Eragon (video game)
| Company type | Video game |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | November 2006 |
| Founder | Stormfront Studios (console and PC versions), Amaze Entertainment (handheld versions) |
Area served | North America, Europe, Australia |
| Products | Eragon (video game) |
| Owner | Vivendi Games |
Eragon is a third-person video game available on PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows. It was created by Stormfront Studios and published by Vivendi Games. Distinct adaptations for Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, and mobile phone platforms were mainly developed by Amaze Entertainment.
The game draws inspiration from the 2006 Eragon movie, which is itself an adaptation of Christopher Paolini's 2002 novel. Released in November 2006 throughout North America, Europe, and Australia, its launch coincided with the film’s debut. Players take on the role of the main character Eragon, occasionally assuming control of his dragon companion, Saphira.
Although critical reception was mixed, the game sold over 400,000 copies in North America alone.
Gameplay
The gameplay primarily focuses on third-person combat with most action occurring on foot. Initially, players have access to four combo attack moves and three fundamental magic spells: telekinesis (Thrysta Vindr), shield (Skölir), and fire (Brisingr). These magical abilities serve various functions, such as shooting Brisingr arrows or manipulating objects through telekinesis. The PC and console editions—excluding Xbox 360—feature sixteen distinct levels.
Certain missions allow players to pilot Saphira during battles, utilizing unique attacks like tail strikes while Eragon rides her and launches magical arrows. However, Saphira is unavailable during ground-based stages except for brief aerial support maneuvers. The game supports local cooperative multiplayer, permitting two players to progress through the story together with smooth transitions between single-player and co-op modes. Online multiplayer functionality is not included.
Plot
During a hunting excursion in The Spine, 15-year-old Eragon discovers a mysterious blue stone that later hatches into a dragon egg. He names the dragon Saphira, drawing inspiration from names provided by storyteller Brom. The egg’s emergence attracts the attention of the despotic king Galbatorix, who dispatches agents to seize the dragon. Following the death of Eragon’s uncle and the destruction of his home, Brom assists Eragon in escaping and entrusts him with an ancient sword called Zar'roc.
Eragon and Saphira arrive at Daret, where they repel attacks amid fires ignited by the king’s soldiers. Pursued by Ra'zac, they are ambushed; Saphira becomes trapped under rubble, requiring Eragon to fight enemies while freeing her. They then journey to Gil'ead, infiltrate the city, battle through Durza’s stronghold, and rescue both Arya and Murtagh. During their escape, Brom sacrifices himself to ensure Eragon’s survival.
Fleeing Gil'ead atop Saphira, they confront a Kull within Orthiad’s ruins and face Urgals in the Beor Mountains. After navigating an Urgal camp and a fog-covered gorge, they reach the Varden’s sanctuary and defend it against waves of Urgal attackers. The climax features Eragon and Saphira defeating Durza in a final confrontation atop a colossal beast.
Development
On April 18, 2006, Vivendi Universal Games revealed plans for a video game adaptation of the Eragon movie, targeting PCs and prominent consoles from the sixth and seventh generations (excluding GameCube, Wii, and PlayStation 3), with a release date set for December 2006. The console editions were created by Stormfront Studios, recognized for their work on The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers game adaptation, while the handheld versions were developed by Amaze Entertainment, known for titles such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Over the Hedge. The game made its initial public appearance at the May 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo.
At Comic-Con 2006, attendees had the opportunity to play a level named Daret Bridge, which featured Urgal adversaries and gameplay elements involving magic and Saphira; author Christopher Paolini also demonstrated additional stages like Spine Mountains. The game was further exhibited at the 2006 Games Convention held in Leipzig, Germany. Actress Sienna Guillory, who portrayed Arya in the film, actively promoted the game at Vivendi’s exhibition area.
By October 2006, it was confirmed that several actors from the film would lend their voices to their respective characters in the game: Edward Speleers as Eragon, Sienna Guillory as Arya, Garrett Hedlund as Murtagh, and Robert Carlyle as Durza. Additionally, animation supervisor Wes Takahashi contributed as an external art director on the project.
Releases
While the console and PC versions offer comparable gameplay experiences, the Xbox 360 edition includes two exclusive stages—one featuring Eragon on foot and another focusing on Saphira—and introduces the Kull, an antagonist adapted with notable differences from its portrayal in the novels. Handheld adaptations vary considerably: the Game Boy Advance version emphasizes role-playing mechanics; the PSP edition centers on multiplayer functionality and aerial dragon sequences; and the Nintendo DS version utilizes its touchscreen capabilities for combat interactions.
A mobile phone iteration provides alternative control schemes for both Eragon and Saphira, incorporates multiple narrative branches, and allows players to customize character abilities. It also contains a cheat code that unlocks "fury mode" in console editions. The Official Strategy Guide, penned by Eric Mylonas, was released by Primagames with a preview available on Sierra's website.
Critical reception
The Eragon game received generally "mixed or average" evaluations on platforms such as Metacritic and GameRankings. GameSpot assigned it a score of 4.2 out of 10, whereas GameSpy rated it 2 out of 5. The PC version faced criticism from PC Gamer UK for its shallow storyline and repetitive gameplay elements, labeling it "a profoundly uninspiring tie-in" with a rating of 53%. IGN pointed out issues including problematic camera controls, simplistic combat mechanics, and a brief overall length, giving it a score of 4.7 out of 10.
Conversely, handheld versions were met with more favorable reviews. The Nintendo DS edition received commendation from IGN for its robust gameplay, engaging quest design, length that surpasses typical movie tie-ins, and an extensive tutorial system. It earned a score of 7.5 out of 10 and was regarded as unexpectedly well-crafted for its platform.
External links
- Eragon at Shurtugal.com
- Eragon at IGN
- Articles with short description
- 2006 video games
- Action-adventure games
- Amaze Entertainment games
- Cooperative video games
- Game Boy Advance games
- Hack and slash games
- The Inheritance Cycle
- Multiplayer and single-player video games
- Nintendo DS games
- PlayStation 2 games
- PlayStation Portable games
- Sierra Entertainment games
- Stormfront Studios games
- Video games about dragons
- Video games based on films
- Video games developed in the United States
- Vivendi Games games
- Windows games
- Xbox 360 games
- Xbox games