Dating all the way back to 1983, the Dragon's Lair arcade game was notorious for its emphasis on luck and unimaginable difficulty level. Few ever finished the adventure, and even fewer did it without emptying their wallets. But it's because of this that the series is so well known, particularly amongst the older generation of gamers. And now, twenty years on, someone has finally brought Dragon's Lair into the third dimension on PlayStation 2. And this time, it delivers everything the original hoped to accomplish, bringing with it a full 3D platform adventure, complete with some smart-looking cel-shading, in which Dirk the Daring again attempts to rescue Princess Daphne from the clutches of the evil dragon Singe.
Legendary animator and creator of the original, Don Bluth, has lent a hand with the development of Dragon's Lair 3D, assisting in the creation of new designs and characters. The castle, which is the location for the core of the adventure, is made up of 16 unique areas, each with multiple rooms and dangers. And now that everything is genuinely interactive, you can run, jump, crouch, somersault, and perform a host of other tricks as you guide the lanky hero through the treacherous environments. Along the way, Dirk can also make use of a variety of items, change weapons and drink potions in order to regain his dwindling health.
It's much more skillful than before, and the game's setting is very faithful to both the 1983 original and the 16-bit SNES offering. It's been a long time coming, but the classic cartoon adventure has finally realised its potential, delivering an immersive and atmospheric adventure on PlayStation 2. And with such a brilliant plot as 'rescue the Princess', who can resist?