The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon

 PlayStation 3
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 81 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 47 out of 81
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 81
  3. Negative: 19 out of 81
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  1. LPGRPG
    Sep 18, 2013
    7
    Folks may think this game is intended for kids with beautiful, nice purple dragons, but it's a bit too complex; more for teens & adults in my opinion. In this episode, an apocalypse is close at hand. Spyro & Cynder must escape from captivity & save the world.

    THINGS I LIKED ABOUT THE GAME: 1 The story is entertaining & intriguing. The music serves the story, drawing you in. 2 Graphics    Folks may think this game is intended for kids with beautiful, nice purple dragons, but it's a bit too complex; more for teens & adults in my opinion. In this episode, an apocalypse is close at hand. Spyro & Cynder must escape from captivity & save the world.

    THINGS I LIKED ABOUT THE GAME:
    1 The story is entertaining & intriguing. The music serves the story, drawing you in.
    2 Graphics are decent for a PS2 remake released in 2008. The art design & landscapes will impress.
    3 Fly anytime, as opposed to previous Spyro adventures, feels good & different.
    4 A variety of interesting spells are made-use-of in order to advance at various stages.
    5 Armour found throughout the levels provide added protection or increase skills.
    6 Power upgrades are straightforwardly purchased, reminiscent of God of war "GOW".
    7 Health and magic are upgraded by finding special crystals, some of which are hidden or within a puzzle.
    8 Opening doors & chests are executed by repetitive button taps, adding to the challenge, again like GOW.
    9 The levels provide opportunities for exploration; looking for gems and chests as well as quest objectives.
    10 One more gameplay element that reminds me of GOW is fighting a giant boss, the same principles apply.
    11 Bosses though impressive at first, are not that hard to defeat, think a bit & discover the tricks & secrets.
    12 The easy drop-in drop-out co-op 2 player option is very handy.
    13 In 2 player mode, the often-tedious dragon-switching is not required.
    14 Another good thing is the teamwork. A team, Spyro and Cynder definitely are.
    15 Skipping cinematic or dialogue is possible if desired.
    16 The final battle could have been a bit longer but will not disappoint; it is very well done, as is the ending.

    WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED:
    1 As opposed to nice game graphics, cinematic scenes are sometimes a bit cheesy with weird colours.
    2 At times, the camera goes a little strange & is restricted, which can be bothersome & not very useful.
    3 First impression is that it's gonna be a long journey, by the end, you realize it's a bit too short.
    4 In single player mode, climbing requires switching from Spyro to Cynder & gets annoying.
    5 Climbing controls could have been better explained, you may spend a long time figuring them out.
    6 The fact this PS3 game is discontinued & hard to find is unfortunate.
    7 Despite being able to fly anytime, you don't have the freedom to fly where you want.
    8 A map would have helped as it's not always clear where to go.
    9 Flying can be frustrating, the wind is often difficult to work with.
    10 Finally, the game has bugs as characters can get stuck.

    Everything taken into account, I really enjoyed this game despite its flaws & I recommend to everyone as it's worth playing. The fact that this adventure is a bit too short is a little sad & feels like we'll miss the cute little Dragons, at least it's not disappointing. The RPG elements, storyline, combat system & art design will help you get into it quickly & will satisfy most people, especially fans of the genre.

    Some people note this game has no replay value, I somewhat disagree. Single or 2 player modes can change the dynamic. Choosing Spyro or Cynder gives a different experience. However I can't deny the story will remain the same & might not be the one you replay the most. That being said, I truly believe this Legend of Spyro is underrated & well deserves at least 7 on 10.    … Expand
  2. aadms
    Mar 24, 2011
    5
    My young kids picked this out because it has purple dragons on the cover. While they've attempted a few times to play it, they are just too young (5 & 4) to keep up with a difficult game like this. Of course it says on the box that it's for 10+, so I should have known better. Anyway, it has no appeal to me nor my wife either. Maybe in about five years my kids will revisit it and enjoy it.
  3. Dreadsmite
    Jun 13, 2016
    5
    The fate of a game when placed under the wing of Activision. They turned the game into a joke, just a mindless massive action sequence. The only thing it had going for it was the attention to map design and detail, as well as the idea of armor that amplifies Spyro and Cinder. I'd also have to commend the idea of having Spyro go from a single player only to two player for the first time inThe fate of a game when placed under the wing of Activision. They turned the game into a joke, just a mindless massive action sequence. The only thing it had going for it was the attention to map design and detail, as well as the idea of armor that amplifies Spyro and Cinder. I'd also have to commend the idea of having Spyro go from a single player only to two player for the first time in the series.… Expand
  4. jamesboy
    Jan 14, 2019
    5
    I don't hate this game because it is different from the original Spyro games, I hate how monotonous the combat and how it completely rips off God of War with it's button mashing quick time events. However the graphics are fine, a little washed out and an intense brightness setting. It is tolerable. But that's besides the point, repetitive fighting is what kills this game. Oh, and do notI don't hate this game because it is different from the original Spyro games, I hate how monotonous the combat and how it completely rips off God of War with it's button mashing quick time events. However the graphics are fine, a little washed out and an intense brightness setting. It is tolerable. But that's besides the point, repetitive fighting is what kills this game. Oh, and do not forget about how restrictive the co-op is. You constantly feel like you are getting strangled to death because you have to be a certain distance away from your team mate. This game is just horrendous, and I cant make that any more clear.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

47
#47 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2008
56
#56 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 22
  3. Negative: 1 out of 22
  1. GameDaily
    70
    Some of the voiceovers are weak, the camera is a pain and the adventure ends way too soon. However, Legend of Spyro still has enough good qualities that make it fun.
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  2. 1UP
    33
    But decent two-player co-op's just ketchup on a crap sandwich. The game's buggy as hell, with severe slowdown, characters getting hung up in the level geometry, and stuttering audio. Those problems are amplified in the PS3 version, whose only other major differences are unneeded Sixaxis flight control and a noticeable lack of Trophy support versus the Xbox 360's Achievements.
    Read full review
  3. GameSpot
    50
    Lackluster gameplay makes this a disappointing conclusion to the Legend of Spyro series.
    Read full review
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