Hidden Dragon Legend

 PlayStation 4
User Score
5.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 25 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 25
  3. Negative: 13 out of 25

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Darkbook120
    Dec 27, 2018
    5
    Pros:
    -The combat system can at times be pretty fun, especially when executing combos.
    -Some abilities are pretty useful like slowing down time -Graphics are pretty good for an indie chinese game -Puzzles, while simple, are nicely designed. -Art direction is fantastic -Surtras are useful for additional buffs and work as they should -Menus are nicely designed -The final boss was    Pros:
    -The combat system can at times be pretty fun, especially when executing combos.
    -Some abilities are pretty useful like slowing down time
    -Graphics are pretty good for an indie chinese game
    -Puzzles, while simple, are nicely designed.
    -Art direction is fantastic
    -Surtras are useful for additional buffs and work as they should
    -Menus are nicely designed
    -The final boss was okay
    -There's a lot of weapons to unlock...

    Cons:
    -...which sadly consists of the same weapon but with a different design and different amount of damage.
    -Knives, which are ranged weapons, are rather useless.
    -Platforming is very stiff and it shows is issues during the later levels, especially when you get the grappling hook.
    -Story doesn't know if it wants to be a cheesy kung fu movie or a serious one
    -characters are forgettable and lacks any personality
    -Bosses are either easy (first boss) or tedious (the samurai guy with a polearm)
    -Some abilities are rather useless like the boomerang, either due its ineffectiveness or its damage.
    -Costumes are nicely design but aren't worth playing the game again just because of it.
    -Soundtrack is okay but forgettable. There's a good reason why the menu theme barely managed to break 100 views on YT. I like its chinese instrumentals but the generic "epic" instrumentals ruins its rhythm.
    -The "challenge" in the game is just getting ganked by enemies with large pools of health, turning its fun combat segments into chores.
    -Collectables feels like they were added just because the developers needed to, because none provide a good story exploration
    -Issues during combat moments, such as janky hit detection and enemy Ai
    -Cut scenes are awkwardly animated
    -NG+ consists of obtaining EVERY weapons again because the ones that you got on your previous playthrough does jack ****
    -Character models during daylight look like they were from a PS2 game, while textures during nighttime in stages look dated.
    -You can just complete the game by just mashing square and triangle button and dodging when enemies glow yellow.
    -Lacks any quality of life additions, like grabbing on ledges, parry, combo canceling, blocking, etc.

    I feellike people are only defending this game solely because it's an over the top action game, which is the equivalent if defending a crappy japanese game just because it has cute anime girls. I mean, just because it's action, that doesn't mean it's good. I like JRPGs, but that doesn't mean I like JRPGs like Omega Quintet, Akiba's Beat Last Rebellion, etc.

    Also, since when chinese games are immune to criticism? Just because it has chinese aesthetics, that doesn't mean it automatically saves itself from flaws. So what, if games like Umbrella Corps where chinese, people will start defending it? Now that doesn't mean Hidden Dragon is bad, is just that it's not worth $20. If anything, just get the PC version instead since it's $5 less. The only big compliment I can give to Hidden Dragon is that it's probably the best mediocre chinese game on the PS4. Yes, a lot better than Unearthing Mars, The Walker, Dying Reborn, Ace Banana, Gene Rain, etc.    … Expand
  2. Phenrir_Mailoki
    Sep 28, 2017
    4
    Repetitive, technically cheap. Awful story and english dubbing, ridiculously high priced for what it offers. stay away from this game and maybe Oasis Games'll stop making disturbing software.
  3. SheepOrz
    Oct 19, 2017
    1
    Action stiff. Poor hit. The story is old-fashioned. Music is not appealing. Character modeling is very rough. There is no bright spot in the game system. The voice actor is amateur. Is an unintentional game. Is a shoddy game. In short is a very bad game.
  4. Rangertwin1208
    Jun 12, 2019
    4
    And Oasis Games' streak of mediocre chinese games still continues. I expected this game to be fantastic since the trailer showed a lot of promise. Sadly, it wasn't. While the graphics are not terrible, the stiff animations makes platforming frustrating, the plot is incredibly thin (despite the trailer showing the game like as if it was going to be an epic action game), it has manyAnd Oasis Games' streak of mediocre chinese games still continues. I expected this game to be fantastic since the trailer showed a lot of promise. Sadly, it wasn't. While the graphics are not terrible, the stiff animations makes platforming frustrating, the plot is incredibly thin (despite the trailer showing the game like as if it was going to be an epic action game), it has many unnecesary difficulty spikes, the voice acting is terrible, and there isn't a lot to do after completing the game other than playing the higher difficulties. I also found some of the bosses a bit annoying (mostly the final form of the final boss and the second boss), while others like the 3rd boss were pretty easy (which by the way, it's the only boss where you have to avoid that one special attack of the boss with the grappling hook). While it isn't as bad as Oasis Games' previous titles, it is still disappointing because if it wasn't for its cumbersome issues, it could have been a classic. Instead, is a mediocre chinese platformer that only a minority will like (mostly the chinese gamers because of thr whole console ban) and soon, it will fall into obscurity. Is not terrible since the combat can be fun and some of the puzzles, while not challenging, are pretty good. However, if you're expecting a polished platformer, prepare to be disappointed. Honestly, I wouls just recommend Icey, which is another chinese side scolling action game that's actually polished and is also available on the PS4. For Hidden Dragon Legend? Is better off that you wait until it gets a price cut.

    Also, this just shows that you shouldn't set your expectations high when it comes to chinese games published by Oasis Games. I just hope their next game, Light Tracer, will actually be their savior. If not, then, oh well.

    Edit: Huh, so Light Tracer was decent.    … Expand
  5. SuperkenGaming
    Sep 19, 2017
    7
    HIDDEN DRAGON LEGEND: Shadow Trace
    From challenging to cheap
    Hidden Dragon is a 2.5 d action platformer set in imperial china where you play as Sword Master Lu out for vengeance and his memory... The first half of this 6 hour game is really enjoyable.. It mixes platforming and combat to not make one or the other seem too much, it keeps the pacing of this game really great you’ll run    HIDDEN DRAGON LEGEND: Shadow Trace
    From challenging to cheap
    Hidden Dragon is a 2.5 d action platformer set in imperial china where you play as Sword Master Lu out for vengeance and his memory...
    The first half of this 6 hour game is really enjoyable..
    It mixes platforming and combat to not make one or the other seem too much, it keeps the pacing of this game really great you’ll run into chests to pick up health items as you’re hopping across roof tops and along your way you’ll be stopped by a variety of different enemies that all offer a different challenge for you to deal with..
    The combat seems spongy at first because you expect this to be a platformer with combat dashed in there... but this is actually more of a combat focused game with platforming dashed in there…
    in combat you have a light and have attack and you’re able to pull off a few different combos with them, eventually unlocking throwing daggers for ranged attacks.. You’re also able to evade and build up combos to fill up a meter to pull off one of 3 different special moves at first... more to be unlocked with the in game currency dropped by enemies you can also use these soul stones to upgrade different skills you unlock and find in chests around the different maps, and you’ll occasionally run into brute enemies that glow before they attack to give you a cue to dodge making encounters feel just the right amount of challenging.. You aren’t just hacking and slashing in this game... you actually have to pay attention as enemies do dark souls level of damage…
    and each chapter of course has a boss battle which like brutes are just the right amount of challenging as well and will take multiple attempts to overcome... though you feel like if you try just one more time you can get it even if you’ve been at it for an hour…
    halfway through the game though the game just starts feeling cheap as it all of a sudden wants to focus more on platforming.. And the platforming here is just extremely awkward...
    you have a claw to attach to things and you’ll be using this in moment but it just never feels intuitive
    and the double jumping has weird unexplained ruled where it sometimes just doesn’t happen like the game has invisible black holes that if you get close to will just suck you in..
    I was stuck on one platforming section for over an how because of these awkward unpolished and unintuitive controls...
    only to face an overpowered boss with no real patterns after I just got out of an extremely tough boss fight that I needed all of my health pickups to defeat.. And there were no health pickups on the way to this boss...
    So while the first half is a satisfying challenge…
    the game throws an insanely frustrating hurdle for you to climb over to see the game out to the end..
    One I don’t see most players having the patience to overcome...
    with a pretty generic story not giving you the fire to want to do so either
    Hidden Dragon Legend is a great and challenging action platformer game..
    It’s a shame its lack of polish in platforming and unnecessary difficulty spike half way through hold it back from being a classic
    that being said, if you’re a gluten for punishment, this most of the time is a decently solid game
    I give HIDDEN DRAGON LEGEND: Shadow Trace
    a 7/10    … Expand
  6. ZhangGG09
    Sep 19, 2017
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really like hard core action games! HDL is a Chinese martial type side scrolling action game that i haven’t seen any games on PS4 like this before. The combo system is interesting and the jumping part is really challenging. But if you are not an action game player I don't recommend this game.… Expand
  7. TonyBarley
    Sep 29, 2017
    9
    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME IF YOU AIN'T AN ACTION GAMER.

    I have been playing action games since Bayonetta. Hidden Dragon Legend just aroused my memories of couple of old games like Castlevania. I enjoyed it so much and I just got Platinum. Surely will buy another copy on Steam awaits.
  8. FujiwaraTaku
    Sep 20, 2017
    8
    Well this is my first time to use metacritic.
    I am a Taiwan gamer and I have been looking forward to play this game long time ago. Happy that finally it released.
    Hidden Dragon Legend is developed by an indie studio in mainland China with several people. I am glad to have a chance to meet the developer at PAX East held in Boston March this year and was happy to see a console game with    Well this is my first time to use metacritic.
    I am a Taiwan gamer and I have been looking forward to play this game long time ago. Happy that finally it released.
    Hidden Dragon Legend is developed by an indie studio in mainland China with several people. I am glad to have a chance to meet the developer at PAX East held in Boston March this year and was happy to see a console game with Chinese cultural content can go global. If you know the history about what happened to console game market in China, you will understand how difficult to be that this game come out. #The Chinese console game market was banned by its government for 20 years#

    First I want to say that the score I rate is based on the indie game standard.

    Hidden Dragon Legend is an 3D sidescrolling action game mixed with a lot of old-school platformer gameplays.
    The graphics is great for a sidescroling game. There are lots of beautiful & different types of scenes that you can see in the background throughout the game. The ancient Luoyang City, white horse temple, bamboo groves, mystic tower, path among the mountains etc. And the direction of the camera will turn at some places for example in that tower of chapter 2. You can see routes leads to hidden areas by the camera turning which makes exploration of the level enjoyable.
    The fighting part of the game is really enjoyable as I am a hardcore ACT gamer. The combo system is the main way to defeat enemies. If you are skilled of combo, higher combo number can make you faster to accumulate the rage, which is the 5 orbs below the stam bar. And this makes you can use powerful skills more often. This part decide the difficulty throughout the gameplay because you should also focus on evading enemies attack in a fast rhythm fight. Using evade in proper way can trigger a time freeze that you can counter back if you have unlock the combo. So evade is the core of fighting can keep the combo number not to fade out. There also trophies about the combo system with the highest 400 and I only get 200+ at most.
    Fighting with the bosses you should look carefully about how to beat them although there are descriptions in the option menu. With different strategies to beat the bosses seems related to different trophies.
    The levels are designed good with different type of challenges. Take first level of Chapter 3 for instance it is a escaping level that you are followed by lot of mechanical spiders created by a boss name Dark Raven. It is strange to see mechanical thing is a ancient Chinese dynasty but this is just a start. Dark Raven is an elder in the enemies organization who use specific technology to control many traps and puppets machines according to the story. The gameplay throughout chapter 3 is to deal with these mechanical guys and traps. I think it is a innovation that a game with Chinese ancient culture mixed with mechanic elements and make this game a lot of fun.
    The platforming part is challenging at the very start once you face a jumping puzzle. The challenge mostly come from the camera setting that you cannot see the next step or even the ground or trap in front of you. You should combine jump-double jump, hook, dash in air or even the air-light combo to go through some places. And the hook system seems not so easy to control because you should hold R1 and use the left stick to aim first. And the aiming sometime makes me feel awful. But if you keep trying and practicing you will get used to it.
    The storytelling part is the worst of this game. Cutscenes are full of animations lack of polish and the story is skipping and hard to understand if you do not read the text on loading screens. And the collection items found in the level tell little about the story but more for the background. If you consider that it is an indie game you may think it acceptable of the poor storytelling.
    In general consideration I can give this game an 8. Notice that I am rating this as the indie game standard but not AAA.
    Hidden Dragon Legend is a game mostly like Ninjia Gaiden 2 as it has fast rhythm challenging combats. But it also mix platforming gameplays.
    If you are looking forward to an epic story and excellent cutscenes animations, I don't recommend this game. But, if you like fast rhythm action game with deep and complicated systems it is exactly your choice. It is a best indie game I have ever played in this year.
    Hope they can have a success in global market.    … Expand
  9. Cells_R_Dead
    Aug 7, 2018
    9
    I bought this game on a sale and got it for a few bux. Im not sure i would have bought it for the full price. But all in all its a great game. Sure its challenging. But its fun. And you can save your progress so you can return when you feel the need or have the time. The graphics are more the decent. But i don't know what happened to the sound. It sounds like mono or lesser quality in someI bought this game on a sale and got it for a few bux. Im not sure i would have bought it for the full price. But all in all its a great game. Sure its challenging. But its fun. And you can save your progress so you can return when you feel the need or have the time. The graphics are more the decent. But i don't know what happened to the sound. It sounds like mono or lesser quality in some cases. The action is 100%, nothing for a casual gamer as it will serve your head on a platter if you loose your focus. It is repetitive and you will return to old levels to search for more or better loot. This game does not deserve the bad rep that it has gotten. I can think of other games that definitely does not deserve their really high scores because of the hype instead of content that matters. This is a must buy especially if you find it cheap!… Expand
  10. Whatcomesbellow
    Aug 11, 2018
    4
    Pros: Great art style, decent combat pace, decently designed menus and UI

    Cons: Graphics can look average at best, damage sponge enemies, forgettable soundtrack, mediocre story, one-dimensional characters, clunky platforming, combat issues like the Ai and hit detection, weapons you'll get later on makes the early weapons rather redundant, later bosses are very tedious, no replay-value    Pros: Great art style, decent combat pace, decently designed menus and UI

    Cons: Graphics can look average at best, damage sponge enemies, forgettable soundtrack, mediocre story, one-dimensional characters, clunky platforming, combat issues like the Ai and hit detection, weapons you'll get later on makes the early weapons rather redundant, later bosses are very tedious, no replay-value when completing the game, doesn't tell you which path directs you to a collectable (and if you missed it, you might as well start over again)    … Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
52

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 13
  3. Negative: 3 out of 13
  1. GameCritics
    Jan 16, 2018
    35
    Hidden Dragon Legend has some good visual design but not much else, and it’s a shame. I appreciated the style, but the actual game is so shoddily produced that it’s impossible to enjoy. I don’t care that enemies look good if fighting them is sluggish and repetitive. With tighter controls and fluid combat, Hidden Dragon Legend could have been a minor gem, but it’s just an attractive failure.
    Read full review
  2. DarkStation
    Oct 27, 2017
    50
    Hidden Dragon Legend’s cover art should appear in any search engine’s results for mixed bag. The combat it offers is challenging and genuinely fun, but the traversal that comes between it is far too often broken and unfair. As you run through Imperial China, you’ll be enchanted by the mood, only to be brought right back out by stiff cutscenes and terribly compressed weapon sounds. Upon reflection, I truly believe that MegaFun Games put real passion into this project, though; even the elements that don't work are laid out in a way where they'd be very enjoyable if they did. It's just a shame that the finished project is so deeply flawed.
    Read full review
  3. Gaming Age
    Oct 12, 2017
    75
    At 20 dollars, it is a tough ask as a purchase since this developer with no discernible track record in the west. Those who take the leap will find a rather solid title with high replayability and a visual style seldom seen on our shores. One can only hope that the publisher can put some more marketing dollars towards this title so that it can find some sort of audience.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »