For Kemco fans, the excitement for a new release is high, despite simply being a port of a previously released title since, more often than not, the original was not played at launch. Dead Dragons is another such Kemco game, developed by Magitec, that was first released in 2016 for Android. It is now re-released for consoles, including Nintendo Switch, in 2025. Does this almost decade-old RPG have the beloved features modern Kemco titles do?
The title choice for Dead Dragons is intriguing. Any tale featuring dragons is usually awesome, after all. In this story, dragons have allegedly been beaten since a century before Will unwittingly becomes entwined with the legendary beasts that once roamed the planet. Fate sees Will setting out on a quest alongside a feisty girl, Shikina, to find the elusive creatures and avoid his own demise. The plot is strong in terms of how the tale unravels, the usual Kemco plot twists appear and, as expected, the dragon species are not all dead – but separating truth from fiction brings mind-boggling ramifications for both the protagonists and the wider world.
All playable characters that slowly join the team, as well as the NPCs, are memorable in their expected stereotypical nature, but unfortunately this and the narrative are the best parts of Dead Dragons. The music is nothing special or memorable, and on the map, instead of being able to walk through a forest, they are solid objects that have to be navigated around.
It appears that there is a lack of side quests, which is odd. Perhaps they are unlocked by revisiting settlements multiple times. Half the fun in such RPGs is completing all the random side quests, so it feels like half the experience is missing. There are lost opportunities in the gameplay; travelling by boat has zero enemy encounters, which makes sea travel feel dull, and battling aquatic monsters that are different to land enemies is a fun pastime that is sadly absent here.
The worst part of battles is a unique mechanic present from the start. Before every normal attack there are a few moments to guess which one of three points is the weak spot of the opponent. If assumed accurately, extra damage is inflicted. This could have been a clever feature, but instead it is annoying. Considering fights are frequent, it makes battles unenjoyable.
For starters, the weak spot for each enemy is RNG based every single time. It would have been far better to have the same weak spot for each type of enemy, so at least players could learn and remember where it is. Instead, the regular incorrect guesses simply draw battles out and make them feel like a chore. Yes, the ability to regularly change position of the team without losing a turn since they are placed in a column formation rather than a row is strategically beneficial, but it is eclipsed by the irritating weak point mechanic.
Most but not all of the playable characters have special skills, which can be unleashed when the Ruin gauge fills up. This is not a singular attack. Without giving away spoilers, using this feature enables a total of three attacks to be used per move, which really turns the tide for boss encounters. These extra moves evolve upon leveling-up various character elements, which, rather than being an automatic upgrade system, are fully customisable.
For the most part, it is wise to balance out the areas that are leveled-up, as all characters need a decent amount of attack and defence stats. Focusing more on raising magic stats for characters who naturally have a high affinity to magic makes more sense, with superior spells and skills gained on reaching particular levels. While certain characters are predisposed to traits such as supportive roles, it is entirely possible to reconfigure their strengths to make favourite picks become more powerful.
Power is not always enough, though. The end of the journey, which presumably follows the usual Kemco style of having multiple endings, remains unknown. Despite the main party being at level 99, and having strong weapons and armour, the final game boss was undefeatable. This is not a case of inexperience, as this reviewer is a confident veteran of Kemco titles.
The boss wiped out the party after quite a few moves. Even using an accessory that indicated it should prevent sudden death failed to keep one member alive. The multiple attempts all resulted in the same fate. It became clear that progression simply would not happen, which is a real shame as not knowing how a tale ends is frustrating. Maybe it is a glitch because all characters were max levelled. Whatever the reason, it is not pleasant, and it sours what is already not a great experience.
