So, as you might have seen, we’ve talked about Heroes of Mount Dragon quite a bit. It’s essentially the definition of indie gaming, with industry veterans coming together and doing their own thing at RuniQ. And now that the general release is here (we say that because more content is on the way), we can say there’s definitely a foundation here, with more room to build upon.
With the land of peril from goblins and other monsters, four heroes (soon to be eight) are stepping up. They bring with them their own special powers, along with the ability to summon dragon ability. That means breathing fire and unleashing techniques to send big and small foes flying.
It’s a beat-em-up to be sure, so that means repetition does set in with certain places. Still, it’s easy to see where Heroes of Mount Dragon gets its inspiration. And it’s actually a good time with up to four friends locally and online. Not to mention it looks and sounds really good thus far.
I’d love to see where the next heroes take the combat. And, for that matter, this needs to reach other platforms besides Steam, as its outreach is a bit limited at the moment. Plus there are a few slight glitches in need of fixing. Other than that, however, Heroes of Mount Dragon should please fans of the genre, as well as newcomers needing a brawling fix.
Heroes of Mount Dragon Brings the Battle
The game features four different characters thus far. Each one has their own style of play, like the big brute with power moves or the warrior that strikes better from a distance. You can actually try each one out and see how they differ, and who works best for you. From there, you’ll face waves of enemies, and eventually reach the end of each stage as you explore the world.
Once again, this is a beat-em-up, so there’s no avoiding repetition. However, there is a certain style to all of it, mainly with the special techniques each character possesses. Watching them unleash these abilities against tougher enemies is pretty neat. Not to mention having players work together in co-op or online play to really do some damage.
As for the super moves, you basically transform into a dragon and breathe fire upon your enemies for a limited time. While this does differ a bit from, say, what Golden Axe offered, it does enable you to turn the tables. Plus the fire effects are really cool, to say the least.
The game’s multiplayer is actually very good here, with up to four people dropping into a session. For anyone that grew up with Konami’s arcade brawlers, you’ll feel right at home here.
And while the concerns about repetition are there, I will note two things. First, the gameplay does feel very good, and the moves are simple to pull off. And, secondly, RuniQ has already promised that four more characters are on the way. And there likely won’t be any additional charges for them, which is a smart move.
So, yeah, Heroes of Mount Dragon is a fun little arcade brawler. It doesn’t innovate like others in its field, but it brings a swell time pounding goblins into mush. Who doesn’t want that?
How Does Heroes of Mount Dragon Do With Presentation?
As for presentation, you can see where RuniQ brings a majority of its skill. The game looks very good on the Steam front, with detailed animations and beautiful use of colors. I would’ve liked to have seen a little more shake-up in terms of backgrounds and settings. However, what’s here is a decent platform for the in-game action.
The audio is very good as well. The in-game music is excellent for the most part, fitting the fighting theme almost perfectly. The narration is also very good, filling in the blanks on what’s actually a “not bad” story. And the sound effects won’t wear you down with repetition either. It’s all nicely balanced.
Overall, it’s a good looking game. There are, however, mild glitches that I’m sure the team will fix over time. Plus, again, it’s a shame that Heroes of Mount Dragon is only on Steam. This baby would fly high on Nintendo Switch 2.
Embrace the Flames
If you can accept its somewhat limited nature in spots and its slight technical setbacks, Heroes of Mount Dragon is a welcome addition to the brawler genre. It’s got fun for up to four players, and the ability to transform into an unstoppable dragon is bad-ass. I’m also a fan of the visuals and audio, even if some of the backgrounds lack spark.
RuniQ is off to a good running start here, and I have a feeling that the game will get better as more content is added. And, hopefully, more platforms get introduced as well. Heroes of Mount Dragon has certainly spread its wings. Now it just needs to soar.
GAMERHUB RATING: 3.5 (out of 5) JOYSTICKS
Thanks to RuniQ for providing us a review code! The game is available now for Steam!
Want to learn more about Heroes of Mount Dragon? Read our interview with the development team!
