The Legend of Dragoon

 PlayStation
  • Publisher: SCEA
  • Release Date: Jun 13, 2000
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 395 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 341 out of 395
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 395
  3. Negative: 29 out of 395
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  1. HolyFish
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    Simply put thee best RPG ever to be put on this earth. The graphics are revolutionary for its time and the addition system made the turn based combat system that much more interactive. NEEDS a sequel.
  2. ShaneW.
    Mar 7, 2003
    10
    This game was a perfect example of a RPG game. This one was made for the ages.
  3. NaomiM.
    Nov 1, 2004
    10
    This is probably one of my favorite games of all time. I love the characters, graphics, story and gameplay. Its all great!! Alot of people say, oh well, your characters are color-coded. SO! its to show what element they are. I like the colors and Even named my puppy Rose.
  4. KriticalChaos
    Jun 27, 2015
    10
    Sony. If you are reading this, please. Everyone wants a sequel/remake. Do it. Do it if you want the money of everyone who enjoys a good RPG. Seriously, this game is like Final Fantasy on crack. You actually have to pay attention while you're attacking or the attack fails. Incredibly addictive and the story sucked me in for sure.
  5. Hobobo
    Dec 28, 2017
    10
    The critic score is a tad off for this one, though I respect their opinions. This is one of the best games created by Sony and really put them into the JRPG spot light. When asking people what their favorite JRPG's were from the 90's; almost every list has Legend of Dragoon somewhere. It is truly a classic with a great fanbase that is still petitioning Sony to revive this series till thisThe critic score is a tad off for this one, though I respect their opinions. This is one of the best games created by Sony and really put them into the JRPG spot light. When asking people what their favorite JRPG's were from the 90's; almost every list has Legend of Dragoon somewhere. It is truly a classic with a great fanbase that is still petitioning Sony to revive this series till this very day. We got a MediEvil Remake reveal not too long ago, so there is still hope that Sony will revisit the Dragoon universe.… Expand
  6. skychaos
    Jun 2, 2018
    10
    Story/Plot: 9/10
    This is by far the most complete story with a very logical thought process behind the plot. It begins with a simple mystery of the main female character that slowly but progressively leads to the revelation of the plot at the end. The story comes with a solid background that is told pieces by pieces throughout each part of the game which you will also get some additional    Story/Plot: 9/10
    This is by far the most complete story with a very logical thought process behind the plot. It begins with a simple mystery of the main female character that slowly but progressively leads to the revelation of the plot at the end. The story comes with a solid background that is told pieces by pieces throughout each part of the game which you will also get some additional exposition if you take the effort to explore and interact with the NPCs in the game. Its a magical world, with themes that deals with racism, god/creation and some subtle ones like capitalism and freedom etc. Admittedly its not the most extraordinary story or plot that leaves you stunned at its revelation, its still a very well composed and complete story that one can easily enjoy with no moments of it throwing you off.

    Game play: 9/10
    Its battle mechanic, namely the "Additions" is the most extraordinary element of the game. Games like Final Fantasy with timing based turns rewards players for faster reaction but Legend of Dragoon took that to a next level, which reward players with better execution with their Additions. Its a combo system like those in fighting games that is imbued into turned based RPGs. This gives the game an additional element of skill base execution play on top of the strategic play in turn based RPGs. In my opinion, its probably the most innovative thing in a game of its time. And true enough, games today gravitate towards real time play because players feel more engage with the characters and the game that way. On top of that, it also offers other options of play by turning into Dragoon form and using items.

    The one element lacking in the game play is the ability to explore the areas in the game freely. Its not quite not a closed world but players can't easily explore different parts of the world, at least not until the later part of the game. There are some side quests that would prompt you to explore outside of the linear progression of the game but unfortunately there isn't many of them.

    Design: 8/10
    Personally i have no problem with the design, like the color codes of the characters but it definitely lacks originality in the concept of the character design. However, growing up with the likes of power rangers, and that i was only 11 years old when i played this game, such design philosophy actually did appeals to me. The dragoon transformation is probably also not a novelty, again, with the likes of power rangers and some anime/manga at the time. Despite so, Legend of Dragoon still manage to come up with a world and concept that feels uniquely its own. Often times we see games of medieval, magical, mythology and action genre/themes, but its not often we see them all in a single game and having it done so cohesively that it feels natural.

    Graphics: 9/10
    Its a little disappointing that the game engine used is similar to that of Final Fantasy 7, a game that is 2 years before it. Still, it is worthy of a 8/10 rating in the graphics department simply because of what it achieved with an older game engine. It had beautiful fully cinematic cut scenes that has good cinematography. Coming from a VFX artist perspective, graphics in terms of realism in LoD is even harder to achieve that than of even Final Fantasy 8. Don't get me wrong, Final Fantasy 8 had the better graphics overall, but much of it is achieved with higher resolution and better rendering engine. LoD had to create most of its visuals from the 2D side namely textures and background planes and it turns out exceptionally beautiful and stunning. I can only imagine the graphics to be even more astounding had they used better engines, which is why people are dying for a remake of this game.

    Conclusion: 9/10
    Complete! Completeness is the feeling i get from playing this game, from start to the end, everything needed to tell the story and play the game was there and it was done so at a pretty high level which is why i gave it 9/10. One thing to note, i wasn't very much exposed to many different types of games at the time i played legend of dragoon, which is why i find many of its genre, themes and design that weren't exactly original acceptable to me. I wasn't bothered at all with confounding elements that would affect my judgement of the game. And as i grow older, having went back and played games like Final Fantasy 7&8, Vagrant Story etc. I personally still find Legend of Dragoon the better game simply because of its completeness compared to its counterparts. My take is simple, play LoD as what the game is and you will be able to enjoy it from a gamer point of view. The reason why critics scores differ so much from the users is simply because they criticize it in comparison with other games, they are critics not gamer.    … Expand
  7. [Anonymous]
    Feb 11, 2003
    10
    THE BEST GAME I'VE EVER PLAYED IN MY LIFE (TO THE CREATORS:PLEASE I BEG YOU PLEASE MAKE A MOVIE FOR THIS GREAT GAME PLEASE I BEG YOU!!!!!!!!!!
  8. PedroG.
    Nov 22, 2004
    10
    I have this game and I say, on behalf of my school,that this game is the best one ever to come in playstation RPG! Whoever would think this game is boring, is a total non-gamer.
  9. TheAngelDragoon
    Jul 27, 2005
    10
    I don't care what anyone else says, this game is terrific. To tell the truth, I'd pick this over any Final Fantasy game anyday. People who try to give this game a bad name are just jealous that it rocks more than FF. or they dirt poor and can't get the game. I love Meru, who is my favorite character, and the handsome bad guy, LLoyd.
  10. AndrewS.
    May 18, 2006
    10
    this game is one of the best ever played.
  11. Kumar
    Mar 24, 2006
    10
    i give this game a perfect ten great storyline and dragoon transformation is great if you have a ps 1, 2, or 3 and you heard this is a good game dont rent it buy it just so know psx games work on all ps systems i think.
  12. KellyM.
    Feb 17, 2007
    10
    Probably the best game I have played, and I don't think anything will ever beat it.... I recently started over again and am currently fighting the 4 dragoon souls ((Kazas, Swievel, Damia, Belzac)).
  13. abraham_b
    May 4, 2015
    10
    One of my favourite RPGs and I can safely say that it has aged remarkably well. Only problem is playing it on PS2; my game froze after defeating a boss and didn't work. Then again, it is a PS1 game, so can't really complain.
  14. Armegedon
    May 3, 2016
    10
    I recently just fired up this game on an emulator.. and forgot just how incredible this game is. All that needs to be said is it NEEDS a sequel Sony.

    Just lost Dart's Dragoon Spirit for any of those wondering how far I am!
  15. mycarisorange
    Oct 21, 2015
    10
    As my first RPG ever, this game is the benchmark I compare all other games to. I've loved nearly every Final Fantasy since VII (Except the ones with Lightning and Snow, level caps are for weaklings) but none of them compare to this. Playing it now, compared to newer RPGs, may not seem overwhelmingly amazing, but it was certainly the coolest thing on the market at the time and it's still inAs my first RPG ever, this game is the benchmark I compare all other games to. I've loved nearly every Final Fantasy since VII (Except the ones with Lightning and Snow, level caps are for weaklings) but none of them compare to this. Playing it now, compared to newer RPGs, may not seem overwhelmingly amazing, but it was certainly the coolest thing on the market at the time and it's still in my Top 5 of entertainment history (This game, Godfather III, Harry Potter/LOTR series, Brady's 50 TD season and Skyrim).

    It's $6 on PSN, go give it a try!    … Expand
  16. josesueiro
    Apr 15, 2016
    10
    The Legend of Dragoon is a role-playing video game developed and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation.

    The Legend of Dragoon features three modes of play: the field map, a battle mode, and an overworld map. The field map is used whenever the player enters a town, dungeon, or landmark. It consists of a pre-rendered background image overlaid with real-time 3D    The Legend of Dragoon is a role-playing video game developed and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation.

    The Legend of Dragoon features three modes of play: the field map, a battle mode, and an overworld map. The field map is used whenever the player enters a town, dungeon, or landmark. It consists of a pre-rendered background image overlaid with real-time 3D character models and animated effects, such as the movement of water or light shafts. Battle mode is a real-time 3D environment that resembles the current field map. Turn-based battles occur between playable characters and CPU-controlled enemies. Standard actions such as attack, defend, item and escape are present. The world map is used when the player moves between towns or other geographical locations. The World Map doesn't allow for free movement, and instead the player follows a guided path between destinations.    … Expand
  17. Geostaker
    May 7, 2015
    10
    I am one of the most picky RPG fans out there and i honeslty LOVE this game its story is great the combat at least makes you pay attention while trying to pull off additions and the optionals rival the other rpgs of its time Honestly it was made a long while when i was a kid so the graphics arent the best but any true RPG fan knows graphics dont mean sh** well if you choose to pick this upI am one of the most picky RPG fans out there and i honeslty LOVE this game its story is great the combat at least makes you pay attention while trying to pull off additions and the optionals rival the other rpgs of its time Honestly it was made a long while when i was a kid so the graphics arent the best but any true RPG fan knows graphics dont mean sh** well if you choose to pick this up be a true RPG fan or you wont like it too much… Expand
  18. LurkingToaster6
    Dec 14, 2015
    10
    Awesome game! Battle system was really engaging and fun, plus the story (although a little cliche) was fun and interesting. Wish there was a sequel.
  19. AliShakeel
    Jan 27, 2016
    10
    Just a fantastic game that needs a hd remake or sequel. I played it when i was a kid and now as an adult i picked it up again and have been enjoying again.
  20. tivztip18
    Aug 5, 2017
    10
    This is the best rpg i have ever played. The first time i played LOD was on a demo CD called jam pac its 2016 and i still remember it. I remember thinking i would never get the real game because i lived in jamaica at that time and my parents would never spend money on games. I saw it at a game room and the price was $4,200. I know it was the only copy on the island lol. I had to save myThis is the best rpg i have ever played. The first time i played LOD was on a demo CD called jam pac its 2016 and i still remember it. I remember thinking i would never get the real game because i lived in jamaica at that time and my parents would never spend money on games. I saw it at a game room and the price was $4,200. I know it was the only copy on the island lol. I had to save my ass off to get this game even ask the lady at the store not to sell it. The day i bought this game i felt like i won the lottery i held on to my bag so hard it was like holding on to 1 million dollars. This game made me love rpg's and i didn't even like them to begin with. Sony bring back the dragoons atleast an HD remaster. Its 2017 come on… Expand
  21. Pyramked
    Oct 25, 2017
    10
    es un gran titulo de varios capitulos, exelente historia el mejor juego de su tiempo sin duda. he esperado una secuela o un remake pero parece que no llegara
  22. XJoseManuel10X
    Dec 25, 2017
    10
    The Legend of Dragoon is a 1999 role-playing video game developed and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation.

    + My Favorite RPG and VideoGame of PS1
    + Great Characters and Story
    + Fun Combat
    + Excellent Soundtrack
    + Amazing Animations
  23. juan_luis
    Jun 9, 2020
    10
    One of the best jrpgs games of all history. I played this game in 2000 and I replay several times later. Good graphics in a PSX, a cool history and the best of the game, the combay system. This gem need a remaster.
  24. Leontorres7
    Nov 13, 2018
    10
    A Masterpiece, loved everything about this game, it is definitely a must play!
  25. T-Babyboi
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    I started this journey when I was around 12 and 13, fighting tooth and nail to beat this game towards the end because at that age I did not have a good grasp on the RPG combat style.
    15 years later I payed 53 bucks for a black label edition on ebay because the story stuck with me so hard and so heavy.
    Words can not really describe the level of magic, fantasy, or the difficulty of    I started this journey when I was around 12 and 13, fighting tooth and nail to beat this game towards the end because at that age I did not have a good grasp on the RPG combat style.
    15 years later I payed 53 bucks for a black label edition on ebay because the story stuck with me so hard and so heavy.
    Words can not really describe the level of magic, fantasy, or the difficulty of Lavits/Alberts additions.
    Im glad to be able to experience this game on RetroArch these days, truly a classic in the genre, a classic I feel puts fear in developers now days at the thought of a remake, shivering in their slacks, knowing deep down what they have become, all graphics and no story.
    The game keeps you on edge with well spaced events, in a way I feel the graphics themselves tie the game together, If I remember correctly from reading years ago the game took 10 years to develope and most of the world was hand drawn backgrounds.
    Some triple A titles these days wont even make me pay 53 bucks for them, so you know this game hit all the right spots ,then, and even more important, even as an adult it still hits those spots, that is a raritey. I went through the first disk on my recent playthrough without having to restart any fight due to full party death.
    I want to end with this, if you never played this as a kid...had that carry over nostalgia, then you will probably play this in a very critique manner, missing the fact it is PS1, missing all the companionship and indavidual stories, forgetting to admire the level of in world detail for its respective age..    … Expand
  26. shootingstars99
    Aug 23, 2019
    9
    One of my first RPG experiences ever, and it still holds strong as a great entry to the genre. The story is captivating, the combat keeps turn based combat engaging, and the characters are mostly interesting. I remember first playing this on a PS1 demo disk, and then as soon as I was done, had to play the remainder of the game. My one gripe is that spell animations are waaaaayyyy too long,One of my first RPG experiences ever, and it still holds strong as a great entry to the genre. The story is captivating, the combat keeps turn based combat engaging, and the characters are mostly interesting. I remember first playing this on a PS1 demo disk, and then as soon as I was done, had to play the remainder of the game. My one gripe is that spell animations are waaaaayyyy too long, and waiting one minute to watch the same animation to get to the next turn can be grating at times. Other than that, it's an RPG classic for the PS1, and still is fun to this day.… Expand
  27. KritikalHound
    Aug 3, 2019
    10
    Easily one of the best games I had back in my childhood. Pretty grindy in a way. The dubbing and translation was really flawed but the game design, graphics and battle system was really fun. Not mentioning it's theme revolving dragons was the dopest thing back in my childhood.
  28. JesterTRT
    Aug 26, 2019
    10
    This game still holds up. I still go back to reply this game constantly. This was one of the greatest RPG games of the time. RPG now a days could learn a lot from this game.
    With all the games being remastered and remade, this one deserves a remake (as long as they do it justice.)
  29. Kuopiotis
    Jan 6, 2020
    10
    It is no luck, that this game gets 9,1 rating from users. It is also no luck, that if you Google it, you still see on the first part "97% liked this game". I remember I payed this game on 1999 and alongside Crono Trigger, it still is my favorite RPG game ever!

    I'm pretty mad that Sony, did not try to advertise it more or make a sequel. Surely, is not the most famous game, still, people    It is no luck, that this game gets 9,1 rating from users. It is also no luck, that if you Google it, you still see on the first part "97% liked this game". I remember I payed this game on 1999 and alongside Crono Trigger, it still is my favorite RPG game ever!

    I'm pretty mad that Sony, did not try to advertise it more or make a sequel. Surely, is not the most famous game, still, people that have played it, loved it! I am quite sure, if Sony would make a remake or a "Legend Of Dragoon 2", it would be a great hit on 2020! If you like retro games, you don't care of outdated graphics and you are a fan of RPGs with good gameplay and scenario, you will probably love the "Legend Of Dragoon"!    … Expand
  30. fapmaster
    Apr 3, 2020
    10
    maravilloso juego, una obra de arte para su época :) me gustaría que consideraran lanzar un remake en la actualidad y sin duda seria un éxito rotundo
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Awards & Rankings

32
#32 Best PS1 Game of 2000
3
#3 Most Discussed PS1 Game of 2000
4
#4 Most Shared PS1 Game of 2000

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 12
  3. Negative: 1 out of 12
  1. CNET Gamecenter
    60
    When all is said and done, The LoD is like your typical one-night stand: it's OK for a quick fix but it's nothing that will get you emotionally involved.
  2. PSX Nation
    97
    To each his own opinion but for this one reviewer Legend of Dragoon is truly legendary.
    Read full review
  3. Absolute Playstation
    95
    A fifty+ hour game, beautiful sound and graphics, and an interactive fighting system all wrapped in one great experience.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »