Last updated on August 15, 2026
I recently had the chance to try one of this year’s most unexpected titles, and it genuinely caught me off guard. Dragonsword Awakening is the latest release from Hound 13 and their first truly serious project.
Having been in development for several years, I tend to think this game was built to show the world what these developers are capable of, while also laying the groundwork for their next project, Project M.
Not another gacha game, right?
I will say upfront that I did not go in with huge expectations. It had been on my radar for a while, but my interest gradually dropped once it was announced as a free to play title with a gacha system, something I personally dislike in most games.
I consider it an honest form of theft. These games indirectly push you to spend, or rather dump hundreds of dollars into microtransactions, just to keep up with the content each update brings.
Bright on the surface, dated in art style
Even though I complained above about the original direction this game was heading in, I am happy to report they changed course at the last moment. The developers at Hound 13 decided to make it a premium title instead, with a fair price for the content it offers, cutting out any microtransactions tied to a gacha system. Credit to the studio for that. As for the gameplay itself.
You could easily mistake it for a Mihoyo title, closest to Genshin Impact, where the aesthetic and even some mechanics line up almost identically. The combat and elemental system, along with a few of the open world puzzles, are actually a bit more complex and well structured than what Hoyoverse has offered.
Plenty of content on the menu
As for the visuals, this is definitely not a current gen showcase, and probably not even last gen. The fidelity is noticeably low, likely a deliberate choice to keep the mobile version running smoothly. Setting that aside, we all know graphical fidelity barely matters when the art style is strong, and Dragonsword falls a bit short here too.
I would not say I am blown away by the art style, nor is it particularly ugly, but it does feel dated. I have played dozens of games with a similar aesthetic, and the character designs are not especially memorable. It reminded me of a The Seven Deadly Sins Origin at its core.
Dragon’s Dogma in a parallel universe
On the audio side, the game does well for what it costs, you get what you pay for. No complaints here, and since the game is treated like an MMO lite, having background music never hurts. I can at least say the voice actors did a solid job, particularly in the Korean dub.
Can Unreal Engine 5 look any rougher?
With decent combat, a great world to explore, but the opposite of a visual feast, Dragonsword Awakening feels like the kind of game you play mainly if you already like the genre, and it is definitely not for players who have never touched a similar title before.
I did not walk in with high expectations, but I can say I had fun across the 10 to 12 hours spent slaying dragons and gathering herbs. I recommend this game at its current price if you are after dozens or even hundreds of hours of content without having to think too hard.
Final score: 7 out of 10
I’m passionate about books and video games. These two great passions represent, for me, a boundless universe where I can “escape” from reality whenever I need or want to. There are so many stories, worlds, and landscapes where I can instantly teleport that I don’t think a whole lifetime would be enough to explore them all (though it would be my greatest dream to be able to).
