The Dawn of the Dragon: A Missed Opportunity

Spyro, the beloved platformer series, has always been known for its charming characters and engaging gameplay. However, it seems that the latest installment, Dawn of the Dragon, falls short of expectations in several key areas.

For those who own a PlayStation 3 (PS3), I recommend taking advantage of a cheap rental opportunity to experience the game firsthand. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Xbox 360 owners, as the game's poor performance and lackluster AI make it a less-than-ideal experience.

One of the most noticeable issues with Dawn of the Dragon is its choppy framerate on the Xbox 360. The game's enhanced visuals, such as anti-aliasing and other minor effects, seem to arbitrarily cripple the refresh rate at any given point. This becomes particularly problematic when trying to navigate through levels with your partner, who can often get stuck in scenery due to their own ineptitude.

Unfortunately, poor AI is another significant issue that holds Dawn of the Dragon back. The game's artificial intelligence is almost criminally inept, making it difficult to enjoy the experience as intended. This lack of intelligence also leads to frustrating moments when trying to work together with your partner.

Despite its shortcomings, Dawn of the Dragon initially looks very promising. With full 720p resolution, 60 frames per second, and a host of nice graphical effects, including full-4x multi-sampling anti-aliasing (on Xbox 360), it seems as though the series is moving in the right direction.

However, with some better QA, engine optimization, and thought put into the AI, Dawn of the Dragon could have been an even more enjoyable experience. As it stands, this latest Spyro adventure falls short of its full potential, making it a definite example of an 'almost but not quite' release.

Dawn of the dragon ps3