5 overlooked RPGS you can digitally download and play right now
Dragon’s Crown Pro – Atlus – Available on PS4
Dragon’s Crown was originally released exclusively for the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation Vita back in 2013, but its origins actually go back to the late 90s. Game designer George Kamitani created the initial groundwork for Dragon’s Crown back in 1998, as he intended to release the game on the Sega Dreamcast as a direct sequel to the Japan-only Sega Saturn title Princess Crown.
However, Kamitani canceled the project due to the commercial failure of Princess Crown. Kamitani eventually founded his own studio, Vanillaware, which eventually led to him gaining the opportunity to turn his concept into a game heavily inspired by popular side scrolling beat ’em up arcade titles. The most obvious influences came from Capcom classics such as The King of Dragons, Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow of Mystara, and Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom. All three games featured many light RPG elements such as leveling up, weapon upgrades, and taking alternate paths.
Dragon’s Crown was both a critical and commercial success, which led to Atlus deciding to remaster the game for the PlayStation 4. Dragon’s Crown Pro didn’t just include support for 4K resolution, but it also featured a completely re-recorded epic soundtrack featuring live orchestral instruments, improved stability, and all the DLC from the game’s original release.
Although Dragon’s Crown Pro is technically more of a beat ’em up than an action RPG, the incredible controls feel as precise as any top-tier 2D fighting game. If you missed out on the PS3 version, than I highly recommend this incredible callback to some of my favorite arcade titles of all time.