Drakengard 3: Nierly As Good

What was the last game you played which was co-constructed by the collective video game media as being largely inconsequential or unlikeable? For me personally that game was Neir, an unapologetically idiosyncratic experience which demanded players cope with often lacklustre gameplay and mundane objectives in order to appreciate beautifully composed music, poignant writing, and brilliant characterization.

I would likely rank Nier as one of my top 5 PS3 gaming experiences

Nier was experimental in many ways. For instance, dungeons would often host unique camera angles for seemingly no reason, actual gameplay would often devolve into tedious combat, the game was padded by mundane fetch quests which managed to effectively convey the day-to-day life of protagonist Nier, the game’s story would reveal itself incrementally by playing through the game more than once, etc. These features would prove endearing to some; though they would also force away a lot of potentially interested gamers before the really good story started to warp itself around your waking thoughts.

Unfortunately, Cavia dissolved shortlyafter releasing Nier, being absorbed in some capacity into Access Games. Fast-forward to 2014, and the crux of the team who worked on Nier (including director Taro Yoko) have brought the world Drakengard 3 (released in Japan as Drag-on Dragoon 3). In many ways, Drakengard is a series which is antithetical to Nier: it presents a more immediate experience, with gameplay which feels strikingly like Dynasty Warriors, emphasizing high death counts and therefore a more traditional playstyle.  

Thankfully, despite the differences in the way the games actually play from one another, much of what makes Nier so fantastic is also present in Drakengard 3. For instance, I immediately found myself enamoured by how honest the game’s characters are, and how enjoyable the game’s story is. Protagonist Zero is a goddess of sorts, and is out to kill her goddess sisters along with thousands of soldiers which stand against her, for reasons which are not initially clear. Her motifs are clearly those of an apathetic and morally ignoble person, and director Taro Yoko along with Access Games are quick to point this out. What results is the sense that Drakengard 3 is honestly shouldering one of the medium’s common uses of violence as a means of encouraging players to consistently return to the games they play.

Having been away from the world of Nier for the better part of two years, I’m happy to commit my time to its kin. If like me, you’ve played one too many overly polished and dull video games, and are looking for something unusual to play to cleanse your palette, I would be hard-pressed to recommend anything besides Drakengard 3 to you. What may begin as a generic action title will very quickly reveal itself to be one of the most unique video games you’ll likely ever play.