Dragon’s Crown Pro review for PS4

Platform: PS4
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: Vanillaware
Medium: Blu-ray/Digital
Players: 1-4
Online: Yes
ESRB: T

So while we?re still sort of left hanging on an actual Dragon?s Crown sequel, Atlus is set to release a PS4 version of the original game on May 16th, dubbed Dragon?s Crown Pro. This is a newly spruced up version of the original PS3/Vita release, with a few bells and whistles to pull in both those that played the hell out of the game before, and new players alike.

All in all, it?s a solid port / upscale of the original Vanillaware developed RPG. This version boasts 4k support for PS4 Pro users, but even your regular PS4 owners will benefit from improved visuals, a generally rocksteady framerate, and a new orchestral rendition of the soundtrack (which can be toggled between the original score). Other features include online and couch co-op, which supports any mix of players between the two. You?ll also have both English and Japanese language tracks, crossplay support for PS3/Vita versions of the game, and the ability to import your old saves from the cloud, which works flawlessly.

For how the game actually plays, especially if you?re not one that experienced the original release, I?m going to cheat and point you in the direction of Aaron?s original review of the game. I?d say his thoughts and impressions still hold true here, and I don?t have much to expand upon.

For everyone else that?s already very familiar with Dragon?s Crown, I?d say that Pro feels like a worthy re-release even if it?s a bit light overall on ?extra? features. The new soundtrack is a pretty great addition, and not one of those musical changes that sometimes feels detrimental when used in ports or remakes. The multiplayer components work really well from my limited experience prior to release, and the cloud save option is a nice incentive for those that are interested in picking up where they left off. And in case you forgot, Dragon?s Crown really offers a whole lot of bang for your buck, with repeatable stages, multiple quests and story scenarios, and tons of gear to find and collect. If you?re starting to wind down with something like God of War right now. I think Dragon?s Crown Pro could easily be a solid addition to your PS4 library next week.

Grade: A-