Drakengard is a subversive and somewhat postmodern game and was our first taste of director Yoko Taro's idiosyncratic sensibilities and formalistic approach.
At surface inspection the game seems to be derivative of the dynasty warriors games: you play a powerful lone warrior who is pitted against relentless hoardes of foes on a large battlefield. But the devil is in the details and the game's distinct presentation elevates it beyond its admittedly rather simple mechanics.

The story of the game is macabre and grim, depicting a sort of nameless medieval fantasy kingdom's attempts to repel the invasion of a more oppressive and technologically advanced kingdom neighbouring it. The protagonist, Caim, is the prince of the nameless kingdom and becomes a mute after forming a magical pact to save his life with a cynical and misanthropic dragon. He communicates solely in grunts and becomes an avatar for the player's own relentless bloodthirst. The pounding, repetetive gameplay is served well by an experimental score consisting of chopped and screwed samples of classical music bordering on "ear rape" which serves to imitate the endless clashing of weapons against flesh.

The game is intentionally monotonous and repetetive to invoke a formalistic impression of the gauntlet of warfare-- the gargantuan amount of enemy soldiers numbering in the tens of thousands that must be slain in a bloody onslaught. The game's depth derives from maintaining this rhythmic slaughter without being harmed as even small amounts of damage acrued over the game's lengthy levels culminates with most missions ending with only a sliver of health remaining.

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