GENRE
	Adventure/Simulation
	DEVELOPER
	Codemasters
	PUBLISHER
	Razorback Developments
	LOCAL WIRELESS MULTI-PLAY
	No
	Wi-Fi/GLOBAL ONLINE MULTI-PLAY
	No
	MICROPHONE
	Yes
	BUY NOW AT

Nintendojo was provided a copy of this game for review by a third party, though that does not affect our recommendation. For every review, Nintendojo uses a standard scoring criteria.

For the uninitiated, the Dragonology book series takes a fanciful look at dragons as though they were any other real animal to be studied. They contain beautiful illustrations, information on habitat, diet, lifespan and other such 'data' on the lives of dragons. In Dragonology for DS, players assume the role of an apprentice dragonologist charged with the task of tracking down dragons in order to amass said information.

Beginning a new game, players can choose from a boy or girl character, and are immediately whisked away to Castle Drake, the ideal headquarters for any budding dragonologist. Here, players are introduced to various on-site locations which include the castle itself (which houses a museum-like collection of acquired dragon info, field samples, photographs and certificates), shops for buying expedition supplies and potions, the expedition blimp hangar and a cave to house and care for a re-located dragon.

Inside the hangar is a world map marked with selectable, rotating expeditions. A description of the objective is provided for each expedition and, once accepted, players are given a list of items needed before setting out. Cameras, dragon-calling whistles, protective headgear and even whole-roasted chicken bait can be purchased with gems, which are scattered around all areas randomly and rather liberally. The expedition supply items are relatively inexpensive; where players will need gems is to coax the aforementioned housed dragon to interact with them in various activities when it would otherwise be tired.

The expeditions, however, are the meat of the game. By completing these players can amass information on six different dragon species from around the world, including samples to display in the museum (extra samples act as reagents in potions for future expeditions). Expeditions to various parts of the world share from a pool of common objectives which can (and do) repeat: photograph the dragon in the wild, take back some treasure the dragon has stolen, befriend or capture the dragon for its own good. These objectives are accomplished by completing various minigames, such as sneaking up on a sleeping dragon, or mimicking the timing its communication pattern to befriend it.

Before players can get to the end objective however, they must traverse a variously laid out, multi-square map peppered with various biological samples to investigate. The square with the highest concentration of dragon samples (some are just normal animal samples) is where players will find the dragon and attempt to complete the objective. Samples range from shed teeth, claws and scales to tracks, scratch marks and even dragon dung. Each sample type has its own identification minigame, from simply keeping falling leaves (or bugs) clear while a magnifier is used to covering tracks with plaster and blowing on it (to keep it clear of leaves) while it dries.

Surprisingly, falling leaves present one of the biggest obstacles when hunting dragons, and it's here that the game begins to show its most glaring flaw: a lack of imagination. Outright repetition of of the same minigames for collecting samples in all locales begins to dampen the enthusiasm for going on expeditions. Also, a ticking time limit destroys any remaining joy of exploration, reducing each expedition to a race to complete the minigames before time runs out. Granted, running out of time is not usually a problem, but the very presence of the clock reminds players that they're playing a game, and one in which the creators couldn't come up with a better idea to convey urgency. For a game based so heavily on fantasy creatures, such lack of imagination could be fatal.

Thankfully, high production value makes up for some of the repetitive gameplay, bringing the game back into balance. Dragonology's 3D graphics make impressive use of the DS's processing capabilities. Inside and outside environments, collected dragon samples, the player character and most importantly, the dragons themselves are all realistically rendered in 3D. Also of enjoyably high production value is the game's music, which conveys a sense of adventure or danger where appropriate and is memorable when not playing. Finally, certain of the taxonomical dragon information that the books are known for is entered into a virtual record book in the game as players complete expeditions. As mentioned earlier, filling the museum with information, samples and photographs comprises the bulk of the activity for players; care of the housed dragon is an added bonus.

All in all, Dragonology is something of a mixed bag. High audiovisual production value delivers a nice overall presentation, and there are some uniquely fun moments such as photographing dragons in the wild or soaring over the countryside on the back of one. Sadly, the bulk of gameplay feels somewhat shallow and unimaginative due to re-use and repetition of gameplay mechanics. Younger fans of the books (or of dragons in general) won't mind the repetition so much and so will have more fun making the journey from an apprentice to a master dragonologist.

6.5/10