- Publisher: Idea Factory
- Release Date: Aug 3, 2021
- Also On: PC, PlayStation 4
- Summary:
- Developer: Compile Heart
- Genre(s): Role-Playing, Japanese-Style
- # of players: No Online Multiplayer
- Cheats: On GameFAQs
- More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
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Positive: 2 out of 9
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Mixed: 7 out of 9
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Negative: 0 out of 9
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Aug 6, 2021My suspicion is that Dragon Star Varnir will be remembered as one of Idea Factory’s greatest. There are some corners cut with the gameplay, and the Switch port isn’t ideal, but the concept, theming, art and narrative are all so different that this stands as one of the more interesting and narratively innovative take on the Grimm brothers tradition.
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Aug 24, 2021Dragon Star Varnir is a highly enjoyable RPG with its emphasis on friendship development, interesting battle mechanics, and strong plot that frequently tugs heartstrings and is not afraid to use surprising and dramatic plot twists. The repetitive nature of some dungeon environments and overall dark theme may not be for everyone, yet there is so much to enjoy with the devour system and trying not to send everyone insane to get the best ending, that the less desirable elements don't matter much. The post-game content includes new parts to the story and new bosses to fight, and coupled with the inclusion of DLC from other consoles makes Dragon Star Varnir a must buy on Nintendo Switch.
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Aug 24, 2021Dragon Star Varnir is a fun JRPG overall, and, while it might be a little on the niche side, I’d still recommend it. Unfortunately, I’m not sure which version to recommend. Sure, the Switch version comes with a bunch of DLC and is entirely uncensored (did I forget to mention that?), but the graphics are, like, really crunchy—and I say that as someone who normally doesn’t care much about graphical quality. If that isn’t enough to drive you away, though, then the Switch version’s probably the way to go. The more content, the better, right?
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Aug 31, 2021All in all, as you can probably guess, Dragon Star Varnir is quite a mixed bag in terms of enjoyment. While it provides an intricate and engaging combat system as well as some solid alternate modes, the rest of its elements are unfortunately rather lackluster or just plain inconveniencing.
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Sep 19, 2021Dragon Star Varnir is a step up from a lot of Compile Heart's games, but the Switch version is a technical mess.
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Aug 9, 2021Despite the value proposition with all DLC included at a budget price, Dragon Star Varnir on Nintendo Switch has far too many technical issues in its current state to be an easy recommendation for Compile Heart fans and is best played on another platform.
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Sep 21, 2021This port of Dragon Star Vanir for the Nintendo Switch includes all the game's DLC, a good point to begin with. Its theme and combat system also score well with the game. Not all works as good as expected, though: the game has too many technical issues and performance flaws that can render the experience a real ordeal, not to mention its rather dull dungeon exploration. In the end, there's a feeling of lost opportunities to make a much better game that were wasted in this conversion.
Score distribution:
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Positive: 0 out of 1
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Mixed: 1 out of 1
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Negative: 0 out of 1