Comparisons to big animation studios like Pixar and Dreamworks could not be avoided. In all honesty however, it was produced really well. Since the first animated feature for the game was made in China, it was initially seen with slight cynicism. With a plethora of characters to choose from, however, this seemed like it was for the best. Development of the supporting characters were uneven however, as we get to see some backstory from Geraint and Velskud but no growth whatsoever from Karacule the Sorceress and Terramai the priest. There were a few subplots here and there, but they mostly served as fillers.

While the characters were derived from Dragon Nest, the movie decided to focus mainly on Lambert and Lia, which helped give it focus. Because the movie told a completely new story that was still tied to the game, it didn’t feel like you were watching a walkthrough. MMORPGs tend to have a lot of interweaving plots, which makes translating them into movie form an arduous task. It was also clever in its approach to show the game’s history instead of its current events. It felt like you pressed “skip text” on a lot of parts, which was nice considering that the main draw of the game is the combat itself. It was just a barrage of action, some dialogue, then back to more action. There weren’t any dragging exposition scenes or flashbacks. While not the most original of stories, it still managed to be entertaining and fun to watch.

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