Hey Son, I got introduced to this game when I was in high school and I fell in love with the series! I will admit 2 is my favorite but I think 3 was the most captivating of the Drakengard games. I'm so Hype to see you covering it! I hope all is well and continues to go well! Your content is great as always! 🤓
Apparently some people feel that Platinum hasn't been the same since the success of Nier Automata, that all of their games since have been a bit stuck in its shadow.
I might be in the minority here, but I think the remake idea would be bad, unless it's a faithful remake. The combat should still be grindy, the weapon grind shouldn't be lessened, the controls should still be clunky. I feel a lot of this plays into the game ludonarratively. The only thing I would want changed is the flight controls/gameplay. The game is supposed to make you uncomfortable, and the gameplay runs into that. You're supposed to be left feeling dull after killing the same faceless person over and over, because that's how Caim thinks. He's a psychopathic murderer.
A few years ago I became OBSESSED with the Drakengard/Nier games and went down the incredibly complex rabbit hole that is the lore for these games. So I'm excited to see them covered here.
Helpful Tip: Inuart and the Black Dragon actually suck at dodging the basic fireball blast. They'll still do it, but not nearly as crazy or consistently as the homing shot. It's a bossfight specifically designed to be much, MUCH harder if you rely strictly on homing, and to re-enforce that you have another powerful tool that may be harder to use, but can dish out the hurt when mastered.
For those curious about Leonard, avoiding No-no words: He Likes kids. Capital L. But he recognises that's wrong, so never acts on it, and goes off to live in the woods. Along with his 3 younger brothers. Then, when he sneaks out one night to go "Relieve some urges" behind a tree, he comes back to find his home burned down with his brothers inside. Which he kin'a takes as a sign from god that he shouldn't have jerked it. The English version censors this by not bringing up his unpleasant, unwanted desires, and he was just... going for a midnight stroll I guess?
@@dagon99 Well, the concept, or so I have heard, was to take one of the most reprehensible things in society, and try to make one one of the most heroic characters in the story. And Leonard is. Especially compared to the psychopathic murderer Caim, and the literal baby eater Arioch. He fights his desires his whole life, harms no-one, is the only guy who goes "Hey, maybe murdering all these child conscripts is a Bad Thing?", And in one of the story paths, sacrifices his life to try and save the world.
@calemr honestly sounds like a great story that doesn't just "discuss" morals but actually explores them. I'm not familiar with drakengard at all so I was expecting a generic, slightly grimdark fanatasy. Im just surprised to see this type of narrative in the form of a jrpg and slightly bummed western game devs won't donthe same.
Smoul fun fact: Angelus and mannah share the same voice actor, further more the male voice when mannah is possessed by the watchers VA is cosmo from fairly odd parents!
Your closing statements is why I love Yoko Taro as a director and writer so much. He has a clear vision and sticks to it. He doesn't always stick the landing and the games tend to be rough around the edges, but you can see the passion behind his projects. It's what gaming used to be in the early 2000s.
Late comment, but it really helps that some higher ups in SquareEnix really loves Yoko's works, which is why he could persevere with his vision and continue making game with them up until Nier Automata and its success even though his games before that, while has garnered pretty solid cult following, weren't exactly commercial successes. Usually such financially underperforming series wouldn't be given the chance to have that many follow up works. Pretty nice to know that some of the higher ups in big game companies still do have passion for games and games' making.
You keep deciding to cover absolutely legendary series (IMO), and I love it. The Drakengard games are all in desperate need of remakes, or at the very least a remaster, mostly so we can have them all on one platform with the Nier games. If you've not watched it already, ValkyrieAurora's explanation of the varying timelines of the series is well worth a watch. Keep up the good work! ❤
One of the weirdest, bleakest, and most interesting series and spin off series in gaming. Nice to see it getting talked about! Hope Platinum remakes it one day.
THIS WAS SUCH A NICE SURPRISE!! Drakengard/NieR is my favorite series and I love and will watch as many lore videos I can find! Can’t wait to watch this one and see what you’re take on it is❤
I've watched this video twice now and it brings another, fresh point of view, however there are a few things that bug me about it. The scene in which Furiae ends herself is not badly translated, it's just the cultural context that's missing. She says something along the lines of "embrace me, my brother" which isn't so bad for the western world, but... yeah. Angelus also has a line or two that make it very obvious just how much Furiae loves Caim. The first fight with Inuart (the cutscene) can be interpreted in different ways and this video picked the one that not many people think of. I think that Caim rushed towards the black dragon not because he wanted to save his own, but because he realized he had already seen it and the bloodlust took over him, he wanted revenge then and there and was not thinking about anything else. The same goes for Angelus - at this point they have not been together for long enough, I think she covered Caim because if the other dragon burnt him to crisp she'd die too. So she was effectively saving her own life, not necessarily defending Caim. Caim running towards the light in ending C is, at least in my opinion, definitely not about "saving lives". In this ending, all dragonkind has risen to destroy the world, so there most likely isn't anyone left to save. I believe Caim just wants to end as many dragons as he can and go in a blaze of glory. I do like that this video touches on the subject of Caim being unable to respond to all the screams of "no more murder pls" - people say that Verdelet's loss of hair and Caim's loss of voice were not that bad in terms of pact sacrifices, but Caim's voice was probably the last thing making him (feel) human.
Phenomenal video man!!! Really is a shame Drakengard’s gameplay can’t keep up with the scope of its story but it’s still such a wild experience from start to finish. Love how you describe the world and story beats, it’s so enriching and exciting and your overall look at the gameplay and missions is so well detailed and executed. Really glad I stumbled upon this and I can’t wait to see your analysis on Drakengard 2 and eventually Nier!
I wasn't expecting THIS to be your next series, but I will not complain. Drakengard is a very fascinating game because it feels like a car crash you cannot look away from
Yup. "Car crash" sums up the world and setting nicely. The world has been ravaged by war to the bone, the areas you explore and fly above are mostly desolate and barren, the enemy force is a seemingly unstoppable empire which is secretly ruled by a super-powerful cult seeking to harness the power of eldritch deities, a woman has to act as a physical barrier between the world and the deities, and our only hope is a broken man, one who enjoys all the killing but is secretly fighting his inner bloodlust... but IS forming a bond with his pact-beast and has incestuous feelings for the woman acting as the barrier at least. And his optional allies are as pitiful and bizarrely tragic as he is. It's... *DARK* fantasy all the way. And it was released at a time when JRPGs weren't known for tackling dark fantasy plots like this.
@@NebLleb Yeah that is why I used the analogy I did because the game's plot is very disturbing hell even with skirting around some of the stuff the context you get for everything is just unsettling. And while there are many plots that look at violence in video games in a critical lense, Drakengard was among the first and if you ask me it did it probably the best. Hell I would even argue that the bad gameplay enhances the message Taro was trying to say.
@@jenniferrannila1414 Actually, I think the gameplay is good, has a fantastic foundation, and I actually had fun... but it was genuinely held back by the rushed development, which is why I hope a remake to be announced some time in the future so they can polish and make it the game it could've been. But... I do agree with you on its point. Besides Spec Ops: The Line, Drakengard successfully makes you question your character's bloodlust as you fight and kill and maim and blast and chop and knock down etc.. It's a pity that the gameplay is in need of further polish, because if it was... Holy hell. It would be a perfect example of being an enjoyable game that makes you reflect on your killing. It really is an example of the mid-90s - early-2010s being a breeding ground of creative, fun and unique concepts. (Also, I feel the plot to be a joint-effort between Taro, the writers and producers. Remember, it WAS originally created as a fantasy-based spiritual successor to Ace Combat by an ex-Project ACES member, before the staff was eventually chosen)
This was actually my first ps2 game waaaaaaay back when as a kid and uhh yeah it was an interesting experience that left a massive impact on my writing
Hell yeah bro! I love this series so much. Of course my introduction was nier automata but after that it was history. I didn't know I needed this right now
What a surprise this was! I never played any of the games but I was curious about "that dragon game I never got to play" and looked it up. I was not expecting a deep dive but it was a fun and emotionally conflicting journey reading and watching clips.
Drakengard is... Honestly, the best game in need of a remake. Think about it: This year marks the 20th anniversary of this game, and a lot of dormant legacy franchises from the wild west that was the fifth, sixth and seventh generations either have made, or are set, to make a comeback in one form or another (Destroy All Humans!, System Shock, Half-Life, Armored Core, Alone in the Dark, The House of the Dead, Front Mission, Max Payne, Silent Hill, _fucking METAL GEAR)_ so I genuinely hope that Square Enix announce such a project. Think about what it'd be like if Caim could lock-on to enemies, if he had a handy-dandy parry feature, if there was a rudimentary ability to command troops befitting his role as a military commander, if The Dragon's movement was tweaked to be as satisfying as its Ace Combat lineage, if the stun-lock was tweaked to not be so punishing or if the club-wielding enemy commandos were rightly nerfed, the room for improvement is large, and needed, as the foundation for a great game is there, but the rushed development resulted in a flawed title. And yet, I STILL consider it a guilty pleasure in its vanilla form: when it clicks, the game is actually kinda fun, the air gameplay IS genuinely good if unbalanced, and the plot, music, English voice acting, writing, sound design, art design, weapons and characters? A-tier easily and deliver on its seinen manga inspirations and style. Despite the faults, I'll freely admit this was the first JRPG I've ever finished (A route only, in case you're wondering).
With the concepts and themes this game aimed to explore, nah. I really doubt it. Even if the developers had the budget to remake it. I really doubt, for even the devs, to recreate and dare to flesh out the concepts/themes they had in mind with this entry. It would be bonkers if they do, but the themes are too controversial for modern and general audiences to fully grasp. I like what it wants to achieve and tell, but even I can admit, it can be borderline repulsive (no, I don't just mean the incestous stuff) Nier is more accessible since, despite the themes it touches, is not as tragic and dark as Drakengard 1 is. It has more accessible and sympathetic characters that fall more in line with common anime stereotypes. Sure, the characters have flaws, but is not a "I'm a baby eater/pedo" kind of thing. This is a similar ask to wanting a remake of Rule of Rose, another game with great thematic explorations, shit combat/gameplay, but dark af. Square Enix is too far gone to dare to back up a remake of Drakengard 1. If, by any slim chance, decide to, given the current lineups they have delivered, I would not be confident they could deliver a faithful remake (storywise).
Thank you for covering games that I didn't know existed. Very cool to learn about, with the exception of Leonard being....what they are. Thank you for continuing to create these retrospectives.
This was unexpected! I love this game and series, often don't think Drakengard gets the recognition it deserves. Thanks for covering this game on the channel!
Super underrated games imo, loved this one back in PS2 and enjoyed 2 on release to the point where I was legit surprised by the consensus largely being that it was a bad game but never played 3, the fact that Taro tied 2 seemingly unrelated worlds together will always be super interesting
I don't think Drakengard 2 is bad per say, I think its pretty good on its own and I enjoy characters like Legna However I think what was an issue for fans of the first such as myself were the very very different vibes and designs and how 2 is a bit of a departure from the OG tone. Characters have more anime / silly designs in 2, and Nowe in himself comes as a very generic protagonist. He suffers a lot when faced against Caim, as Caim is from the get go introduced as borderline evil, and insane. Drakengard 2 has it very own edge, which I really enjoy, but the presentation is also very different, with a seemingly good ending too versus 1 super dire and depressing paths
It will always amuse me that I was actually aware of this series a few years before Automata came out. Mostly due to how utterly insane the plot and characters of the first game are.
I remember very well when my now ex-boyfriend told me about Drakengard. I was kind of put off by it at first but had a morbid curiousity toward the franchise. Watched him play 3, bought him the original Nier for his birthday and watched him play that, and then Automata and the most recent Nier remake after. This series has its weird hooks in me so deep that I don't really know how to put it. I kind of really love it despite all its shortcomings, and I'm always delighted to see people talk about it. Amazing video!
@2:20 Iwasaki was directing another game at the time, which is why he asked his friend Yoko to step in for him on this project. I don't recall Yoko being any part of this project prior to Iwasaki tagging him as director (ie. Yoko was freelance at the time; I don't recall Yoko taking the role as art director prior to becoming the director for the game. Citing a source for this statement might help!).
I remember getting this on PlayStation two and me and my little brother barely understood this game except how to level up the weapons and the dragons that you could unlock , I also remember how cool I thought it was to jump from the dragon and start dropping people
Hey Son, I just wanted to tell you that I appreciate how informative, structured, and objective your videos are. I hope you get all the views on your next one. Keep up the good work.
"Wise men choose death before war. Wiser men choose not to be born." The hardest line of this game. I've played it 20 years ago and I still remember it from time to time.
If you haven't done so yet commenters - play: Drakengard 3, Drakengard, Nier Replicant, Nier Automata. In that order. (2 is optional is not in the "main" canom)
I haven't played any of the Drakengard games but I've watched many analysis videos on them! Also, Nier and Nier Automata are both some of my favorite games of all time, so I can't wait to see your retrospective on them!
I fuckin love the maniac terror soundtrack of Drakengard 1. I never 100'd it because of the last boss it was too hard, but it occupies a special place in my heart.
I wasn't expecting a video on the DrakeNieR franchise so soon. I commented on one of your videos a little while ago about a DrakeNieR retrospective from you, but I can't find the comment. I don't know what happened to it. I commented on your Merch Announcement video too and I can't find that one either. Regardless, this was a pleasant surprise to wake up to this morning. Good job, son. I'm proud of you.
I remember getting this game when I was little. I like what I played from it but got side tracked by other games. Think I was too young to appreciate it. So glad youre doing a retrospective on this series. Thanks son
Son is back to the land of rising son. Can't wait for Nier video. ps. trying to imagine son telling the story of drakenguard 4 with a straight face. And I want to see Kbashes face when he sees that because he already went through that pain.
Oh hey, my two favourite series of all time. Not watched the whole video yet, mostly because I want to comment in advance saying that I'm looking forward to seeing how you tackle the multiple endings of all of these games, and how you interpret the themes. Doubly so when you reach the NieR games, where Gestalt & Replicant in particular basically mandates two playthroughs to understand the complexity of that story and the direct question it poses to you, personally, as a player. (A theme that Automata then really dug into even deeper.) I'm so curious to see how you'll tackle that in a video essay format. One section for playthrough 1 and then a "reveal" for playthrough 2? Just skip straight to 2? I look forward to finding out; it's not an easy game to break down given the huge twist. Always love seeing how people talk about these games and their different interpretations of them. Honestly, my dream would be to see a Drakengard and Drakengard 3 re-release at the very least, given Yoko's proven himself more than capable. (Preferably, though, maybe a remake. They are.... sure clunky. Oof.)
I remember when the game came out and a friend and I stayed up all night just to see mission after misson. It's not a good game, but it was a great experience. Also I liked the story.
i can't resist expecting when Inuart said "Usual song" and i was like hmmm he gonna sing really bad "I want it that way" and i'm gonna laugh out loud hahaha
Could you please please please make a deep dive into the God Of War games? I already watch your silent hill videos like once a week to help me sleep or as background noise cause they are so good! I promise you I’ll watch it on repeat if you make it!
If you enjoyed this game i would recommend eruption video on the series. I think you both go about the retrospectives in different enough ways that its worth watching both.
I loved this game back then, the game play was frustrating and janky af, quite a lot. But the story was amazing, and every now and then there'd be a gameplay moment where you'd see something cool, something really inventive and get a glimpse of what it could have been. I'll take drakengard/nier videos where ever I can get 'em - keep 'em coming
Legit, if anyone who calls D1's gameplay slow and monotonous played a single PS2 Dynasty Warriors game, they would be *amazed* by how much better it plays compared to those. Lack of juggle aside. It is in no way a "poor man's Dynasty Warriors", not at all. The magic system kicks the shit out of DW's musou attacks, levelling up weapons is much better and results in much better than DW, which only features stat boosts and combo extensions. DW had no evasion beside a janky jump, where Drakengard shipped with a roll that actually functions. Even Caim's blocking is better than in DW. Add in that you can hop onto dragonback whenever you want, and the only issue is that archers are arguably more annoying here than DW's cancer "snipe you from outside the draw distance" archers, and you have a game that plays a whole lot better. Trust me, I'm a DW die-hard and the first time I played Drakengard, I was losing my shit over how this game with its comparatively small team and brand new IP was doing it better than a series with almost nine entries under its belt - and a really popular media franchise featuring books, plays, movies, and three whole-ass other game series related to it. Drakengard was like if someone brought out a SMT/Persona competitor today and fused P5 Strikers with Devil May Cry.
I watched a playthrough of this game. The ending with the Watchers was legitimately shocking--i mean the whole game is bleak, but the story takes a complete jump to "obscene" with how bonkers it is And honestly? I love it
there's an achievement set for this you can play through pcsx2 and retroachievements as well 👀 i played about 200 hours of Drakengard making it and i STILL got a lot out of this vid lmao!
Man I remember getting this from the video store but the copy must of been scratch because i fought the boack dragon boss fight after the sister dies and got the E ending cinematic
I played this back on the PS2, thought it was a good game back when I was in the 5th grade. I really like all the cutscenes. Can't beleive how expensive it is now -_-
Hey it's me, your brother from another mother. Just like say always look forward to your retrospectives and I hope you can eventually for on Beyond good versus evil
My understanding of Furiae's suicide is not only that she does it out of shame but that she does it as a result of Caim's "rejection" of her feelings, he shows his disgust in his expressions in the cutscene (something that isn't lost in translation).
is there a meaningful difference between "a momentary satisfaction" and "good?" If you're still playing, something about it is obviously good enough imo
Oh dear lord yes, I'm gonna watch the shit out of this video when I get the chance. This series is nuts and as much I tried to get those secret levels and absorb the dark soul-esque storyline, the gameplay beat me into submission. Super looking forward to this
Hey Dad, how do you feel about Drakengard? 🐉
Hey Son, I got introduced to this game when I was in high school and I fell in love with the series! I will admit 2 is my favorite but I think 3 was the most captivating of the Drakengard games. I'm so Hype to see you covering it! I hope all is well and continues to go well! Your content is great as always! 🤓
Dad-son do you like dragons?
Son-yes dad I love dragons
Dad-dragon these nuts across your face
Son-😢
A great story ❤ thanks son
Never heard of it, Son. I got a gamecube when I was a teenager, missed out on a lot of PS2 titles.
great story, eeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh gameplay
A full blown Yoko Taro remake in collaboration with platinum games is needed, the two gameplay styles are something platinum already excel at.
That would be ideal, revisiting the series to further connect it with nier.
I’d settle for remasters with smoother controls
Apparently some people feel that Platinum hasn't been the same since the success of Nier Automata, that all of their games since have been a bit stuck in its shadow.
@KOGFanstarks1610 Yeah i agree it's such an old game that a simple up-res remaster would be odd.
I might be in the minority here, but I think the remake idea would be bad, unless it's a faithful remake. The combat should still be grindy, the weapon grind shouldn't be lessened, the controls should still be clunky. I feel a lot of this plays into the game ludonarratively. The only thing I would want changed is the flight controls/gameplay. The game is supposed to make you uncomfortable, and the gameplay runs into that. You're supposed to be left feeling dull after killing the same faceless person over and over, because that's how Caim thinks. He's a psychopathic murderer.
A few years ago I became OBSESSED with the Drakengard/Nier games and went down the incredibly complex rabbit hole that is the lore for these games. So I'm excited to see them covered here.
I’m getting to that complex rabbit hole
Maybe I'm starting the same journey, wish me luck
Same here
same here
Isn't nihilism amazing?
Helpful Tip:
Inuart and the Black Dragon actually suck at dodging the basic fireball blast. They'll still do it, but not nearly as crazy or consistently as the homing shot. It's a bossfight specifically designed to be much, MUCH harder if you rely strictly on homing, and to re-enforce that you have another powerful tool that may be harder to use, but can dish out the hurt when mastered.
For those curious about Leonard, avoiding No-no words:
He Likes kids. Capital L.
But he recognises that's wrong, so never acts on it, and goes off to live in the woods. Along with his 3 younger brothers.
Then, when he sneaks out one night to go "Relieve some urges" behind a tree, he comes back to find his home burned down with his brothers inside. Which he kin'a takes as a sign from god that he shouldn't have jerked it.
The English version censors this by not bringing up his unpleasant, unwanted desires, and he was just... going for a midnight stroll I guess?
Wtf.
@@dagon99 Well, the concept, or so I have heard, was to take one of the most reprehensible things in society, and try to make one one of the most heroic characters in the story.
And Leonard is. Especially compared to the psychopathic murderer Caim, and the literal baby eater Arioch.
He fights his desires his whole life, harms no-one, is the only guy who goes "Hey, maybe murdering all these child conscripts is a Bad Thing?", And in one of the story paths, sacrifices his life to try and save the world.
@calemr honestly sounds like a great story that doesn't just "discuss" morals but actually explores them. I'm not familiar with drakengard at all so I was expecting a generic, slightly grimdark fanatasy.
Im just surprised to see this type of narrative in the form of a jrpg and slightly bummed western game devs won't donthe same.
@@dagon99 And it got censored in the English version.
Honestly,good coverage of that. And that he really keeps himself in check,i think?
Smoul fun fact: Angelus and mannah share the same voice actor, further more the male voice when mannah is possessed by the watchers VA is cosmo from fairly odd parents!
Don't forget that inuart shares his VA with Timmy's dad.
@@chibiredhead7082 fu ri Hai fu ri hai
Don't forget Gordy from Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide.
32:58 I think at this moment Caim is thinking something like "Holy shit it's gross but you didn't have to fucking off yourself".
Your closing statements is why I love Yoko Taro as a director and writer so much. He has a clear vision and sticks to it. He doesn't always stick the landing and the games tend to be rough around the edges, but you can see the passion behind his projects. It's what gaming used to be in the early 2000s.
Late comment, but it really helps that some higher ups in SquareEnix really loves Yoko's works, which is why he could persevere with his vision and continue making game with them up until Nier Automata and its success even though his games before that, while has garnered pretty solid cult following, weren't exactly commercial successes. Usually such financially underperforming series wouldn't be given the chance to have that many follow up works. Pretty nice to know that some of the higher ups in big game companies still do have passion for games and games' making.
You keep deciding to cover absolutely legendary series (IMO), and I love it.
The Drakengard games are all in desperate need of remakes, or at the very least a remaster, mostly so we can have them all on one platform with the Nier games.
If you've not watched it already, ValkyrieAurora's explanation of the varying timelines of the series is well worth a watch.
Keep up the good work! ❤
One of the weirdest, bleakest, and most interesting series and spin off series in gaming. Nice to see it getting talked about! Hope Platinum remakes it one day.
Never forget that Caim is canonically a dragon fucker.
just like me
I've had an absurd about of dreams about fucking dragons and giant serpents since I was a little kid.
Explain?
@@youcantbeatk7006 what
@@saccorhytus Dragonfucking is a hobby to some, but a lifestyle to me.
Oh, hell yeah. This is an unexpected retrospective from ya. Hoping you tackle the rest of the games in Yoko Taro’s *bonkers* world
Those are all next
@@YourFavoriteSon1oh hell yes. Every single one is great though it does depend on how much weirdness and breaking convention one can tolerate.
THIS WAS SUCH A NICE SURPRISE!!
Drakengard/NieR is my favorite series and I love and will watch as many lore videos I can find! Can’t wait to watch this one and see what you’re take on it is❤
I've watched this video twice now and it brings another, fresh point of view, however there are a few things that bug me about it. The scene in which Furiae ends herself is not badly translated, it's just the cultural context that's missing. She says something along the lines of "embrace me, my brother" which isn't so bad for the western world, but... yeah. Angelus also has a line or two that make it very obvious just how much Furiae loves Caim.
The first fight with Inuart (the cutscene) can be interpreted in different ways and this video picked the one that not many people think of. I think that Caim rushed towards the black dragon not because he wanted to save his own, but because he realized he had already seen it and the bloodlust took over him, he wanted revenge then and there and was not thinking about anything else. The same goes for Angelus - at this point they have not been together for long enough, I think she covered Caim because if the other dragon burnt him to crisp she'd die too. So she was effectively saving her own life, not necessarily defending Caim.
Caim running towards the light in ending C is, at least in my opinion, definitely not about "saving lives". In this ending, all dragonkind has risen to destroy the world, so there most likely isn't anyone left to save. I believe Caim just wants to end as many dragons as he can and go in a blaze of glory.
I do like that this video touches on the subject of Caim being unable to respond to all the screams of "no more murder pls" - people say that Verdelet's loss of hair and Caim's loss of voice were not that bad in terms of pact sacrifices, but Caim's voice was probably the last thing making him (feel) human.
Phenomenal video man!!! Really is a shame Drakengard’s gameplay can’t keep up with the scope of its story but it’s still such a wild experience from start to finish. Love how you describe the world and story beats, it’s so enriching and exciting and your overall look at the gameplay and missions is so well detailed and executed. Really glad I stumbled upon this and I can’t wait to see your analysis on Drakengard 2 and eventually Nier!
I wasn't expecting THIS to be your next series, but I will not complain. Drakengard is a very fascinating game because it feels like a car crash you cannot look away from
Yup. "Car crash" sums up the world and setting nicely. The world has been ravaged by war to the bone, the areas you explore and fly above are mostly desolate and barren, the enemy force is a seemingly unstoppable empire which is secretly ruled by a super-powerful cult seeking to harness the power of eldritch deities, a woman has to act as a physical barrier between the world and the deities, and our only hope is a broken man, one who enjoys all the killing but is secretly fighting his inner bloodlust... but IS forming a bond with his pact-beast and has incestuous feelings for the woman acting as the barrier at least. And his optional allies are as pitiful and bizarrely tragic as he is.
It's... *DARK* fantasy all the way.
And it was released at a time when JRPGs weren't known for tackling dark fantasy plots like this.
@@NebLleb Yeah that is why I used the analogy I did because the game's plot is very disturbing hell even with skirting around some of the stuff the context you get for everything is just unsettling. And while there are many plots that look at violence in video games in a critical lense, Drakengard was among the first and if you ask me it did it probably the best. Hell I would even argue that the bad gameplay enhances the message Taro was trying to say.
@@jenniferrannila1414 Actually, I think the gameplay is good, has a fantastic foundation, and I actually had fun... but it was genuinely held back by the rushed development, which is why I hope a remake to be announced some time in the future so they can polish and make it the game it could've been.
But... I do agree with you on its point. Besides Spec Ops: The Line, Drakengard successfully makes you question your character's bloodlust as you fight and kill and maim and blast and chop and knock down etc.. It's a pity that the gameplay is in need of further polish, because if it was... Holy hell. It would be a perfect example of being an enjoyable game that makes you reflect on your killing. It really is an example of the mid-90s - early-2010s being a breeding ground of creative, fun and unique concepts.
(Also, I feel the plot to be a joint-effort between Taro, the writers and producers. Remember, it WAS originally created as a fantasy-based spiritual successor to Ace Combat by an ex-Project ACES member, before the staff was eventually chosen)
This was actually my first ps2 game waaaaaaay back when as a kid and uhh yeah it was an interesting experience that left a massive impact on my writing
Hell yeah bro! I love this series so much. Of course my introduction was nier automata but after that it was history. I didn't know I needed this right now
Hope you enjoy the video!
What a surprise this was! I never played any of the games but I was curious about "that dragon game I never got to play" and looked it up. I was not expecting a deep dive but it was a fun and emotionally conflicting journey reading and watching clips.
Son i havent been this excited for a series since your silent hill series, proud of you
Drakengard is... Honestly, the best game in need of a remake. Think about it: This year marks the 20th anniversary of this game, and a lot of dormant legacy franchises from the wild west that was the fifth, sixth and seventh generations either have made, or are set, to make a comeback in one form or another (Destroy All Humans!, System Shock, Half-Life, Armored Core, Alone in the Dark, The House of the Dead, Front Mission, Max Payne, Silent Hill, _fucking METAL GEAR)_ so I genuinely hope that Square Enix announce such a project.
Think about what it'd be like if Caim could lock-on to enemies, if he had a handy-dandy parry feature, if there was a rudimentary ability to command troops befitting his role as a military commander, if The Dragon's movement was tweaked to be as satisfying as its Ace Combat lineage, if the stun-lock was tweaked to not be so punishing or if the club-wielding enemy commandos were rightly nerfed, the room for improvement is large, and needed, as the foundation for a great game is there, but the rushed development resulted in a flawed title.
And yet, I STILL consider it a guilty pleasure in its vanilla form: when it clicks, the game is actually kinda fun, the air gameplay IS genuinely good if unbalanced, and the plot, music, English voice acting, writing, sound design, art design, weapons and characters? A-tier easily and deliver on its seinen manga inspirations and style. Despite the faults, I'll freely admit this was the first JRPG I've ever finished (A route only, in case you're wondering).
With the concepts and themes this game aimed to explore, nah. I really doubt it. Even if the developers had the budget to remake it. I really doubt, for even the devs, to recreate and dare to flesh out the concepts/themes they had in mind with this entry. It would be bonkers if they do, but the themes are too controversial for modern and general audiences to fully grasp. I like what it wants to achieve and tell, but even I can admit, it can be borderline repulsive (no, I don't just mean the incestous stuff)
Nier is more accessible since, despite the themes it touches, is not as tragic and dark as Drakengard 1 is. It has more accessible and sympathetic characters that fall more in line with common anime stereotypes. Sure, the characters have flaws, but is not a "I'm a baby eater/pedo" kind of thing.
This is a similar ask to wanting a remake of Rule of Rose, another game with great thematic explorations, shit combat/gameplay, but dark af.
Square Enix is too far gone to dare to back up a remake of Drakengard 1. If, by any slim chance, decide to, given the current lineups they have delivered, I would not be confident they could deliver a faithful remake (storywise).
It sure does ᴅʀᴀɢ ᴏɴ.
Doug Doug be like
Isn't the Japanese name Drag on Dragoon?
Makes sense now lol
Best series, its a pain to play but its worth it
It seriously needs a remake, like damn, it is an insane gem, Yoko Taro outdid itself
It's not bad if you use the right weapon
35:52 Arioche probably loved it.
Maybe Leonard did too, but for different reasons.
Fun fact. The voice actor for the watcher guy with the scary deep voice is also the voice actor for Timmy’s dad in fairly odd parents 😅
Humans are created by Dinkelberg, no wonder he wants kill all of them 😂😂😂
Thank you for covering games that I didn't know existed. Very cool to learn about, with the exception of Leonard being....what they are. Thank you for continuing to create these retrospectives.
What, you don't like priests?
Something I like is the contrast of nier and drakenguard. In nier a good guy dooms the world and in drakenguard "bad" people save it
This was unexpected! I love this game and series, often don't think Drakengard gets the recognition it deserves. Thanks for covering this game on the channel!
i have NEVER imagined you covering Drakengard, this is awesome.
I love when u play a series I never heard of. its like a new adventure for me
Super underrated games imo, loved this one back in PS2 and enjoyed 2 on release to the point where I was legit surprised by the consensus largely being that it was a bad game but never played 3, the fact that Taro tied 2 seemingly unrelated worlds together will always be super interesting
I don't think Drakengard 2 is bad per say, I think its pretty good on its own and I enjoy characters like Legna
However I think what was an issue for fans of the first such as myself were the very very different vibes and designs and how 2 is a bit of a departure from the OG tone.
Characters have more anime / silly designs in 2, and Nowe in himself comes as a very generic protagonist. He suffers a lot when faced against Caim, as Caim is from the get go introduced as borderline evil, and insane.
Drakengard 2 has it very own edge, which I really enjoy, but the presentation is also very different, with a seemingly good ending too versus 1 super dire and depressing paths
It will always amuse me that I was actually aware of this series a few years before Automata came out. Mostly due to how utterly insane the plot and characters of the first game are.
I remember very well when my now ex-boyfriend told me about Drakengard. I was kind of put off by it at first but had a morbid curiousity toward the franchise. Watched him play 3, bought him the original Nier for his birthday and watched him play that, and then Automata and the most recent Nier remake after.
This series has its weird hooks in me so deep that I don't really know how to put it. I kind of really love it despite all its shortcomings, and I'm always delighted to see people talk about it. Amazing video!
@2:20 Iwasaki was directing another game at the time, which is why he asked his friend Yoko to step in for him on this project. I don't recall Yoko being any part of this project prior to Iwasaki tagging him as director (ie. Yoko was freelance at the time; I don't recall Yoko taking the role as art director prior to becoming the director for the game. Citing a source for this statement might help!).
I remember getting this on PlayStation two and me and my little brother barely understood this game except how to level up the weapons and the dragons that you could unlock , I also remember how cool I thought it was to jump from the dragon and start dropping people
40:17 WHOOOOOOO
My boy covered one of my old favorites that doubled as a part-time job
Caim can kill so easily because he is insane.
Awesome, love the DG/Nier! So glad you're covering this unique series of games, Son. May the algorithm gods smile upon you.
Hey Son, I just wanted to tell you that I appreciate how informative, structured, and objective your videos are. I hope you get all the views on your next one. Keep up the good work.
"Wise men choose death before war. Wiser men choose not to be born."
The hardest line of this game. I've played it 20 years ago and I still remember it from time to time.
If you haven't done so yet commenters - play: Drakengard 3, Drakengard, Nier Replicant, Nier Automata. In that order. (2 is optional is not in the "main" canom)
I just beat nier automata fully for the first time today so now I am on a fullblown lore binge. Thank god for your channel
I haven't played any of the Drakengard games but I've watched many analysis videos on them! Also, Nier and Nier Automata are both some of my favorite games of all time, so I can't wait to see your retrospective on them!
Super happy about this one, I hope you continue on this series and on to Nier!
Will do!
I fuckin love the maniac terror soundtrack of Drakengard 1. I never 100'd it because of the last boss it was too hard, but it occupies a special place in my heart.
I wasn't expecting a video on the DrakeNieR franchise so soon. I commented on one of your videos a little while ago about a DrakeNieR retrospective from you, but I can't find the comment. I don't know what happened to it. I commented on your Merch Announcement video too and I can't find that one either. Regardless, this was a pleasant surprise to wake up to this morning. Good job, son. I'm proud of you.
Hope you enjoy the series!
@@YourFavoriteSon1 I have no doubt that I will. I'm very much looking forward to seeing what's next.
"But Caim had to give up something: his voice. He can no longer speak." "We begin our first ARIEL mission" I SEE WHAT YOU DID HERE
I remember getting this game when I was little. I like what I played from it but got side tracked by other games. Think I was too young to appreciate it. So glad youre doing a retrospective on this series.
Thanks son
Baby wake up, new drakengard video just dropped
Son is back to the land of rising son. Can't wait for Nier video.
ps. trying to imagine son telling the story of drakenguard 4 with a straight face. And I want to see Kbashes face when he sees that because he already went through that pain.
This game is special to me and my early life. I appreciate the love and understanding you have given to a relatively unknown game. 🙏🙏
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed the video!
breaks my heart knowing that it leads into nier and how nothing really seemed to matter at the end.
This makes my heart go doki doki, Son.
Automata makes me think that Yoko Taro is a coomer who dropped out of philosophy 101.
Another classic series, very excited to hear your thoughts on the future games in the franchise son!
Hey Son, looking forward to a full Draken/Nier series retrospective if that is your plan! Keep it up!
Perfect selection of games you present. You gotta be my favorite son
I would hope so
I love Yoko Taro series!!! Great to see that you are making videos on these now, hope to see the other games soon. Keep up the good work son!!
I’ve wanted you to do this series!!
Hope you enjoy the series!
I remember becoming obsessed with the OST which led me to look farther into the storyline and characters. Its one of my favorite titles now.
So stoked you’re covering this series! Thanks son!
I played this game for the first time a month ago and it's in my top 10 favorites now
Thank you, Thank you for doing a retrospective on Drakengard i love this series and the spin-off nier so cant wait until you get to them :3
Always a surprise and a pleasure to see a video about Drakengard come out of the blue
And from someone I already watch at that! Good to see
I can’t believe my eyes. You really cover Drakengard??? This is so based
Oh hey, my two favourite series of all time. Not watched the whole video yet, mostly because I want to comment in advance saying that I'm looking forward to seeing how you tackle the multiple endings of all of these games, and how you interpret the themes. Doubly so when you reach the NieR games, where Gestalt & Replicant in particular basically mandates two playthroughs to understand the complexity of that story and the direct question it poses to you, personally, as a player. (A theme that Automata then really dug into even deeper.) I'm so curious to see how you'll tackle that in a video essay format. One section for playthrough 1 and then a "reveal" for playthrough 2? Just skip straight to 2? I look forward to finding out; it's not an easy game to break down given the huge twist.
Always love seeing how people talk about these games and their different interpretations of them. Honestly, my dream would be to see a Drakengard and Drakengard 3 re-release at the very least, given Yoko's proven himself more than capable. (Preferably, though, maybe a remake. They are.... sure clunky. Oof.)
I remember when the game came out and a friend and I stayed up all night just to see mission after misson. It's not a good game, but it was a great experience. Also I liked the story.
19:27 I thought by "brothers" it meant like religious brothers.
i can't resist expecting when Inuart said "Usual song" and i was like hmmm he gonna sing really bad "I want it that way" and i'm gonna laugh out loud hahaha
YES! I love your retrospectives and love this franchise! I'm so excited to be able to hear your opinions on a fantastically weird series!
I was supposed to work on my own content today but I guess I’ll set it aside to watch this instead.
24:33 YOOO LORD OF RING GOLLUM BEST GAME SOLD ONE GOLLUMILLION UNITS
Could you please please please make a deep dive into the God Of War games? I already watch your silent hill videos like once a week to help me sleep or as background noise cause they are so good! I promise you I’ll watch it on repeat if you make it!
Oh my God I never thought my favourite son & Yoko Taro would be together in the same sentence but I am so here for it
Yes! Absolutely looking forward to this and the rest of the DrakenNier series.
If you enjoyed this game i would recommend eruption video on the series. I think you both go about the retrospectives in different enough ways that its worth watching both.
I'm really happy to see you go down Yoko Taro lane! I'm looking forward to your analysis!
I loved this game back then, the game play was frustrating and janky af, quite a lot. But the story was amazing, and every now and then there'd be a gameplay moment where you'd see something cool, something really inventive and get a glimpse of what it could have been. I'll take drakengard/nier videos where ever I can get 'em - keep 'em coming
I'll watch this video tonight when I have more time, but I'm always down for a Drakengard video.
Hope you enjoy the video!
@@YourFavoriteSon1 Oh, for sure. Hope you'll do the same for Nier.
Legit, if anyone who calls D1's gameplay slow and monotonous played a single PS2 Dynasty Warriors game, they would be *amazed* by how much better it plays compared to those. Lack of juggle aside. It is in no way a "poor man's Dynasty Warriors", not at all. The magic system kicks the shit out of DW's musou attacks, levelling up weapons is much better and results in much better than DW, which only features stat boosts and combo extensions. DW had no evasion beside a janky jump, where Drakengard shipped with a roll that actually functions. Even Caim's blocking is better than in DW. Add in that you can hop onto dragonback whenever you want, and the only issue is that archers are arguably more annoying here than DW's cancer "snipe you from outside the draw distance" archers, and you have a game that plays a whole lot better.
Trust me, I'm a DW die-hard and the first time I played Drakengard, I was losing my shit over how this game with its comparatively small team and brand new IP was doing it better than a series with almost nine entries under its belt - and a really popular media franchise featuring books, plays, movies, and three whole-ass other game series related to it.
Drakengard was like if someone brought out a SMT/Persona competitor today and fused P5 Strikers with Devil May Cry.
I watched a playthrough of this game. The ending with the Watchers was legitimately shocking--i mean the whole game is bleak, but the story takes a complete jump to "obscene" with how bonkers it is
And honestly? I love it
Finally iv been waiting for this forever your doing your father proud
there's an achievement set for this you can play through pcsx2 and retroachievements as well 👀 i played about 200 hours of Drakengard making it and i STILL got a lot out of this vid lmao!
This game blew my teenage mind. I somehow managed to get ending c when i played it, or at least thats what I remembered.
Man I remember getting this from the video store but the copy must of been scratch because i fought the boack dragon boss fight after the sister dies and got the E ending cinematic
Oh caim is in love with a dragon
Yes! I love these games! Are you going to cover the nier part of the timeline as well?
Happy SonDay!
Are you gonna do the entire DrakeNier series?
Of course!
Son! Yes! Time for drakengard/Nier! Haven't watched the video yet but i trust your quality so I'll like it now
Now i'm hyped for you to do Nier retrospectives. it is inevitable.
I played this back on the PS2, thought it was a good game back when I was in the 5th grade. I really like all the cutscenes. Can't beleive how expensive it is now -_-
Hey it's me, your brother from another mother. Just like say always look forward to your retrospectives and I hope you can eventually for on Beyond good versus evil
My understanding of Furiae's suicide is not only that she does it out of shame but that she does it as a result of Caim's "rejection" of her feelings, he shows his disgust in his expressions in the cutscene (something that isn't lost in translation).
is there a meaningful difference between "a momentary satisfaction" and "good?" If you're still playing, something about it is obviously good enough imo
Oh dear lord yes, I'm gonna watch the shit out of this video when I get the chance. This series is nuts and as much I tried to get those secret levels and absorb the dark soul-esque storyline, the gameplay beat me into submission. Super looking forward to this
Son omg you have joined the pantheon of the 15 of us that played drakkenguard
There are dozens of us!
Oh my god are you going to do a Draken-Nier series? I already know loads about them but I will love listening anyway!!
Thanks Son, this was another banger ❤
another great video son. Have you thought about doing one about Beyond Good & Evil?