DragonSword: Awakening brings an anime-styled open world to Steam built on Unreal Engine 5, and it’s making waves for a big reason: there’s no gacha here. What began life as a live-service mobile title was completely rebuilt into a single-purchase, buy-to-play action RPG with tag-team combat across 19 playable heroes.
At a Glance:
- Release Date: Released
- Genre: Open-World Action RPG, Anime, JRPG
- Platform: PC (Steam)
- Cost: $29.99 USD
- Developer/Publisher: Hound13 Inc.
- Store Link: Get DragonSword: Awakening on Steam →
The Story / Concept
DragonSword: Awakening follows Lute, a boy traveling toward the kingdom of Orbis, who gets swept into the chaotic life of mercenaries Johnny and Castella just as a Dragon that nearly destroyed the world 60 years ago reawakens. Built by Hound13, a studio founded by veterans of Dragon Nest, the game leans on its team’s action-RPG pedigree with fast, combo-driven combat set across a warmly rendered anime open world.
Core Gameplay Features
Status Ailment tag-team combat — Each of the 19 Heroes has a distinct Status Ailment ability that stacks with Active Skills.
- Chain devastating combos by unleashing powerful Signal Skills once ailments are stacked
- Switch Heroes mid-fight through Endless Signal Switching to keep combos flowing
A living open world — Explore meadows, watchtower cellars, deep seas, and hidden dungeons across the Continent of Orbis on foot.
- Cook meals from ingredients found while exploring and help local residents with side content
No gacha, ever — All 19 Heroes unlock through story progression, exploration, faction reputation, and raids.
- Only cosmetic costumes and collectible Familiars are sold as optional paid content
Who Is This For?
If you’ve been burned out on gacha mechanics but still love the anime action-RPG genre, DragonSword: Awakening is built specifically for you — it’s a one-time purchase with a full hero roster included. The online co-op option also makes this a solid pick for squads who want to explore Orbis together.
