Drakan: The Ancients' Gates

 PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: SCEA
  • Release Date: Jan 28, 2002
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 49 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 49
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 49
  3. Negative: 3 out of 49
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  1. J.T.
    Mar 5, 2002
    10
    The best game to hit the PS2 so far!!! And Rynn blows Lara Croft out of the water!!!
  2. AmandaA.
    May 27, 2006
    10
    This is the best game I've ever played. It's really fun and always leaves you wanting more. It's so fun and exciting. I love all of the weapons, side quests, characters, fighting, and vast world.
  3. Mushashi7
    Aug 12, 2015
    10
    The game that made me love RPG and fantasy games. Charming game with lots of surprises. Decent story.
    Still my favourite Playstation game. A shame it was not released for PC.
  4. [Anonymous]
    May 5, 2002
    10
    Its good. Good games casting dragons are few and far between.
  5. G.Z.
    Feb 20, 2002
    9
    Excellent game. The graphics are beautiful, the combat is tight, torching stuff while riding the dragon is amazing, nice story without bogging it down too much, etc. Only downside is slightly silly AI some times. If you like action/adventure games, this one can't be missed!
  6. Kuato
    Feb 4, 2007
    9
    One of the best fantasy adventure/action games for PS2. A very solid experience.
  7. TyM.
    Feb 19, 2002
    10
    This is one of the best games I've ever played.
  8. BenvanDesil
    Jul 17, 2004
    10
    This game is awesome... I haven't finished it yet but trust me I will... like I said... it's great... not many like it...
  9. ShariR.
    Sep 7, 2007
    10
    I love it. All the challenges make it interesting and the graphics look superb!! I play it over and over again i still don't get tired of it! (P.S. luv all the weapons!!)
  10. MattW.
    Mar 23, 2002
    9
    this is one of the greatest surprises so far this year. The graphics and gameplay are solid, the sound is great, the story is intriguing, and all of these combine to give this game an epic feel. It may seem overwhelming at first, but you'll get used to it. I smell the first sleeper hit of 2002.
  11. JeremyT.
    Apr 24, 2002
    9
    The gameplay is good. The graphics are pretty cool. The replay value is on the high end. Overall rate is 9.5. The only complaint is the ending of the game -.5 deduction!
  12. Jake
    Apr 16, 2006
    10
    I think this game is so awsome. It makes me want to kepp playing and laying. One of the best games ever! Hope they make a 3rd one.
  13. Stealthgear
    May 25, 2013
    7
    This game is worth taking a chance on in 2013 if you are very bored, but like adventure action. There is a story, so its not a pure action game that you can blast through. You have to navigate and do item collection quite a bit. Thankfully you don't really get too lost and everything keeps pace. The environments, textures, and animations don't look like much at first, but it gets goingThis game is worth taking a chance on in 2013 if you are very bored, but like adventure action. There is a story, so its not a pure action game that you can blast through. You have to navigate and do item collection quite a bit. Thankfully you don't really get too lost and everything keeps pace. The environments, textures, and animations don't look like much at first, but it gets going once you are put on your first quest. The controls are a bit clunky, but this is an older game. Its like a 2nd or 3rd Tomb Raider engine. The enemies are pretty funny. The first quest is a balance of creepy and silly with magic gremlins. Its not as fluid as devil may cry, and perhaps this game needs more finishing touches, but its very playable and gives you a lot to do. As an RPG you'll start to feel like the character after awhile. I have to deduct some points because some areas, like the first castle don't look finished. The controls aren't perfect, and some things about this game are average. All in all this should be good for hours of gameplay whether you beat it or not. If you are already a fan of the genre or older ps2 games you'll like it.… Expand
  14. Aegrus
    May 22, 2012
    10
    Truly one of the best ps2 games I've ever played. I don't like that the game has an end- I'd have preferred a continued open world. But that just goes to show how great of an experience it was when I first played it.
  15. maesterpycell
    Aug 10, 2013
    10
    The best game I ever played. Although there was an unnecessarily large difficulty spike halfway through the game, the overall excellence overshadows it.
  16. chimera343
    Jun 11, 2013
    8
    Awesome 3/4's of a game! It's a shame they wimped out and didn't have a decent ending. Just 5 more minutes of wrapping everything up would have been enough to get a score of 9. An open-ended world afterwards would let me give a score of 10. But I bought my PS2 years ago just to play this game, and was happy with the decision. Great game, great fun! Flying on a dragon is something theyAwesome 3/4's of a game! It's a shame they wimped out and didn't have a decent ending. Just 5 more minutes of wrapping everything up would have been enough to get a score of 9. An open-ended world afterwards would let me give a score of 10. But I bought my PS2 years ago just to play this game, and was happy with the decision. Great game, great fun! Flying on a dragon is something they don't have much of anymore, and I miss it.… Expand
  17. FreeRPGer
    Oct 28, 2020
    9
    I'm playing this game for the 1st time since the early 2000's, and now in 2020, I can say it still holds up (if you have a wee bit of patience).
    The light RPG elements are enough, but I love how you start off weak, then are strong enough to endure, and then, finally, you're a force to be reckoned with. Dragon battles in the sky are awesome, as well. I believe this game set a few standards    I'm playing this game for the 1st time since the early 2000's, and now in 2020, I can say it still holds up (if you have a wee bit of patience).
    The light RPG elements are enough, but I love how you start off weak, then are strong enough to endure, and then, finally, you're a force to be reckoned with. Dragon battles in the sky are awesome, as well. I believe this game set a few standards for future games, and was definitely quite the accomplishment for its time.
    Just watch out for the game-breaking glitches, by not accidentally doing a quest before you're supposed to get it (do quests as you get them, not 1st by wandering off), and be sure to test to see if your dragon will fit in a cave with you. If it can fit, BE SURE TO FLY IT THROUGH THE CAVE WITH YOU, because if you transition through a (load screen) cave to a new area without your dragon, like to the Northlands, it will be gone forever.
    That's game breaking. Easily avoided if you try bringing your dragon 1st.

    Too bad Surreal Software is no more, as I'd like to have seen where they'd go.
    I give this a 9 (would be a 10 if it could be patched).

    P.S. Oh, and Rynn is great to look at.    … Expand
  18. FapAliceGoodwin
    Sep 2, 2022
    10
    A redhead Lara Croft as the Dragonborn. Swords are brandished, spells are cast, evil is slain, dragons are flown, big knockers strain against tight leather Lots of fun.
  19. GolbergYoni
    Sep 26, 2021
    10
    Решил накатить на прошитую соньку игру из детства. это были лучшие 3 дня на даче. Но боюсь только старичков могут переполнять такие эмоции, сейчас уже не актуально. Бесконечно жаль, что разработчики не смогли ничего подобного больше выпустить. Сейчас приходится довольствоваться лишь dark souls и god of war. Честно, я скучаю по полётам на ароке ♥️Решил накатить на прошитую соньку игру из детства. это были лучшие 3 дня на даче. Но боюсь только старичков могут переполнять такие эмоции, сейчас уже не актуально. Бесконечно жаль, что разработчики не смогли ничего подобного больше выпустить. Сейчас приходится довольствоваться лишь dark souls и god of war. Честно, я скучаю по полётам на ароке ♥️
  20. DeadmansVariety
    Apr 24, 2022
    10
    This is still one of my favourite games of all time. The characters and the world is just so amazing especially the blacksmith (best German video-game voice) is one of my favourite npc in gaming history as are Rynn and Arokh.

Awards & Rankings

63
#63 Best PS2 Game of 2002
39
#39 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2002

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 31
  3. Negative: 1 out of 31
  1. GameZone
    88
    Continues in the tradition of it's origins; providing a quick to get into and unique game with plenty of monster slaying, an ultra-cool heroine, a feisty but noble dragon, open character development, and plenty of foot and aerial combat to indulge in.
    Read full review
  2. Gaming Age
    100
    If you like a good story, mixed in with breathtaking visuals, magnificent audio, and extraordinary game play you’d be a fool to miss out on this sleeper hit of the year.
    Read full review
  3. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    47
    Suffers from a steep difficulty curve. Blame it on the excessive enemy quotient, the steep cost of healing, and the unwieldy inventory control. [Feb 2002, p.148]
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