DreamWorks Dragons: Dawn of New Riders

Actually not the worst franchise game I played. Sure, I definitely admit, reduced to its core, it’s (like every representative of this genre) a pretty mediocre game, mostly held together by the famous characters and likable images. And what it delivers gameplay-wise is exactly the stuff you would expect from an average action adventure, that is, an easy short-to-medium-length mix of puzzles and fighting, which probably on the plus side might indeed be very good for young children to kill time or (from an educational standpoint) to get used to gaming mechanics in general (like dodging, switching weapons, upgrading, elemental effects and whatnot). In addition don’t expect any voice-overs or extensive cutscenes, so like often for lower-budget movie games, the story is more or less told through static sequences with only text and short sounds. Anyway, I know I’m sometimes inconsiderate, but I have to admit I somehow have a weakness for those franchise games, thus I’m still giving a thumbs up. Yet for a non-fan of the How to Train Your Dragon series and its spin-offs (the game also narration-wise assumes that you at least know some of the franchise background, so no sideways explanations), err, maybe better wait for an extreme discount or some bundles like me. The pricing policy of all those licensed games sometimes is pretty insane, and Outright Games mostly always features those high price tags as well, but I’m not here to judge. After all you decide.

The thing is, I would definitely recommend this game for a httyd fan, but not so much for someone just looking for an adventure/puzzle game. If that's the case, then your looking in the wrong spot. This game is about the dragons and if you like the movies a lot like me, its gonna be a lot more enjoyable. Now let me go over the pros and cons of this game:
Pros:
-Very pleasant art style that reminds me of some sort of Zelda game
-New music that fits the Httyd series
-Decent puzzles (although after playing a Legend of Zelda game, these are quite easy)
-The ability to switch between viking and dragon makes some unique scenarios with combat and puzzle solving
-Sound design with the dragons is on point
-The dragon boss battles are quite fun and can sometimes be challenging
-The story is quite decent
Cons:
-Way too short of a game (7 hours total (4-5 hours for main campaign and 2 hours for side quests and achievements)
-Its too expensive for how long you get to play, When it first came out it was $40 which is so overpriced but now on steam its $30 which is what I got for it. Still a bit too overpriced but if you don't want to pay 30 then wait for a sale.
-Gameplay can get repetitive
-No voice acting (so much potential)
-Controls are not the best
So overall, I enjoyed this game, it definitely is too short but I hope they make some DLC or I think they are planning a sequal (otherwise the story would be a massive cliffhanger)
The main problem with this game is not the developers (cause they have good potential from what I've seen) but the time crunch. I'm pretty sure Dreamworks wanted this game pushed out right around the release of the third film so that it would sell better, but that just left the game a bit 'unfinished.' There was so much potential and I hope that the sequel (if there is one) would be a lot longer and improve from its successor.
I would give this game a 7/10
The main reason is that its too short for its price and it had so much potential, but it seems to be one of the better httyd games and I hope this game sells well so I can play the sequel.

flying your dragon is cool, the puzzles are a little simple but they're fun, the artstyle and soundtrack really fit the HTTYD franchise, and it has some cute references to THW and RTTE. besides a few bugs it's a great game but my only complaint is the length, 7-8 hours is fine but not for a $40 game. unless you're a HTTYD superfan and really need your fix after the 3rd movie i would recommend waiting until it goes on sale or has a price drop. i hope the planned sequel will be longer!

Dont understand the hate this game is getting, only caveat I would give is buy on sale, not for full price. Cause for the lenght of the game is not worth it. Apart from that game is a great fun, your kids will love it. Not too difficult, some puzzles will require help from adults depending of age. If you go for 100 % completion you can easily put 5-6 hours into the game, no point in rushing it. Everything is easy if you hunt achievements, 2 of the dungeons have great puzzles that will give you your money wotrh alone. You have 3 big islands related to story and lesser ones where you can save dragons and collect items. Its by far from some quick money grab, I've seen plenty of those and here they have put some tought in puzzles and most of islands with goiving you some challenge. So I recommend it, but buy on sale, for price it goes for on sales its worth you money and time. Enjoy

PROS
- Dragons: you don't get to play as canon characters, but the main chars of the game are good
- Beautiful: impressive art style, everything from tilesets to loading backgrounds is gorgeous
- Cute: main dragon character causes cuteness overload
- Story: simple, but touching
- Gameplay: nothing revolutionary, but solid; puzzles, combat, bosses - everything is fun
- The one and only HTTYD game which isn't cheap low-quality cash-grab without any soul
CONS
- Short: I managed to play for 9 hours, most players will probably finish sooner
- Desire for more: seriously, the game feels like it's designed for more content
I'd say the game is mandatory for How to Train Your Dragon fans. Developers who put heart and soul into a game instead of inserting a popular franchise into a microtransaction-ridden mobile garbage must be supported. If you think 10 hours aren't worth whatever price you see, get it during sale. But please, don't skip it. I want more games like this.

i bought this game in the summer sale for 9€, its not the best game but its a nice game with puzzels and action, i only 1 glitch one time when my character did fall down through the ground, i would not say the game is worth 30€ because its short but for the money i paid im happy that i did try it out, if you are a HTTYD fan then i think you need to try it out and if you love dragons you probably will like it too because you can play as the dragon, the art style is beautiful, the music is nice,

Pros
-A variety of powers for Patch (your dragon) and weapons+armor for Scribbler. Ability to upgrade weapons gives them elemental damage that's pretty fun to mix and match during combat.
- Gaining the ability to fly with Patch opens up the world map that lets you explore different island to find resources and upgrade materials.
- A good mixture of combat against humans and dragons that can become challenging as you progress through the game if you don't upgrade your weapons and armors properly.
-Fun level design for the variety of islands you explore. The main islands (story progress ones) are really neat because they're long and offer a variety of exploration options. Finding the dungeons on these islands offers a really fun experience because the dungeons offer cool puzzles and exploration that are enjoyable.
-The story, while not revolutionary is neat. It's a mature tale of loss, revenge, and acceptance that both young and old gamers will enjoy. I have no prior experience with HTTYD but I'm definitely curious with exploring the franchise after playing through this game.
Cons
-The combat is mostly repetitive. As I stated above, you do fight humans and dragons but after a while it's the same exact thing each time so if you aren't in a gated arena you just run past everyone (I did anyway..)
-The music was okay. While I didn't expect soaring symphonies I was hoping for a bit more oomph during the dungeons and boss fights but it just wasn't there so that was unfortunate.
-The price point is far too high for this game considering the gameplay isn't compelling. While I did have fun, I'd only be willing to pay $20 for the game. I bought it for $9 during the Steam Summer Sale and I'm satisfied with that, but I can't agree with the original price.
Final Verdict
Dawn of the New Riders is fun. I beat it in about 6 hours, and that was only because I had to do a bit of grinding for some resources for the final upgrades I needed to obtain. Overall, if you don't decide to collect the chests on each island (the only collectibles in the game) the game will definitely be a lot shorter. You'd be able to beat it between 4-5hrs. Having said all that, take your time and enjoy the game because it's a pleasant experience. You won't be blown away by the story, or gameplay, but you won't be disappointed either if you can pick the game up on sale! 3 out of 5