Preview: Dragonsword Awakening

We had the opportunity to preview the demo of DragonSword: Awakening thanks to a key received before its public availability during Steam Next Fest. The title is developed and published by Hound13 Inc., a Korean studio already known for Hundred Soul, and aims to bring an anime action RPG set on the continent of Orbis to PC via Steam, built in Unreal Engine 5.

The project has undergone a rather peculiar development path. Initially conceived with a structure closer to online and live service games, DragonSword: Awakening was later re-imagined as a premium experience, with a strong single-player component and optional cooperative modes. This transformation is clearly felt in the demo as well, where the focus is primarily on the combat system, roster progression, and exploration. After completing this demo version, the feeling is that of encountering a title with a well-defined personality, clearly inspired by Dragon Nest and other Eastern action RPGs, offering an experience that resembles an hack'n'slash with RPG elements much more than a traditional open world based solely on exploration. From the very first minutes, a strong emphasis on combat and party building emerges, elements that represent the true heart of the experience and help distinguish Hound13's title from the competition.

The story revolves around Lute, a young warrior who has lost his memory and finds himself caught up in a series of events linked to the return of dragons. Accompanied by a group of mercenaries, the protagonist reaches the continent of Orbis, joins the Guild, and begins to investigate the mysteries surrounding his own past. From the very first hours, it becomes evident that Lute possesses a special bond with draconic creatures and that an unknown power lies dormant within him. The plot uses classic elements of Japanese fantasy, such as the protagonist's amnesia and ancient, forgotten legends, but still manages to spark curiosity thanks to the numerous questions left unanswered by the demo.

If there's one aspect that immediately stands out, it's the combat system. DragonSword: Awakening abandons many of the conventions of modern open-world RPGs to embrace a philosophy much closer to hack 'n' slash. The influence of Dragon Nest is evident in every aspect of the gameplay. Each character has their own weapon, a unique fighting style, and dedicated skills that can be chained with those of other party members through the Tag Combo system. Normal attacks aren't limited to a simple predetermined sequence but include variations after a dodge, jump attacks, and further extensions that activate under specific conditions, such as when an enemy is stunned or launched into the air. The combos are spectacular but also extremely functional. Status effects, stuns, and special abilities allow for continuous synergies between party members, turning every fight into a fluid and satisfying sequence. When the system hits its best stride, the game manages to offer very fun and visually impressive combat. Stamina management contributes depth to the action. Dodges, runs, and the use of Familiars as mounts consume stamina, forcing the player to carefully manage their resources during exploration and more challenging battles. However, this isn't a stamina system designed to limit playtime as seen in many live-service titles, but a true gameplay mechanic.

The defensive system also follows a particular philosophy. In fact, there isn't a universal parry available for all characters. Dodging is the primary tool for avoiding enemy attacks, while only certain heroes possess specific abilities that allow them to block or counter. This choice further differentiates the roster. One of the most interesting mechanics, however, concerns Lute. During battles against dragons, the protagonist can use a special ability that allows him to climb directly onto the creature's back and continue the attack from a privileged position. This solution immediately brings to mind Monster Hunter and Dragon's Dogma, adding a spectacular dimension to the most important boss fights while simultaneously strengthening the narrative bond between the protagonist and the draconic creatures.

The progression also confirms the title's strongly action-oriented nature. Characters do not automatically level up by fighting, but must be manually upgraded using specific materials and in-game currency. Each hero can also individually improve their abilities, while the true indicator of overall advancement is represented by the Guild level. The latter unlocks new advancements and allows characters to overcome growth limits, such as the first cap set at level 20.

Although the demo only allows you to visit a portion of the map, a glance at the world screen is enough to understand the project's ambition. Orbis appears vast and full of unexplored regions, hinting at a considerable amount of content in the full version. At the heart of the experience is a city that serves as the adventure's main hub. Here you'll find the Guild, merchants, blacksmiths, and numerous other NPCs who seem destined to play an important role in progression. In the demo, many of these functions are not yet accessible, and the only truly usable structure is the Guild, but the feeling is that of an operational center destined to expand over the course of the adventure. Once you leave the city, the world can be explored freely. During your journey, you may encounter enemy camps, dungeons, environmental puzzles, and activities scattered in every corner of the map. Exploration is constantly encouraged through rewards and points of interest that push the player away from the main path.

 
Particularly interesting is the warp system. In addition to the traditional fast travel points, there are structures that require the solving of environmental puzzles to be activated. Once unlocked, these also reveal portions of the map that are still obscured, facilitating exploration of the surrounding areas. Other special points, however, allow the party's health to be fully restored before facing new challenges. The adventure's progression is divided between main missions and secondary assignments obtained from NPCs present in the game world. These are complemented by replayable dungeons, likely the most interesting content for those who appreciate the combat system.

Each dungeon culminates with a boss battle and offers useful materials for growing your roster, currency, and new equipment. Once completed, they can be replayed at higher difficulties for better rewards, creating a structure that strongly recalls the online action RPGs from which the game draws inspiration. The only limitation encountered during testing concerns the replayability of the main campaign. Currently, it doesn't seem possible to re-challenge story missions or main bosses once defeated, while dungeon bosses can be faced freely as many times as desired.

Visually, DragonSword: Awakening impresses with its highly successful anime art direction. The characters are the pinnacle of the production, with well-crafted models, appealing designs, and fluid animations during both exploration and combat. The skill effects also contribute to spectacular battles without overly compromising the readability of the action. The anime style chosen by the developers enhances the cast and gives the game a strong visual identity. The environments, however, show more inconsistent quality. Although the overall look is pleasing and consistent with the artistic direction, some environmental details are less defined compared to the excellent work done on the characters. On the technical front, the demo is positively surprising. During testing, performance remained very stable and fluid, even in the most hectic situations filled with visual effects. This is a particularly encouraging result considering the spectacular nature of the combat system.

One of the most promising aspects of the demo is the variety of characters. Each hero has a well-defined identity from both an aesthetic and gameplay perspective. The differences aren't just about available abilities, but also about how each character approaches combat, their defensive options, and the synergies they can create with the rest of the party. This strong characterization encourages experimentation and makes team composition a central element of the experience. The game doesn't push players to always use the same characters, but constantly invites them to try new combinations to discover different strategies and combos.

DragonSword: Awakening doesn't aim to reinvent the genre, but it shows it has a very clear personality. The combat system is the true strong point of the production, thanks to fast-paced, spectacular gameplay strongly inspired by the Dragon Nest school. The roster progression, dungeon structure, and focus on character synergies further strengthen this identity. Orbis's open world appears promising and rich in activities, while the anime art direction and excellent technical performance contribute to leaving a positive impression. Some rough edges remain, mainly related to the camera and movement system, but the potential shown by the demo is evident. If the final version manages to refine these aspects and maintain the quality of the combat system throughout the adventure, DragonSword: Awakening could carve out an important niche among the most interesting action RPGs of recent years.

The demo will be available on Steam concurrently with the release of this article. The official launch is scheduled for June 26, 2026, on PC.