blue dragon blue dragon japanese hepburn role playing video game developed published exclusively xbox blue dragon based design final_fantasy series creator supervised development wrote plot debut title title helmed outside square enix game released japan december sold standalone title bundle xbox including game xbox system console skin regions received game release europe august north_america august taking place fictional open world environment story focuses friends travel world confront evil ruler setting inspired separate anime manga adaptations follow story different degrees feature different cast characters game follows traditional role playing design based exploration turn based combat xbox title use multiple discs spanning discs total overall game received positive reception average score review aggregator website blue dragon applauded criticized adaptation traditional elements role playing games gameplay gameplay blue dragon uses turn based gameplay elements seen older japanese role playing video games game world contains major types areas towns player rest purchase items dungeon like areas numerous foes defeated exploration players initially able walk locations later gain ability previously visited locations player controls party characters shown exploring player able cast magic outside combat situations based character respective abilities combat begins entire party appears battle enemies visible player exploring game world avoided time players choose engage enemies close circle allow players fight multiple monsters time cases specific foes block path desired treasure chest defeated proceed foes pursue player character player spotted players flee far frequently single enemy monster displayed screen actually represents number different foes potentially different types combat begins differently depending player avatar makes contact monster avatar strikes enemy advantage battle attack similarly avatar struck enemy takes advantage surprise attack players choose fight groups monsters combat taking place immediately previous player successfully employs tactic rewarded bonuses players use field skills aid controlling enemy encounters bombs enemies rare cases groups monsters rival species case monster fight occur monster groups appearing focusing attacking player shadows core mechanic use magical shadows playable character having distinct shadow modeled dragon phoenix bat toothed tiger shadow assigned single character class number classes time taking attributes abilities class active class earn class levels ranks players free change classes time combat allowing group shadows order achieve desired combination skills shadows increase rank given class learn new skills assigned limited number skill slots combat shadows assigned previously learned skills regardless current class example shadow currently set assassin previously learned ability cast barrier magic acting member barrier magic class barrier magic skill set active skill allows mixing player able pick choose skills learned given shadow combat combat game follows strictly turn based formula turn sequence characters calculated based speed character cases characters allowed strike enemies act possess sufficient speed different attacks varied periods time execute combat timing mechanic featured game charge meter allows players increase power spells attacks spending additional time preparing meter spell casting charge attack skill monk class players choose act immediately ability powerful longer player charges attack greater time charges attacks longer charging character wait turn result players choose charge ability ability shortly enemy acts instead aim sweet spot special red area charging bar indicating charge allows time attack smaller cost overall deciding correct charge letting button precisely time greatly influence effectiveness character attacks combat plot setting blue dragon takes place fictional open world environment year past years purple clouds mysteriously appeared sky signaling disaster people world years terrifying beast dubbed land shark lost technologies sea cube came purple clouds killing thousands people destroying number villages world split climate regions containing multiple kingdoms villages main path hold small stories giants sheep hidden dungeons environment multiple sources treasure story unnamed world legendary purple clouds arrive home villagers seek shelter slow encountering troubles saves trap net land shark breaks free rushes away stops ancient ruin friends explore discover machine warning comes life time sailing sky carrying party arrives giant base clouds tossed throne room apparent leader explains enjoys hearing screams dying victims party battles easily defeated thrown base start fall deaths beam light base catches brings base party find small floating spheres middle room mysterious voice commands swallow spheres party refuses instead hold spheres try reach escape base forced fight large army robots battle end unseen voice promising knowledge pilot party members eat spheres consume spheres strange transformation occurs changing forms shadows powerful beings able destroy robot army party escapes base crash desert familiar new shadows party travels way possesses magical shadow finding villagers started head capital city party takes outside party finds villagers attacked saved arrival king forces including villagers brought king decides implement plan destroy bases near friends party works warriors kingdom base base destroyed party heads north search captures places collar neck explode reaching separates party buy time attack party attempts remove collar party shadows placing taking powers placing removes attempts kill recover despite drained magical ability party distant find unable escape village magic community surrounded evil trees finds able summon dragon shadow sphere destroys eat party finally able leave eventually party able summon shadows point party reunites supplies pursue party goes ancient machine splits world thousands isolated floating halves party follows core transformation party journeys cube eventually defeating general ultimately engaging party revealed working voice told swallow spheres weak defend given shadow sent spy kills choosing friends small creature shoulder removes masters body remaining life force revealed destroy weapon destroyed legendary tried bring peace world party defeats destroy melting lava party quickly escapes melting cube rejoin families development blue dragon revealed february unnamed role playing games development console later came known xbox ign interview following unveiling stressed importance microsoft having japanese games available system commenting main priority months ensure japanese developers partners contributors blue dragon include number known japanese figures gaming industry title original story written game director final_fantasy video games features art creator visual character monster designer illustrator dragon quest series actual software development work game serving director responsible game world view previously worked designer masters time space known work sega including world near end november roughly year title released japan indicated game complete pointed previously known primarily action titles responsibility blue dragon originally somewhat frightening following relative lack media information resulted speculation title delayed microsoft confirmed august game year end release blue dragon eventually released dvd discs making xbox game span multiple discs november interview ign confirmed sequel blue dragon planning stages presumably start development shortly later issue weekly jump announced blue dragon plus works nintendo real time simulation rpg featuring graphics released september japan february north_america second blue dragon title released blue dragon awakened shadow action oriented follows player created character music blue dragon score composed produced better known composing music popular final_fantasy series boss themes composed lyrics includes vocals english singer blue dragon original soundtrack released december arranged music blue dragon performed live play video game symphony concerts ign praised track cave musical moments enter instrumental song enter blue dragon original soundtrack blue dragon original soundtrack track listing manga november announced manga adaptation blue dragon produced known blue dragon manga premiered monthly jump january production ended july magazine cancellation second manga later produced blue dragon known adaptation illustrator began issue weekly jump later began releasing manga simply february anime anime adaptation directed animated produced sky perfect tokyo announced november anime began airing april featuring different vocal cast game ignored game plot aired tokyo ran episodes second season blue dragon blue dragon trials seven shadows blue dragon premiered tokyo april april announced licensed anime release north_america europe edited english language dub series premiered united_states april aired cancelled january discovered uncut version blue dragon anime english uncut version released episodes released dvd far exclusively disc dvd sets release date dvd set announced uncut episodes unlike dvd releases fully original japanese opening closing edited scenes version restored including original music having option view series japanese english subtitles july started streaming episodes representative said streaming numbers good release uncut episodes physical media reception pre orders bundled limited edition xbox core system sold japan december release date microsoft initially hoped sell copies break record sales xbox game japan game manage goal exactly copies sold december pleased game sold reviews blue dragon somewhat mixed generally favorable review aggregator game average score based reviews reviewers praised game traditional approach reviewers criticized reason reviewer remarking fact little point hasn multiple times story came scrutiny reviewers generic similar existing japanese slow pacing beginning game eurogamer stated apparent lack effort facial animations character resulted limited ability express emotion noted mouth movements timed rest characters facial movements static game informer commented blue dragon lacked jaw dropping moments missing key element perfect picked adding blue dragon missing strong characters gripping storytelling excellent pacing play said game visually pleasing indicated like role playing game reviewers criticized game way complimented excellent graphics music specifically game informer remarked characters look like sculpted wandering world built scale gamespy complimented title music graphics saying game phenomenal music rendered cutscenes
Blue Dragon