Blue Dragon

 Xbox 360
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 56
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 56
  3. Negative: 0 out of 56
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  1. Gaming Target
    74
    Blue Dragon is not the definitive RPG experience on the 360, nor even in the past several years as it fails to do anything innovative.
  2. Da Gameboyz
    73
    Blue Dragon is a good RPG; it is just not a great one.
  3. X-ONE Magazine UK
    70
    Beautiful to look at, enjoyable to play, but marred by disappointing aspects that do some harm. Nontheless, Sakaguchi has laid the foundations for an immense RPG franchise. [Issue 23, p.76]
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  5. Xboxic
    70
    While it certainly isn’t perfect, great features like an excellent story and quite a strategic battle system make it hard to put the game down at times, and will appeal to RPG fans.
  6. Gaming Nexus
    70
    Old school role-playing fans who have only owned Xbox products recently will no doubt get a kick out of Blue Dragon. This is a worthwhile game if only because it's the only game of its kind currently available for the Xbox 360.
  7. Armchair Empire
    70
    Blue Dragon is a harmless, lighthearted role-playing game at its core with too many cutscenes but with some really great strategic battles.
  8. Kombo
    69
    Mistwalker’s dream team hasn’t given Microsoft the best RPG ever made and it won’t blow the minds of any long-time RPG fans, but they may have created exactly the kind of Japanese RPG that Microsoft’s western-centric audience needed to get their feet wet with the genre.
  9. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    68
    The game sabotages things right from the start by sticking you with four of the most vapid, unlikable protagonists I've seen in my 20 years as an RPG fan. [Sept 2007, p.94]
    All this publication's reviews
  10. Game Almighty
    67
    The story won’t leave you in tears and the gameplay doesn’t break the mold in any way, but as the first epic Japanese RPG on the Xbox 360, Blue Dragon is adequate.
  11. 1UP
    65
    I've got a tremendous amount of respect for the men behind Blue Dragon...but at the same time, I can't overlook its massive warts just because three developers I grew up idolizing created the game.
  12. Gamer 2.0
    64
    Blue Dragon is more of a rental than it is an immediate purchase, or wait until it hits the bargain bins. But either way, if this is your type of game you should at least give it a shot.
  13. Edge Magazine
    60
    Without characters to care for or a story compelling enough, only the most dedicated genre faithful will make it through Blue Dragon’s three discs. [Sept 2007, p.88]
    All this publication's reviews
  14. NTSC-uk
    60
    With games like "Final Fantasy XII" pushing the genre forward, it’s disappointing to see a game with so much talent behind it not attempt to try anything new. [JPN Import]
  15. GameSpot
    60
    Blue Dragon is an unexceptional RPG that does just enough to escape mediocrity.
  16. G4 TV
    60
    Whether it’s because we all expect more from our games now, or whether it’s because there’s just no way Blue Dragon could possibly live up to the hype it received due to its famous designers, the game just isn’t that impressive. Fun, but nothing special.
  17. Talk Xbox
    59
    All in all, Blue Dragon is the type of game that would have made much more of an impression about a decade ago. Unfortunately, a forgettable story, cast, score, and battle system make for something that feels more akin to the eager ambitions of novices as opposed to the calculated work of seasoned veterans.
  18. Eurogamer
    50
    A very poor introduction to the genre for Xbox owners. It's by no means terrible; but without borrowing Sakaguchi's rose-tinted glasses, it's not much fun either.

Awards & Rankings

48
#48 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2007
20
#20 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2007
5
#5 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2007

User Reviews

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User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 204 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 144 out of 204
  2. Mixed: 36 out of 204
  3. Negative: 24 out of 204
  1. Mal
    Mar 8, 2009
    8
    No idea where the bad reviews and hatred come from, this is a great RPG. It's heavy on the grind at times, and the 'searchNo idea where the bad reviews and hatred come from, this is a great RPG. It's heavy on the grind at times, and the 'search everything' parts are tedious, but the battle system is great and the story is fine. Don't listen to the haters, this is a must buy for RPG fans who own a 360.… Full Review »
  2. BaronMonaco
    Nov 24, 2015
    8
    Blue Dragon has some heavy players behind it and was supposed to be the game that will sell Xbox in Japan, and even if it didn't work out forBlue Dragon has some heavy players behind it and was supposed to be the game that will sell Xbox in Japan, and even if it didn't work out for Microsoft it is not , by all mean the fault of the game.

    In fact the game is pretty good with a turned based system very classic but a class system that carries some innovation : every shadow can learn several classes, even all of them once level 50, and the more you play with one class the more skills related to this class you will unlock so you have to mix your class well to have a balance group with all the basic abilities covered (tank, healer, damage dealer, etc..), and well like most J-RPG the need to farm can be a little annoying but honestly the game is fairly easy and you don't have to reach the higher levels (99) to finish the game at all, but if you want all the achievements then take it into account.

    The world is very well designed and for a 2007 game it's beautiful, the cell-shading never gets old I guess; the chara design is excellent even if some enemies are the same with different colors, it's quite common in videogames. The game is technically flawless and works without any issues.

    Now concerning the story, I liked the general story, the universe is well written but the main characters were so annoying I wish I could slap them, and I'm not saying that because the story is child-friendly (Inside Out, Ratchet & Clank, Toys Story, etc. are also child friendly and yet I loved the characters in it) the dialogue are just too stupid and the actors too bad to make us care about them. Finnally the game will last about 50 hours to finish its main story (there is almost 0 side quest so don't expect more than 10 hours to finish them).

    All in all Blue Dragon is a good game that carries some default most link to its genre, a genre that has little competition on the console and so it must definitely be one of the first pick up for the ones loving J-RPG and owning a 360.    … Full Review »
  3. Jan
    May 3, 2008
    3
    This game is difficult to rate because it was clearly made for small children. Anyways it somehow is a 360 core gamer game and me who got This game is difficult to rate because it was clearly made for small children. Anyways it somehow is a 360 core gamer game and me who got bored so: The first boss in this game is generally threated as the hardest enemy you will find during the storyline. I agree on this and sadly have to add the fact that i didn't even have to use one single heal spell, smart strategy or item during this fight. This beeing said, imagine this game only getting even easier during progress. So you make your way through the embarrassing storyline, dealing with the embarrassing char design and storytelling, hoping that the game gets better until it is over. Waste of time, about 150 Gamerscore, a negative review at metascore, one more Blue Dragon on ebay and thats about it. 3 out of 10 from me.… Full Review »
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