Dragon Force is a real-time strategy and role-playing video game developed by J-Force and Sega and published by Sega for the Sega Saturn. It was translated for North American release by Working Designs in 1996, a translation that was also used by Sega in Europe under license from Working Designs. The game's main selling point was that battles involve up to 200 soldiers fighting on screen in real time, causing them to be often likened to the battle scenes in the then-recent film Braveheart. Each ruler has a set of generals under their command, and each general commands an army of up to 100 soldiers. Armies travel between towns and castles via fixed routes on an overhead scrolling map, much like the earlier Saturn game Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire. If the player chooses Retreat, their army loses the battle and some troops, and moves out of the victorious army's path on the world map. The Talk option opens negotiations with the enemy. The enemy may then leave their castle or join the player's monarch, but if the enemy refuses to negotiate, battle will start with the player bereft of all troops; because of this tremendous advantage, the enemy will nearly always refuse to negotiate.

| Edge = 8 / 10

| EGM = 9.5/10, 9.5/10, 9/10, 8/10

| Fam = 8/10, 8/10, 7/10, 7/10

| GI = 8.75 / 10

| GMaster = 86%

| GSpot = 9.1 / 10

| NGen = 4/5

| rev1 = Consoles +

| rev1Score = 94%

| rev2 = Games Collection

| rev2Score = 9 / 10

| rev3 = Joypad

| rev3Score = 92%

| rev5 = RPGamer

| rev5Score = 5 / 5

| rev6 = RPGFan

| rev6Score = 96%

| rev7 = Sega Saturn Magazine

| rev7Score = 87%

| award1Pub = Electronic Gaming Monthly

| award1 = All Systems Game of the Year (runner-up), <br> Saturn Game of the Year, <br> Strategy Game of the Year, Game of the Month, <br> Editors' Choice Gold Reiner of Game Informer commented that the unpredictability of the competing nations demands quicker thinking and reflexes than is required in most strategy games. It also sold 272,166 units in Japan, for more than combined sales in Japan and North America.

Dragon Force won Electronic Gaming Monthlys Saturn Game of the Year and Strategy Game of the Year awards for 1996. and #111 on its list of 'The Greatest 200 Videogames of Their Time' in 2006. In 2003, Dragon Force was inducted into GameSpots list of the greatest games of all time.

Sequel

Dragon Force II was published by Sega for the Saturn, and released only in Japan in 1998. Changes from the original include a "laboratory system" which allows the player to research new abilities and the capacity to have two different types of soldiers in the same army (thus allowing ground troops to be supported by air troops, for example). The music was composed and arranged by veteran anime composers Kohei Tanaka and Takayuki Negishi.

GameSpot<nowiki/>'s Peter Bartholow rated the sequel 7.9/10 points, saying that it was extremely similar to the first game, with better gameplay, but worse presentation. He also praised the added voice acting, saying that importing it would be worthwhile for fans.

Notes

References

  • Official website (PS3 version)