Line #9 VideoGame/DragonView


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dragon_view_snes.png]]
2	''Dragon View'' (also known as ''Drakkhen II'' or ''Super Drakkhen'') is a video game developed and published by Kemco for the UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem in November 1994.
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4	Although it bears little resemblance to its predecessor, ''VideoGame/{{Drakkhen}}'', it utilizes the same pseudo-3D overworld system for which the series is most famous. Other features of ''Dragon View'' are its side-view Action RPG hybrid gameplay (used when exploring more detailed areas such as towns and dungeons), its well-translated second-person storyline, and its emphasis on [[WideOpenSandbox player-driven "free" exploration]].
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6	[[http://lparchive.org/LetsPlay/Dragon%20View/ An in-depth Let's Play]] was done by "My Name Is Kaz". Others include ones done by [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA9950A1DC08D9975 Lantis02]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9EQqFFOocU Sir Eldric IV]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRyeh5ztKRstBk9SsGHaymtBjPpPMN-Qs by]] LetsPlay/GunarmDyne.
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8	----
9	!!Dragon View provides examples of the following tropes:
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11	* AbsurdlyHighLevelCap: Level 46, also referred to as "Master" in-game. You can actually reliably beat the final boss at Level 40 minimum if you've found all the upgrades to your armor and weapons, which makes it seem like this isn't quite played straight. However, starting at Level 35, the experience required for each new level starts rising '''sharply''', going from about 3000 more between each level to now about 30,000 added on to each new requirement. Once you hit Level 40, it would take you another ''2,703,214 experience points to reach the cap''. The highest amount of experience given by any regular enemy is the 2,611 Experience for killing the Grim Reaper enemies in the random battles in the Underworld map, or more reliably, the Gold Demon Knights giving 2,310 in Giza's Palace. Just to drive home how big a deal this is, calculation of the total experience necessary to go from Level 1 to Level 40 shows you need 1,107,304 total experience to get to a high enough level to beat the game reliably. Yes, to grind those remaining six levels, you would need ''almost 2.5 times'' the amount of experience you've acquired since the start of the game, which would take hours to do. While the total number of levels doesn't show it, the overall experience required to face the final boss confidently and the amount required to cap out your levels, the grand total being almost three times the minimum necessary, certainly does.
12	** In addition, the reward for all this? +24 Attack and +12 Defense total. While the defense bonus might be worthwhile to keep you from dying, playing the game carefully mitigates damage too. HP is tied to the {{Heart Container}}s and not character level, so there's really little to no reason to grind those extra levels except to put Giza in his place during the final battle.
13	* ActionizedSequel: As mentioned above, very much so compared to ''VideoGame/{{Drakkhen}}'', which was a strange sort of party-based RPG. This game, by comparison, is more an action-RPG with only a single character.
14	* AdamSmithHatesYourGuts: Played straight, as the further out into the island Alex travels, the goods in stores become significantly pricier. Lampshaded even as crossing Galys Pass allows the storekeeper of Casdra to return to her shop, but she merely laughs when Alex asks her about free supplies or a discount. [[CaptainObvious Being a hero isn't always what it's cracked up to be]].
15	* AerithAndBob: Fairly common names like Alex, Katarina, Sarah, and... Giza all appear in the game.
16	* AndThenJohnWasAZombie: Or rather some sort of slug-bug thing. In the Jade Mines, Alex will find Fess, whose obsession and greed over jade causes him to turn into a monster, necessitating an encounter. You don't kill him, but you beat enough sense into him to revert back and go home to his girlfriend.
17	* AwesomeButImpractical: The two weapon techniques. Adding 10 damage that can't be reduced on top of whatever damage you do already is all well and good and makes for very powerful attacks...but the usefulness is limited by the fact that chances are you only will find a use for it if you're fairly well underleveled, and it drains 8HP per use, which isn't always mitigated by drops if said encounters leave no Hearts behind. The upgrades reduce the drain to 4HP per use, but even then, it's only situationally useful as proper leveling makes it almost useless.
18	%%* AllDesertsHaveCacti
19	%%* BattleBoomerang/AnAxeToGrind: Hauza is most easy to describle, he is an flying axe and boomerang. - ?????
20	* BeefGate:
21	** The game allows the player after a certain point to travel anywhere in the game world their heart desires (barring a few areas only accessible by teleport symbols.) Venture too far off the plotted line, however, and you're likely to be annihilated by high-level encounters.
22	** Even if you follow the plotted line, the game doesn't even wait until the second major dungeon to throw one of these at you. In one of the early towns, you're told that there's a bow and arrow hidden in a nearby cave. Sure enough, north of the town is a cave with the bow in the very first room. But if the player goes any deeper into the cave they encounter a gargoyle they can only do chip damage to and who can wipe them out in only a hit or two.
23	%%* BigBad:
24	%%**Argos the Wizard.
25	%%** [[spoiler:TheManBehindTheMan: Until you meet Giza]].
26	* BoringButPractical: Alex gets bombs, magic rings, a bow and silver arrows, serpent scales, several weapon techniques, and the hauza, but his sword remains the most consistently useful piece of equipment in the game. Attacks with it come out fast and reliable, with different swings based on Alex's position in relation to the enemy in question, and the large arc of his slashes can hit more than one foe at a time if they're close together. It's nothing hugely special, but where his other equipment and skills are either awkward to use in a fight, take too long to use, don't do enough reliable damage, take from his limited MP pool and can be resisted, drain HP to be used, or has to return to his hand before it can be thrown again and only can damage one enemy at a time, the sword will see far more than its fair share of use throughout the whole game.
27	** Fruit! Oddly enough, it's actually useful on several occasions since several upgrades require large handfuls of it, and it can be used to heal Alex a little bit by eating one, and you can collect up to 99 of them. However, there's also several merchants in the world who will trade Crystals and Potions, the two most expensive items (cheapest is 200 and 100 jade respectively in the town of Hujia at the very beginning of the game)) for small handfuls of fruit. If you know where to farm for it, fruit is very easily acquired and replenished, making it a more useful resource than jade once you know where said merchants are.
28	* BullfightBoss: Piercia and the Efreet do screen-clearing charges in retaliation for being damaged.
29	* ButNowIMustGo: Katarina believes this is what Alex is saying during the ending when he tells her Methraton has asked him to be king of the island. [[spoiler: Averted, because Alex soon tells her that while he is leaving to become king, he wants her to marry him and be his queen]].
30	* CastFromHitPoints: The Sword and Hauza Techniques allow you to do a special move that adds 10 piercing damage to your attack, meaning that in addition to whatever damage you do normally, 10pts ignore defense entirely. Unfortunately, using the techs cost 8HP per use. There are hidden upgrades to be found that reduces this to 4HP per use, which is significantly more manageable.
31	* ChekhovsGun: Alex's Pendant, which he gives to Katarina in the opening cutscene prior to the title screen and is dropped by her when she's kidnapped by Argos. Turns out, it's really [[spoiler:the Guardrak, a special pendant that signifies Alex's relationship with the ancient hero and allows him to communicate with the Dragon Lords of Ortah and Sektra Temples. Turns into the Soldrak once the eight lords are on his side and allows him to break past Giza's defenses in the final battle]].
32	* CurbStompBattle: This happens a lot in this game, either as a result of you facing enemies overpowering you, or your levels being so high as to utterly destroy everything in a hit or two.
33	** [[spoiler: Giza]] will do this to you in Keire Temple. Ironically, if you actually manage to [[AbsurdlyHighLevelCap grind to Level 46]], you can return the favor in the final battle.
34	%%* DistressedDamsel: Katarina
35	* DistantSequel: The plot ''tries'' to invoke this between this game and ''VideoGame/{{Drakkhen}}'' by establishing a sort of continuity where an unknown hero from the previous game and his three companions managed to save humanity from the Drakkhen. Alex, the hero of this story, is supposed to be a descendant of that unknown hero.
36	* DoorToBefore: The teleport sigil at the top of Mt. Badsel. You would think it would take you to where the Mouth of the Underworld is since Giza and Argos took Katarina this path, and it takes you...to the Desert Cave. However, it takes you to an unexplored section of that cave in the fire caverns beneath it that you likely noticed but couldn't explore. One path leads you back to where you had explored before, the other path leads to the Mouth of the Underworld.
37	* DumbMuscle: Played with, since Alex is somewhat implied to be this. Averted, however, since a number of the puzzles the game presents would logically require someone capable of thinking on their feet. Rather, Alex appears to be very easily enraged and blinded by it.
38	* EarlyBirdBoss: Piercia, with her habit of ramming you almost every time you hit her. You're going to need good reflexes.
39	%%* EldritchLocation: Giza Temple.
40	%%* FacePalmOfDoom: [[spoiler:Administered to Alex, care of Giza]].
41	%%* FireIceLightning: The magic rings.
42	* FreudianExcuse: [[spoiler: Giza's StartOfDarkness happened after his sister fell ill and passed away despite his desperate prayers to the gods.]]
43	* GameBreakingBug: If you defeat [[ScaryScorpions Piercia]], and Reach the dragon room inside Ortah Temple without saving and reloading your game (or dying), the game will scramble itself into utter madness, and do almost anything, including [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1vukPuSqa0 calling the credits.]]
44	* GuideDangIt: You do get reasonably reliable hints from the temples, which can help mark things on your map for exploration, but good luck finding all 17 Heart Containers, all 8 Magic Containers, all 4 Armor Energies, all 4 Sword Energies, all 4 Hauza Energies, the techniques for both weapons and ESPECIALLY their upgrades, as well as some of the other items and upgrades to your magic and such without any additional help. There's a lot to find in this game and you'll either have to try everything or read a guide.
45	* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: It isn't explicitly stated that they're the same eight from ''VideoGame/{{Drakkhen}}'', but if the dragon lords of the Ortah and Sektra Temples are them, then this game ignores the fact that half of them were the Fire Allies who attempted to kill all of humanity. Here, all eight guide Alex on his journey to stop Giza.
46	%%* HopelessBossFight: [[spoiler:Giza in Keire Temple]].
47	* ImprobableWeapon: The Hyuza, which resembles the drunken love child of a boomerang and an axe. Somehow, it both works and is actually effective.
48	* LethalLavaLand: The Cave of Fire, as well as a few other areas in Miraj Desert. Some of them require special boots to go through.
49	%%* LevelUpFillUp: Did you just ''barely'' make it through that last RandomEncounter, and need a quick breather? [[AvertedTrope Sucks to be you]].
50	* TheLostWoods: The aptly named Illusion Forest. Going the wrong direction will lead you back to the beginning intersection. You need to have an item from Hujia and then save Ogma from Neil's Old Well to coax the fairy spirit back into it. Using the item will prompt the fairy to guide you through the woods.
51	* MagicKnight: Alex acquires several magic rings that allow him to cast fire, ice, and lightning spells.
52	* MeaningfulName: Alex, which means "Protector of mankind". Fitting name for a young warrior hero out to save the world.
53	* NewWorldTease: Given how very open this game is, this is to be expected. You can go just about anywhere after Galys Pass with exception of Mt. Badsel and most key areas, limited only by your equipment and ability to survive the monsters in each place. However, special shout-out goes to the Desert Cave, which you likely found during exploration of Miraj Desert. There's several treasures to be found here, but one path leads to a [[LethalLavaLand cavern of fire that you can't cross through without the Fire Boots]]. Later on, you find [[spoiler: this area is actually the path to the Mouth of the Underworld, the final area of the game]].
54	* PeninsulaOfPowerLeveling: Occurs frequently but one of the best spots to grind is in the Quicksand Cave between the desert and Miraj. In the basement rooms are 4 blobs that are easily defeated and give 784 experience, which equals 3,186 experience with each visit to the room. Not only, but they also drop three items, and are among the few earlier enemies capable of dropping the Gold Jade worth 20 Jade a pickup, making it the best place to farm for levels and Jade around midgame.
55	%%* PaletteSwap: Some of enemies and you after levelling up your weapons or armor.
56	* PoorCommunicationKills: Enforced. [[spoiler:Sarah could not tell Giza that her sickness that couldn't be healed was her performing a HeroicSacrifice for his sake.]]
57	%%* TheHero: Alex.
58	%% * LadyLand: Miraj...sort of. It's populated primarily by priestesses for a nearby shrine, though there are still a number of males living in town alongside them. -???
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60	%% Examples are not arguable.
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62	%%* NintendoHard
63	* MirrorMatch: The first enemies in the Sektra Temple are water clones of Alex. Thankfully, they only use the sword.
64	%%* PrecisionGuidedBoomerang: The Hyuza again.
65	%%* RoarBeforeBeating: Most of the bosses.
66	* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: One that escalates as the game goes on, as first Alex is simply trying to catch up to Argos to save Katarina, then gets his ass thoroughly handed to him by Giza in Keire which necessitates retributive ass beatings, and finally in the end where Giza [[spoiler:claims to have murdered Katarina]], causing Alex to fly into a murderous rampage to put an end to it for good. By the end of this game, there WILL be ass-whuppings....
67	%%* ScaryScorpions: There are {{Mook}} scorpions on the very first dungeon, [[GoddamnBats and their extensible stings are very annoying]]. There's also the dungeon's boss, [[KingMook Piercia]].
68	%%* ScaryScorpions: Piercia, the first bosss.
69	* SdrawkcabName: Of sorts. When you visit one of the mages that can power up your rings, their incantation for doing so is "Azig taefed!!!" [[spoiler:or "Defeat Giza"]].
70	* SceneryPorn: The majority of backgrounds are incredibly nuanced, colorful pixels.
71	* SequelDifficultyDrop: Despite the fact that you only have Alex as opposed to a party of four, and going way too far off the beaten path can result in unwinnable battles, this game is significantly easier than ''VideoGame/{{Drakkhen}}'', being an action-RPG and relying more on player skill than RPG luck. The non-degrading armor is also a vast improvement.
72	%%* SecondPersonNarration: Arguably an effective use.
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74	%% Examples are not arguable.
75	%%
76	* ShoutOut: To ''Film/{{Airplane}}'' of all things:
77	-->''(as Alex finishes a training regimen)''\
78	'''Damme:''' Since you're in such a good mood... How 'bout 30,000 more!\
79	'''Narration:''' Your jaw drops, and your smile fades.\
80	'''Alex:''' Surely you jest!\
81	'''Damme:''' Ha ha... gotcha! And don't call me 'Shirley'!
82	%%* TheStarscream: The Demon Knight is not very giddy about having to serve a human.
83	%%* SwordPlant: Used during Alex's casting animations [[spoiler: and, by proxy, as a BladeBrake when you first encounter Giza]].
84	%%* UndergroundMonkey: A lot of the enemies past the halfway point in the game are, sadly, palette swaps.
85	* UnintentionallyUnwinnable: This is VERY easy to do in the world map as, unlike ''Drakkhen'', there's no way to escape battles in the overworld once they've started, and going the wrong way will see you battle with creatures that will destroy you in a single shot. How unwinnable they are would depend on your skill since you will always do at least [[ScratchDamage 1 damage]] to an enemy regardless of their defense. Good luck getting in 40 hits before a single touch kills you immediately...

Context VideoGame / DragonView