Dragon Valor
Hereditary heroes are not something we come across very often in computer
 games. Usually, we stick to one hero or heroine throughout but in Namco’s new
 RPG, DRAGON VALOR, as the game progresses the hero’s children take up the 
cause. Furthermore, as each progressive hero has a choice of whom to marry, his
 offspring will vary and affect the storyline and outcome. 

This historical pageant begins with Clovis. He’s the next in line after a
 monstrous dragon torches the existing hero or Dragon Valor, as they are known.
 The first stage of his adventure takes the form of a tutorial where players 
will learn how to control his sword arm, jumping abilities, combination attacks
 and the use of some basic magical abilities. 

This mainly involves travelling a predefined path that is scattered with a few 
strange beasts that are provided as target practice. Also dotted around are 
power-ups, bonuses, spells and cash. Sometimes these are just lying around but 
more often they appear when an enemy dies or a crate is smashed open. 

The cash can be used in various locations to purchase more health and magic and
 as soon as you come up against the first of the dragons you’ll realise why you
 need them. These beasts are not particularly easy to get rid of, even in the 
early stages of the game and, as your characters evolve, so do the dragons. 
They do, however, all have a weakness particular to each individual so players 
will have to try and discover what it is while they are desperately avoiding 
being incinerated.

Gameplay is unlike the more common form of RPG. It appears to be a combination 
of genres including platform and adventure and comes across as linear and a bit 
repetitive. In saying that this type of hack and slash combat is very popular 
with a younger audience and for them this might be an ideal title.