonus, or bought using coins or Andermant from Jeweler NPCs that can be found in towns. Gems can also be removed via the Jeweler NPC. Each gem type has nine tiers: Flawed, Splintered, Simple, Gem, Polished, Radiant, Flawless, Sacred, and Royal. Three gems of the same type and tier can be combined to create a higher quality gem. Combination is the only way to obtain the four highest tiers of gems.

On the other hand, Essences are consumable items which can temporarily increase your character’s damage output. They are used up every time you attack or use an offensive skill. Essences can be obtained from monsters or bought from Essence merchants.

PvP

Pit your skills against other players in the PvP Arena, which bears a few similarities to the World of Warcraft PvP arenas. You can join PvP arenas anytime through the Battle Registration menu. The PvP arena allows you to participate in 1v1 to 6v6 matches, each with their own rules and scenarios. Once you register, a countdown timer appears and you are notified when the match is about to start. Badges of Honor are awarded to every player after a match. These badges can be used to level up your Fame Tree or be used as currency to buy equipment from the Battlemaster. You can also use Andermant to enable PvP for your character anywhere in Dracania except in safe zones like towns and cities.

Final Verdict – Good

Drakensang Online doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. The game’s theme has been used and reused by countless games in the past. That being said, for a free browser game, Drakensang Online is a pretty solid MMO with top-notch graphics, great sounds, a variety of builds and classes to choose from, and an engaging PvP system. The biggest flaw in Drakensang is the cash-shop-dependant gameplay. Sure, the premium currency, Andermant, can be farmed in-game, but it takes way too long. Still, the game itself is fun and is a must-play for MMORPG fans.

Screenshots

Drakensang Online Screenshots

Videos

Drakensang Online Videos

Playlist: Drakensang Online

System Requirements

Drakensang Online System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:

Operating System: Windows XP / Vista / 7 / 8
CPU: Pentium 4 1 GHz
Video Card: Any GPU with 256 MB Video Ram
RAM: 512 MB
Hard Disk Space: 400 MB

Mac OS X Requirements:

Operating System: Mac OS X Mavericks 10.9 or later
CPU: Any 1 GHz processor
Video Card: Any GPU with 256 MB Video Ram
RAM: 512 MB
Hard Disk Space: 400 MB

Drakensang is a browser based MMORPG that also features a stand-alone client. The game is compatible with both Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. The download version of the game features better graphics and higher quality music.

Music

Drakensang Online Music & Soundtrack

Additional Info

Drakensang Online Additional Information

Developer: Bigpoint
Game Engine: Nebula Engine (Proprietary game engine)
Other Platforms: Mac OS X
Closed Beta Date: April 11, 2011
Open Beta: August 8, 2011

Development History / Background:

Drakensang Online was developed by German publisher and developer Bigpoint. It is powered by the Nebula Engine. Drakensang Online is the first and only MMO version of the Drakensang series of games. Bigpoint began development for the game after acquiring Radon Labs, the studio behind the Drakensang franchise after the studio announced bankruptcy. Bigpoint announced development for a browser-based MMO version of the series in September 2010. A month after the game's launch, Drakensang Online had more than 850,000 accounts registered worldwide and quickly became one of the fastest growing browser-based MMOs. The game entered open beta on August 8, 2011, and won the "German Developer Prize" in 2011 along with several other prestigious awards.