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Blue Dragon is an important release at this stage of the 360’s life cycle. Sure, the console is enjoying its dominance in most parts of the world, but in Japan its sales can only be described as modest at best. Blue Dragon has a pedigree sure to impress any Japanese RPG fanatic with producer Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of the now legendary Final Fantasy series. Throw into this mix character designer Akira Toriyama and composer Nobuo Uematsu and you have the Japanese RPG equivalent of a Spielberg Hollywood blockbuster starring Brad and Angelina. However, like many Hollywood blockbusters, the presence of so many big names does not necessarily mean quality. So, does Blue Dragon live up to its star potential? Or is it a case of too many hands spoiling the broth?

Blue Dragon is very much a traditional RPG, right to the very core of its being. Anyone who has played any of the Final Fantasy games will feel right at home here. All your standard RPG elements are here – experience points, character advancement, a party of characters, turn based combat and an epic story line that spans over a massive three discs. While any comparisons with Final Fantasy may seem like a good thing, in the end it just makes the whole experience feel very generic. Blue Dragon doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. Don’t get me wrong, the elements that are here have been implemented well, but there isn’t anything here to get excited about either. It almost feels like RPG by numbers, and you’re left just going through the motions.

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