Dragon Marked for Death is the latest title from Inti Creates, bringing the studio's iconic animation style together with a fun and frantic action role-playing adventure on the Nintendo Switch. Its key hook is the ability to select one of four character classes and customize their equipment and abilities as you grow stronger, effectively letting you build toward the playstyle that you find most interesting and fun.
As you set out on your journey of revenge on behalf of the Dragonblood Clan, here's everything you need to know about Dragon Marked for Death:
What is Dragon Marked for Death?
Dragon Marked for Death is a side-scrolling 2D action RPG set in the fictional Kingdom of Medius. You'll take control of one of four classes of character, a member of the Dragonblood clan who has formed a pact with the dragon Atruum and received its powers. Your motive? Seeking revenge against the kingdom's rulers for destroying your home village at the start of the game. As you explore the kingdom, you'll meet various citizens who need your help and will send you on quests to defeat enemies, find treasure, and accomplish other goals that will raise your notoriety throughout Medius. How you complete these missions, and how well, will change how people view you and may even change the ultimate outcome of your adventure for better or for worse.
How do you play?
You'll begin the game in the main town hub, which is where you can acquire quests from villagers, purchase items and equipment, and progress the story a bit. Once you've picked up a mission, you'll leave town to work on it by moving through one of the game's many stages. These 2D stages are basically action platforming challenges, with an emphasis on the action. There will be tons of enemies coming at you every step of the way, and you'll have to use your character's unique set of abilities to wreck your way through them and get to the boss at the end of the stage. There will be some platforming-like sections that make use of your character's unique movement abilities, but generally, the combat is the main challenge here.
Can I play with friends?
You can! Dragon Marked for Death allows you to play co-op with up to three others locally. There is also an online matchmaking system that will let you partner with up to three others randomly from around the world. But keep in mind that in order to use the online matchmaking features, you'll need to have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription active.
What is the difference between the playable characters?
There are four playable characters in Dragon Marked for Death, and each has a very, very different playstyle:
- Empress - The Empress is the easiest to understand of the playable characters. She wields a rapier and primarily uses melee attacks, but she also has a Dragon Arm ability that lets her shoot projectiles. To traverse the map, her Dragon Arm can turn into a grappling hook that lets her swing from objects hanging above.
- Warrior - The Warrior is a melee character like the Empress, but much heavier. He wields a larger, slower weapon and is primarily focused on defense, making him a good choice if you intend to play co-op. He has a large barrier ability that can protect himself and his allies from attacks, and he is capable of recovering health on his own.
- Shinobi - The Shinobi is a movement-based character who can dash, wall jump, glide, and double jump. His attacks make use of his powerful legs to kick enemies, and he primarily relies on being agile to defeat foes and dodge attacks.
- Witch - The Witch is a magician who isn't good at taking hits, but can use powerful ranged magic attacks to destroy enemies. She is also capable of creating floating platforms to help access areas and can heal her allies, making her a good supporting character for co-op play.
What is the difference between Frontline Fighters and Advanced Attackers?
If you've looked up the game on the Nintendo Switch eShop already, you may have noticed there are two versions: Frontline Fighters and Advanced Attackers. So how do you decide which one you want?
Both versions of the game are identical except for one thing: they each contain different playable characters. The Frontline Fighters version of the game contains the Empress and the Warrior, while Advanced Attackers contains Shinobi and Witch. Whichever version you choose are the characters you will get.
However, if you want to play as all four, you can purchase the other version of the game alongside the version you select initially to receive all four playable characters effectively in one game - the second version of the game acts as DLC. Unfortunately, there is no discount to the second version of the game for doing so. You'll pay full price for both.
How much does Dragon Marked for Death cost?
Dragon Marked for Death: Frontline Fighters and Advanced Attackers are both available now for Nintendo Switch, and each cost $14.99 apiece.
If you purchase the physical edition from Amazon, it will come with all four characters plus additional quest DLC. This full version with DLC costs $49.99.
Any questions?
Unsure which version to get? Want to know more about Dragon Marked for Death? Leave a comment!
