Graphics

The glorious Glory.

Dragonfall is a great example of doing a lot with very little. Technically speaking, the game engine is nothing special: Character models are extremely basic, special effects minimal, and lighting is, for the most part, static. But the lush, painted backgrounds that strike a perfect balance between neon vibrancy and noir chiaroscuro.

Each of Berlin’s locales that you visit over the course of your adventure shows obvious signs of years of turf warfare, anarchic vandalism, and occult catastrophes, and yet it is a surprisingly beautiful city. The walls may be crumbling, the smog omnipresent, and the buildings bleached of colour by acid rain; and yet everywhere there are signs of the city’s inhabitants trying to shine beacons in the gloom. Whether it be the fairly lights criss-crossing the streets, the holographic light displays, or the neon signwriting, colour blossoms like new life breaking through fractured concrete.

Interior locations are no less evocative, with scrupulous attention paid to even the most minor details. One of the standout locations for me was the bar players visit early on in the game. A ram’s head adorned the wall above the multi-coloured bottles behind the bar counter. Dream catchers and other shamanic totems adorn the walls next to game tables and dining booths filled with arm-locked couples. The artistry is superb, and the game world feels less like it was assembled from a tile set and more like it hatched organically. It’s one of Dragonfall’s best features, to be sure.