With the Xbox One release only a few days away, the first reviews of the launch games are being released. Among those are of course reviews for Crimson Dragon, and so far they’ve been… mixed.
Polygon gave the game a 4/10, and while they applauded the great soundtrack, they weren’t so positive about the rest of the game:
Crimson Dragon is a misguided, frustrating, confused game that I didn’t enjoy whatsoever and would recommend to only the hardest of die-hard Panzer Dragoon fans.
I actually was able to complete the next-to-last level without firing a single shot by expending a couple of gems. Crimson Dragon is a paid game with a lot of free-to-play sensibilities and it does not straddle the line gracefully.
IGN gave the game a 5.9 (on a side note, do they really need those decimals?)
I like the challenge of a difficult fight, but when it’s a clock that beats me instead of the enemy, it takes some of the fun out of battle.
Crimson Dragon works well enough as a straight arcade shooter, and there’s plenty of challenge in it. There’s some nostalgic value, too, but it’s weak graphics and frustrating free-flight boss fights make it tough to enjoy the stroll down memory lane.
Gamesbeat’s review is perhaps the most damning in a way, as it expresses the disappointment from someone familiar with the Panzer Dragoon games:
Instead of resembling Orta or the original 1990s Panzer Dragoon titles, Crimson Dragon is a neutered, rushed shell of a game devoid of any character, identity, or personality.
Most of the plot is only moved forward through still frames and disembodied voices barking orders at you, with most characters firing off tired one-liners about you being a rookie and the world’s only hope. It’s almost offensive how impersonal the game gets, offhandedly shipping you out on missions to grind resources for your next combat upgrade, but giving you no motivation or reason to even care.
Fortunately, other reviews have more positive things to say. GamesRader gave the game a 3.5/5:
The spiritual successor to Panzer Dragoon offers a compelling on-rails experience, even if it feels a bit lacking in some areas. With multiple dragons to own and level up, as well as and addictive scoring system complete with leaderboards, there are a few good reasons to plop down $20.
Finally, the most positive review so far is the one from Destructoid, who gave the game an 8/10:
Crimson Dragon was a pleasant surprise. As a massive fan of the Panzer series, I was worried that this wouldn’t quite honor it, but there’s plenty here for gamers who have been longing for an entry since 2003’s Orta. There are some mechanical problems, but any old-school rail shooter fan will be able to handle them.
Hopefully this won’t mean bad news for the future of the franchise. Let’s not forget that the game only costs $20, which is something that most reviews don’t quite take into account.