Drakengard

Drakengard, known in Japan as Drag-On Dragoon, is a series of action role-playing video games developed by Cavia and published by Square Enix. The first entry, Drakengard (2003) for PlayStation 2, blends ground-based melee combat with aerial combat on the player's dragon partner. Players control a human warrior in a dark fantasy world while commanding a dragon in flight battles.

The original game is notable for its branching, often bleak narrative structure, offering multiple endings. Ending E, in particular, culminates in the apocalyptic destruction of the world, a device that influenced later works in the franchise and NieR.

Drakengard 2 (2005) follows the first game's events in the same universe but features an unrelated cast and narrative, continuing the game's hybrid action mechanics and offering a distinct tone and gameplay refinements. Drakengard 3 (2013) returns to the trilogy's world as a prequel to the first game, focusing on a female warrior named Zero and her dragon companion, and again uses action-RPG mechanics with an emphasis on the series' gothic atmosphere and branching endings.

The Drakengard games are widely recognized for their dark themes and unconventional storytelling, and are considered spiritual predecessors to NieR, a separate series created by Yoko Taro. NieR's games and media expand on some of the ideas and world lore introduced in Drakengard, and the two franchises share a director and thematic lineage. The Drakengard series has a niche but devoted fanbase, with sequels and spin-offs contributing to a broader fiction set.