Info about DragonSword : Awakening:

Official game description:
**\[ A Boy's Breathtaking Journey to Save the World Begins \]**
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Lute, a young boy traveling toward Orbis—the first kingdom built by humankind—finds himself swept up in the lives of Johnny, a mercenary, and Castella, an Elf, stumbling headfirst into the chaotic life of a mercenary.
Amid hectic days spent with his colorful companions, a massive shadow looms over the peaceful continent, and Lute's destiny begins to spiral.
Can the boy become the Dragon Sword—the Hero destined to save the continent?
**\[ A Wondrous Adventure in an Anime-Style Open World \]**
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Explore the Continent of Orbis—a radiant, warmly colored fantasy world brought to life with Unreal Engine 5!
■ A Living, Breathing Open World
Venture across beautiful meadows, secret cellars beneath watchtowers, treasure-filled deep seas, and hidden caves and dungeons—all yours to explore on foot.
■ Reliable Adventure Companions
Travel with trusty allies and adorable collectible companions called Familiars that aid you on your journey.
■ Where Everyday Life Becomes an Adventure
Combine ingredients found across the continent to create new dishes through Cooking, solve the problems of local residents, and become a true member of Orbis.
**\[ Thrilling Tag-Team Action Using Status Ailments \]**
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Experience the spectacular tag-team action unique to Dragon Sword.
■ Status Ailments and Signal Skills
Each of the 19 Heroes possesses distinct Status Ailment abilities. Stack Status Ailments with Active Skills, then chain devastating combos with powerful Signal Skills for an exhilarating combat experience.
■ Endless Signal Switching
Heroes weave in and out of battle in endless combo chains through Switching Signals! Build your own team with diverse combinations and craft your ultimate stylish combat.
**\[ Precious Bonds and Their Stories \]**
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From allies who fight alongside you to village guards, every character in Orbis carries a story of their own.
■ Heroes with Deep Narratives
Discover factions entangled in complex interests and the hidden depths of the Heroes within them.
■ Characters Brimming with Personality
From an eccentric Elf who studies archaeology to a mysterious girl who traverses dimensions—forge bonds with a colorful cast and draw closer to the truth of the world.
**\[ The Dragon Awakened After 60 Years and the Legacy of Six Heroes \]**
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Long ago, a Dragon brought the continent to the brink of destruction, and six Heroes rose to save it.
Now, 60 years later, a Dragon has appeared once more on the peaceful Continent of Orbis.
You will take on a critical quest to find the Heroes of old and confront the returning Dragon's threat. Tracing the footsteps of the legendary Heroes across the continent, you will uncover their hidden secrets.
Until the boy Lute and his mercenary band rise to become the Heroes who will save the continent—
Can they truly become the Dragon Sword, saviors of the continent, or will fate lead them down a different path?
Join them on this arduous journey and find out!

Release date: Jul 22, 2026

Categories: Action RPG, Open-World Exploration, Anime Aesthetic, Character Switching Mechanics, Cooperative Multiplayer, Companion System

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 10; verdict: Fair / One-time Purchase; summary: DragonSword: Awakening is a buy-to-play offline RPG that removed all gacha and microtransactions from its original design. Reviews overwhelmingly confirm no pay-to-win, no in-game currency shop, and no predatory mechanics. The only potential monetization is traditional paid DLC, which is not exploitative. The game is widely praised for respecting players' time and money.
- Proton/Linux: score 10; verdict: Works Well Out of the Box; summary: The game demonstrates excellent Linux/Proton compatibility. All Linux-specific feedback is positive, with users reporting smooth launches, no anti-cheat problems, and solid performance on Steam Deck and SteamOS. The only negative feedback concerns forced FSR and frame pacing, which are generic cross-platform issues not tied to Linux.
- Steam Deck: score 40; verdict: Playable with Notable Caveats; summary: The game runs out of the box on Steam Deck with no Proton or anti-cheat issues, but suffers from forced FSR upscaling that cannot be disabled, causing blurry visuals and frame pacing problems. Stability is marred by occasional crashes and black screen bugs. Despite these issues, many users report a playable and enjoyable experience, especially after adjusting settings.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: Across the analyzed cohorts, the game performs well for most users, with only the Windows 12-15GB VRAM / 32GB+ RAM cohort showing substantial mixed feedback due to crashes and stuttering.
  - Sample size: 310 (20% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
  - Windows 12-15GB VRAM / 16-31GB RAM (positive, 74 reports): All recommended reviews report smooth performance, high frame rates, no crashes, and excellent graphics on high settings.
  - Windows 8-11GB VRAM (positive, 61 reports): Most users report smooth performance and good optimization, though a few encounter FPS setting bugs and minor issues.
  - Windows 16GB+ VRAM (positive, 50 reports): The game generally performs well at high settings and 4K, with occasional hiccups or freezes, but a few users experience crashes and save corruption.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM / 16-31GB RAM (positive, 39 reports): Users report good performance with minor stutters, and the game runs well after adjusting settings, with only one severe performance complaint.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM / <16GB RAM (positive, 38 reports): The game runs well on mid-range hardware with minimal stuttering, though isolated crashes and optimization concerns exist.
  - Windows 12-15GB VRAM / 32GB+ RAM (mixed, 35 reports): Feedback is mixed: while some enjoy smooth performance, many report crashes, frame pacing issues, freezing, and high CPU usage.
  - Caveats: 310 of 1555 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $30.00 - $40.00
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews explicitly state that the game is worth its current price around $30 USD, with others referencing $50 CAD (~$37 USD) and £25 (~$32 USD) as fair. The consistent praise for value at these price points, combined with the absence of complaints about the base price being too high (only one mention of regional pricing issues), indicates that the community considers a fair base-game price range in USD between $30 and $40.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 40.0h
  - Story completion: 12.5h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The first quote directly states that completing the main campaign and reputation bonds takes about 40 hours, supporting a gameCompletion metric. The second quote (Spanish) explicitly states the main campaign requires 10-15 hours, supporting storyCompletion. No evidence provides a typical session length or a precise number for endgame hours alone (endgame is mentioned as 'hundreds of hours' or included in the 40-50 hour range, but not as a standalone metric), so sessionLength and endgame are set to null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game provides immediate fun after a short tutorial, with fast-paced combat, immediate character choice, and open-world exploration that hooks players within the first few hours.
  - Stance: Fun immediately
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: excessive dialogue; repetitive side quests; UI/UX issues; performance drops in certain areas; frame pacing issues with forced FSR
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: acceptance of gacha-style progression without monetization; willingness to grind for character materials; tolerance for repetitive dungeon runs; preference for fast combat over deep story; enjoyment of team-building and synergy; need for performance tweaks on lower-end rigs
- Player Archetypes:
  - Gacha Escapee (buy)
    - Motivation: Experience gacha-style collection and progression without predatory monetization
    - Playstyle: Collects and experiments with all characters, grinds at own pace, avoids FOMO
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: burnt out from the bad parts of gacha games
    - Reference games: Genshin Impact; Wuthering Waves
  - Combo Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Master the synergistic combat system and execute flashy combos
    - Playstyle: Strategically switches characters in combat to chain skills and exploit enemy weaknesses
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Granblue Fantasy Relink; Dragon's Dogma; Monster Hunter
  - Chill Collector (buy)
    - Motivation: Relaxed, stress-free collection and grinding at own pace
    - Playstyle: Explores the world, uses autoplay for downtime, completes quests and grinds dungeons without rush
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Co-op Hopeful (sale)
    - Motivation: Play through the game cooperatively with friends in a shared open world
    - Playstyle: Plays with friends, desires persistent group progression and seamless drop-in/drop-out multiplayer
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- No gacha system praised (weight 0.77): Players consistently praise the absence of a gacha system, noting no FOMO, no stamina costs, and no pay-to-win mechanics. They appreciate the one-time purchase model and feel it provides mental stability.
- Combat is satisfying (weight 0.58): Combat is widely celebrated as fun, smooth, and satisfying with good hit feedback and combo chaining. Many find it one of the best in the genre.
- Great value for price (weight 0.33): Players find the game reasonably priced and excellent value for what it offers. The low cost is appreciated given the quality and amount of content.
- Reminiscent of Dragon Nest (weight 0.24): Many players feel the game evokes strong nostalgia for Dragon Nest, particularly its combat feel and music. This positive comparison enhances the experience.
- Beautiful graphics and visuals (weight 0.22): The game's visuals are described as stunning, beautiful, and impressive, with great graphics and animations. Players enjoy the vivid environments and character designs.
- Appealing character designs (weight 0.18): Characters are described as beautiful, cute, and refined, with unique charms and an attractive aesthetic. Players enjoy the visual appeal of the cast.
- Exploration like Genshin Impact (weight 0.13): Open-world exploration is compared to Genshin Impact and Breath of the Wild, offering a similar sense of discovery. Players enjoy this familiar yet fresh experience.
- Buy-to-play model supported (weight 0.13): The buy-to-play model without gacha or microtransactions is seen as a positive and even miraculous. Players support this fair monetization approach.
- Good voice acting (weight 0.11): Korean voice acting is addictive and well-received, fitting the game's style despite being limited to one language. Players find it high-quality.
- Better than similar games (weight 0.1): Some players find the game more fun and better executed than Wuthering Waves and Genshin Impact, praising its graphics and overall experience.
- Great for gacha-tired players (weight 0.1): The game is recommended for players tired of gacha monetization, offering a premium experience without exploitative mechanics. It suits anime game fans seeking a fair model.
- Comfortable art style (weight 0.1): The art style is described as comfortable, cute, and appealing, contributing to the game's overall charm. Players enjoy the fun and cozy aesthetic.
- Large amount of content (weight 0.1): Players note the game offers plenty of content for its price, making it a good value. This includes exploration, combat, and story elements.

Common complaints:
- Only Korean voice acting (weight 0.4): Multiple clusters report that the game only offers Korean voice acting, with no English, Japanese, or other language dubs. Some players find the Korean voice acting grating or harsh, and the lack of choice is a major frustration for a global audience.
- Weak and clichéd story (weight 0.15): The story is frequently described as unsatisfactory, clichéd, and predictable. Early pacing is slow, and the narrative lacks quality, making it hard for players to stay engaged.
- Genshin clone with lower quality (weight 0.15): The game is frequently dismissed as a cheap clone of Genshin Impact, with similar mechanics but lower production quality. Comparisons to Genshin and Wuthering Waves highlight a lack of originality.
- Bugs and crashes (weight 0.13): Players report frequent bugs, including characters getting stuck in walls, crashes, and other small glitches. These technical issues disrupt gameplay and require polish.
- Poor DLC pricing (weight 0.11): The DLC pricing is considered poor value, with some DLCs costing more than the base game. The deluxe edition is also criticized as not worth the price, leading to dissatisfaction with monetization.
- Poor AI translations (weight 0.11): AI-generated translations, particularly in Thai and other languages, are quirky and contain errors like confusing pronouns. This undermines dialogue quality and immersion for non-English speakers.
- Weak protagonist (weight 0.09): Poor character traits and a weak protagonist who feels like an errand boy make the story unenjoyable. The protagonist lacks impact and fails to engage players.
- Needs more polish (weight 0.09): The game is described as needing polish and feeling just okay, not impressive. Overall production and execution feel rough around the edges.
- Restricted climbing and gliding (weight 0.08): Players are frustrated that climbing and gliding require mounting a beast, unlike typical open-world games. This restricts movement and exploration, feeling cumbersome.
- Poor lock-on system (weight 0.05): The lock-on system is described as disappointing and difficult to manage, hampering combat precision and enjoyment.
- No parry or invincibility (weight 0.05): The combat lacks invincibility frames, parry, or perfect dodge mechanics, making it feel less responsive and strategic. This reduces depth compared to action games.
- Slow early game (weight 0.05): The early story is slow and bland, requiring players to endure two hours before things improve. This discourages initial engagement.
- Repetitive quests (weight 0.05): Quests feel familiar and repetitive, with reused enemies and side content that lacks variety. This contributes to a sense of grind and diminished exploration rewards.
- Poor controller support (weight 0.05): Controller remapping is limited, with issues like forced mapping exchanges and inconsistent confirmation keys. This frustrates players who prefer custom controls.
- No multiplayer (weight 0.05): The lack of online multiplayer is a notable missing feature, especially for players expecting social or cooperative elements in an open-world game.
- Long heal cooldowns (weight 0.05): Healing mechanics like food and statue use have long cooldowns, with statue heal taking over ten minutes. This feels unnecessarily restrictive and punished normal play.

Gameplay feedback:
- Action combat with switching (weight 0.5): Combat is real-time action with a three-character party, featuring seamless switching and combo chains. It is compared to Dragon Nest and Genshin Impact.
- No gacha monetization (weight 0.47): The game is buy-to-play with no gacha mechanics, unlike many similar open-world titles. It avoids pay-to-win and time-gated monetization.
- Genshin-like open world (weight 0.37): Players frequently compare the game to Genshin Impact and Breath of the Wild in terms of open-world design, art style, and exploration. It is seen as a clone but with improvements.
- Open world exploration (weight 0.22): The game features a large open world with climbing, gliding, swimming, and mounts. Players enjoy exploring to find chests and materials.
- Character progression system (weight 0.22): Characters progress through leveling, skills, and equipment. Each character has two active skills and two synergy skills, and equipment substats can be rerolled.
- Unreal Engine 5 graphics (weight 0.12): The game runs on Unreal Engine 5, providing high-quality visuals and smooth performance. This is a notable technical feature.
- Limited voice acting options (weight 0.09): Currently only Korean voice acting is available, with Chinese as an option. Players may want more language support.
- Co-op dungeon gameplay (weight 0.08): There are co-op dungeons and raids for farming equipment and skills. This adds multiplayer replayability.
- Anime art style (weight 0.07): The game is an anime-style open-world action RPG. This aesthetic appeals to fans of the genre.

Performance notes:
- Great overall performance (weight 0.21): Many users report that the game runs smoothly and is well optimized. Comments mention stable frame rates and no stutters across various systems.
- Steam Deck runs well (weight 0.14): Players confirm solid performance on Steam Deck, with reports of 45-60 fps and smooth gameplay. Some provide specific settings for optimization.
- Performs well on low-end hardware (weight 0.13): The game runs decently on low-spec laptops, HDDs, and portable devices, showing it is not overly demanding. Some even hit 60+ fps on old hardware.
- Good performance on laptops (weight 0.12): The game runs well on laptops, including older models, especially with FSR frame generation. No input lag is noted, and high settings are achievable.
- Unreal Engine 5 optimization (weight 0.1): Users highlight that the game is well optimized for Unreal Engine 5, with stable performance and no frame drops. This is a common positive point.
- Settings menu and saving bugs (weight 0.1): Players report bugs in the settings menu, such as crashes when adjusting graphics, refusal to save changes, and a framerate display bug. This hinders customization.
- Forced upscaling issues (weight 0.08): A common complaint is forced FSR upscaling with no option to disable it. Users note the old version and occasional quality problems.
- Input and controller problems (weight 0.07): Some players mention lag during cutscenes, laggy menus, and PS5 controller disconnection issues. These disrupt the experience.
- 60 FPS cap reported (weight 0.05): Several players mention that the framerate is capped at 60 FPS, with some using lossless scaling to bypass it. This may be a limitation for high-refresh-rate displays.
- High CPU usage at first (weight 0.05): Initial high CPU usage and fan noise are reported, but these issues resolve after adjusting settings or the first startup. Not a persistent problem.
- Optimization better than demo (weight 0.05): Players note that the final game runs better than the demo, which is a positive improvement for those who tried it earlier.
- Long loading times (weight 0.03): One user reports long loading times into the game. This may be an isolated issue but affects the initial experience.
- Lack of fullscreen mode (weight 0.02): A review mentions the absence of fullscreen mode, which is seen as a sign of poor optimization. This may affect immersion and performance.
- Ray tracing forced by engine (weight 0.02): One user complains about forced ray tracing due to Unreal Engine 5. This could impact performance on systems not optimized for it.
- Request for 16:10 support (weight 0.02): A player requests 16:10 resolution support for PC handhelds. This is a niche feature request but important for some users.

Recommendations:
- General high recommendation (weight 0.51): Multiple clusters provide simple endorsements, calling the game worth its price, a good purchase, and highly recommended. These vary from brief one-liners to more specific value affirmations.
- Gacha-free model praised (weight 0.47): The strongest recurring praise is the game being a buy-to-play alternative to gacha models, especially Genshin Impact. Players repeatedly recommend it for those tired of aggressive monetization, FOMO, and resource limitations in free-to-play games.
- No pay-to-win systems (weight 0.38): Many players explicitly note the lack of pay-to-win elements and the absence of gacha gambling as a major positive. This reinforces the appeal to those tired of free-to-play gambling systems.
- Appeals to franchise fans (weight 0.23): Players familiar with Genshin Impact and Dragon Nest find this game a satisfying single-player or spiritual successor. It appeals to those wanting a similar experience without live-service or gacha mechanics.
- Good for action RPG fans (weight 0.16): Fans of action RPGs and open-world action-adventure games find the combat and exploration compelling. The game is recommended for its gameplay depth within the genre.
- Support the developer (weight 0.08): A few players express strong support for the developer, urging others to buy the game to encourage non-gacha development. This is coupled with a wait-and-see sentiment from others.
- Mixed mobile game elements (weight 0.08): Some players note the presence of mobile game elements, which may be divisive. Others suggest trying a demo or buying to test, indicating mixed expectations about port quality.
- Compared to Granblue Relink (weight 0.04): One cluster directly compares the game unfavorably to Granblue Fantasy Relink, calling that a more polished experience. This suggests a niche but notable competitive critique.

Other player notes:
- DLC lacks gameplay depth (weight 0.03): All DLC offerings identified are purely cosmetic skins with no impact on gameplay mechanics or progression. This limits the value of purchasing additional content for players seeking substantive game changes.
- Steam Deck compatibility unremarkable (weight 0.03): The game's compatibility with the Steam Deck has been noted, but no specific performance or control issues were highlighted. This suggests the game may run adequately on the device.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.18): Players largely praise the game for its buy-to-play model with no gacha or stamina systems, allowing all characters to be earned through gameplay. The combat is described as fluid, fun, and satisfying, with great hit feedback and combo mechanics. Additionally, the art style, performance, and overall value for the low price are frequently highlighted as key reasons for satisfaction.
- Frustration (weight 0.13): Frustration stems from numerous bugs such as getting stuck in walls, falling through the ground, crashes, and poor optimization. The UI and controls are criticized as clunky, mobile-like, and lacking essential features like lock-on camera or proper key customization. Other issues include limited voice acting options, high DLC prices, and design elements that feel reminiscent of predatory mobile games.
- Excitement (weight 0.11): Excitement is driven by the smooth, fast-paced combat with seamless character switching and satisfying hit feedback, along with engaging exploration and open-world design. Players are thrilled by the removal of gacha mechanics, providing a complete experience without gambling or time gates. The game's potential for future updates, raids, and endgame content also builds anticipation.
- Disappointment (weight 0.1): Disappointment arises from a lackluster story, poor character modelling, and limited voice acting options (only Korean). The combat is criticized as too simple compared to Dragon Nest or Wuthering Waves, with shallow skill depth and no parry or meaningful mechanics. Technical issues like outdated UI, missing fullscreen support, and excessive grind further dampen the experience.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.09): Players enjoy the game for its smooth and satisfying combat, beautiful visuals, and relaxed exploration without time-gating or predatory monetization. The ability to play on one's own schedule and the fun character switching mechanics contribute to a light, engaging experience. Many find it a great filler or casual alternative to other action RPGs.
- Hope (weight 0.05): Hope is centered on the game's potential to succeed as a fair, buy-to-play model and receive continued support with new characters, regions, and bosses. Players wish for the developer to overcome difficulties and expand the game, seeing it as a positive example for the industry. There is also a desire for future DLC and quality-of-life updates like additional voice languages.
- Relief (weight 0.03): Relief comes from the absence of gacha, pay-to-win mechanics, energy systems, and time gates, providing a stress-free experience where all content is accessible without spending. Players feel liberated from the typical predatory monetization of other games, enjoying a complete package without fear of missing out or financial pressure.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Nostalgia is evoked by strong similarities to Dragon Nest, including combat feel, character designs, enemy models, music, and dungeon structures. Many players recall fond memories of playing Dragon Nest in the past and appreciate this game as a spiritual successor that recaptures that experience.
- Annoyance (weight 0.02): Annoyance is caused by various minor issues such as poor AI translation, annoying characters like Johnny, lag during certain missions, and mobile-like UI elements. Technical bugs like corrupted saves, long loading times, and forced ray tracing also frustrate players, alongside excessive back-and-forth quest design.
- Desire (weight 0.02): Players express a strong desire for additional content such as skin DLC, swimsuit costumes, housing systems, and more multiplayer options like open-world co-op. Many also wish for English voice acting and more female characters or mounts to expand the experience.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Appreciation is directed at the developers for creating a beautiful game with high-quality art, music, and cutscenes, while removing gacha and predatory monetization. Players value the fair pricing and the bold decision to release as a buy-to-play title, praising the team for respecting players rather than exploiting them.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Anticipation stems from long-term interest in the game's future, including hopes for more content, expansions, and the addition of features like co-op or new voice acting. Players have been waiting for the game after delays and publisher issues, looking forward to mods and improvements.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Joy is derived from the game's fun and immersive combat, relaxing exploration, and the relief of finding a game without predatory monetization. Players rediscover the happiness of early Genshin-like exploration and combat, enjoying the eye-pleasing graphics and overall welcoming experience.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Anger is triggered by a bad combat feel, unrelatable protagonist, stupid plot, and tedious mechanics like slow walking segments. Technical issues such as infinite crashes after updates and unavailable skins exacerbate frustration, leading to strong negative reactions.
- Admiration (weight 0.01): Admiration is given to the developer Hound13 for creating a beautiful art style, poetic story, and excellent combat system while avoiding predatory mechanics. Players are impressed enough to purchase all DLC and hope for future expansions, recognizing the team's effort in delivering a quality offline gacha alternative.
- Love (weight 0.01): Love for the game is expressed due to its full exploration, cool heroes, fun story, and combination of favorite open-world gacha elements without predatory practices. Players appreciate the lack of FOMO, cheap DLC, and the ability to enjoy cute female characters without spending money.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Gratitude is directed at the developers for delivering exactly what players wanted: a buy-to-play sequel to Dragon Nest with the gacha system removed. Players thank Hound13 for creating a solid single-player game without microtransactions and for releasing it on Steam.
- Fun (weight 0.01): Players find the game fun due to its engaging combat, overall gameplay, and the Dragon Nest feel. The visual style, familiars, and character moves contribute to an enjoyable experience that captures the essence of the genre.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom sets in when combat lacks character combos and becomes repetitive, with mobs taking too long to defeat. The world appears simple and uninteresting, and the game would benefit from more varied content to maintain engagement.
- Happiness (weight 0.01): Happiness comes from immersive enjoyment of the game, supporting the shift away from gacha, and being satisfied with the purchase due to quality and value. Players appreciate the characters, world, and lack of FOMO, along with good performance and the spiritual successor status to Dragon Nest.}