| Drakengard | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre(s) | Action role-playing |
| Developer(s) |
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| Publisher(s) | |
| Creator(s) | Yoko Taro |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2, Mobile, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch |
| First release | Drakengard September 11, 2003 |
| Latest release | Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139... April 22, 2021 |
| Spin-offs | Nier |
Drakengard, known in Japan as Drag-On Dragoon,[a] is a series of action role-playing video games created by Yoko Taro, originally developed by Cavia and published by Square Enix. The eponymous first game in the series was released in 2003 on the PlayStation 2, and has since been followed by a sequel, a prequel and several spin-offs. A spin-off series titled Nier, taking place in an alternative timeline set after a different ending to the first Drakengard than the one 2005's Drakengard 2 followed, was started in 2010 with the eponymous game. Yoko has directed every game in both series, with the exception of Drakengard 2 in which he only had minor involvement.
The stories of both Drakengard and Nier generally focus on the fortunes and personalities of a small group of protagonists either directly or indirectly connected to and affected by the events of the story. Dark or mature plot and character themes and multiple endings have become a staple of the series. The setting of the Drakengard games is a Northern Europe-like dark fantasy world where humans and creatures from myth and legends live side by side, while the Nier games are set in the distant future of a different ending to the first Drakengard from the one Drakengard 2 follows, leading to 2017's Nier: Automata taking place in a much different, post-apocalyptic science fiction setting. Both series have been largely praised for their complex characters and storylines, although the practical gameplay of the Drakengard games has been criticized.
Both Drakengard and the original Nier have long been considered popular in Japan, selling well and gaining a cult following, and resulting in multiple adaptations and additional media such as books (including several novelizations), manga, comics, and a stage play. They remained little-known outside of Japan until the 2017 release of Nier: Automata, which was a worldwide commercial and critical hit and led to an increase in interest from western countries, resulting in a remaster of the original Nier, subtitled Replicant ver.1.22474487139..., being released in 2021 to larger attention and substantially better sales than the original.
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