Publisher: Aeria Games
Developer: Sonov Entertainment
System requirements: Windows XP/2000 (Vista not officially supported): Pentium III 800 MHz or better CPU; 512mb RAM; 3 GB free hard-drive space; GeForce FX 5200 or Radeon 7600 64-MB or better video card; DirectX 9.0c-compatible sound card; broadband Internet connection
Genre: MMORPG
Release date: Q3 2009

Have you ever dreamed of being a martial artist as you jumped, kicked and threw punches in your underwear in front of a mirror? If not, you must do so at once. Aeria Games has put MMORPG and martial arts in the same sentence in the free-to-play Dragon Sky.

Dragon Sky takes place in ancient China. Two rival clans are trying to control both pieces of an ancient scroll created by the God of the Sky. Possessing both pieces of the scroll unlocks knowledge of a powerful fighting technique. The Soul of the Dragon clan are the good guys trying to bring order. The Heart of the Tiger clan are the selfish baddies creating chaos.

This is an MMORPG that plays more like a hack-and-slash adventure game, with a lot of pointing and clicking. During character creation you choose a clan (Dragon or Tiger) and a character type (fist, sword, spear or hammer; each one has a strength and weakness against the other types). Dragon Sky also includes standard MMORPG features: an auction house, a duel system, guild rankings, crafting and quests, and monster fights are quick and plentiful.

Many online games have a one-on-one approach to monster fighting. Dragon Sky is different in that it uses a faster-paced hack-and-slash style that I enjoyed. I like the ability to navigate and fight with just the mouse. This is always handy if you’re playing in long sessions.

Dragon Sky has nothing that sets it apart from the majority of MMORPGs out today. It contains all the standard cookie-cutter elements you can find anywhere. At first I was excited to play an online martial arts game, thinking it would be different, but it’s not. All of the four combat techniques offer the same basic gameplay experience, making choosing between them superfluous. The quests are boring and felt repetitive, and the combat became tedious early in the game. Dragon Sky is going to need a strong community to be enjoyable.

Sometimes you get what you pay for when you play a free game. I would never pay to play Dragon Sky, but if you find a group of friends or great guild buddies to play this game with you, there is a chance you could squeeze some enjoyment out of it.

Our Score:

Our Recommendation: