5 Ways Dragon’s Dogma Is The Best Netflix Video Game Adaptation (& 5 Why It’s Castlevania)

Dragon’s Dogma is the latest entry into the list of Netflix video game adaptations, but is it the best one, or does Castlevania still hold the title?

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With the success of western anime like Castlevania from Netflix, it seems that many developer studios have seen how much potential show adaptations have for their video games. So it probably only a matter of time until someone else tries to make their own anime based on a video game and that contender was Netflix’s Dragon’s Dogma.

Whereas Castlevania is Konami’s pet project, Dragon’s Dogma is Capcom’s. Both Netflix anime also share similarities as the two are set in a dark fantasy world that’s unforgiving and mature. How exactly did Dragon’s Dogma fare against the more established Castlevania anime in Netflix? This guide ought to compare the two similar shows for those who are torn.

10 WHY DRAGON’S DOGMA: IT’S MORE EPIC

The premise of Dragon’s Dogma revolves around the “chosen one” trope in fiction except with more complications along the way. The chosen one is practically cursed and has to slay the dragon in order to reclaim his heart but the twist is that he becomes the very thing he hates and swore vengeance against.

On paper, it sounds like a glorious template for a fantasy adventure with its own subversion of the genre’s elements, regardless of how well the anime executed that idea. Castlevania’s premise will likely turn fewer heads as it’s more basic. It’s essentially just kill Dracula because he’s angry and then after that, the newer seasons’ antagonists try to live up to him but can’t.

9 WHY CASTLEVANIA: BETTER CHARACTERS

Here’s where Castlevania has a major advantage over Dragon’s Dogma in terms of storytelling: the cast. Each character in that anime stands apart from the others and is easily distinguishable and has its own motivation and goal. That’s why they’re more believable and it’s easy to root for them.

Sadly, Dragon’s Dogma’s two protagonists barely have any chemistry at all despite the many narrative opportunities the showrunners could have taken. Castlevania’s Alucard, Sypha, and Trevor trio are simply more interesting and dynamic as well as fun to watch. Heck, even the villains and side characters in Castlevania are more developed than Dragon’s Dogma’s.

8 WHY DRAGON’S DOGMA: MORE FAITHFUL TO THE VIDEO GAME

Castlevania might have had a better spotlight for its characters but that came at the cost of taking too many liberties with the franchise. Its story exists in a vacuum and is separate from the games which are both good and bad. Meanwhile, Dragon’s Dogma is a straight and nearly 1:1 adaptation of the video game with plenty of recognizable elements.

It included spells, locations, and even the overarching plot is identical to the game. It would seem that the showrunners are confident with how the story can play out even if it was too similar to the video game. Moreover, it’s less confusing for the fans of the franchise whereas Castlevania fans might be puzzled with what the show did to Alucard or even Dracula.

7 WHY CASTLEVANIA: BETTER LORE

Since the Castlevania franchise is a lot deeper and has more history than the relatively younger Dragon’s Dogma, then it has more material to work with for the show. The anime shows just how rich its fantasy world is from the get-go with characters like Trevor Belmont whose ancestors and predecessors are the usual protagonists of the game.

These games date all the way back to the Nintendo Game Boy’s heyday. Since then, Castlevania has had a lot of titles released across multiple gaming platforms. That’s why it has a stronger world-building than Dragon’s Dogma’s seemingly shallow world.

6 WHY DRAGON’S DOGMA: MORE RELATABLE PLOT

What Dragon’s Dogma lacks in world-building, it makes up for with a rather straightforward premise and storyline. A dragon killed the protagonist’s pregnant wife and orphaned child, took his heart, and also burned his village so naturally, he wants revenge. Simple as that, except the ending can be deceptive.

Still, it’s a more relatable scenario compared to wanting to kill Dracula because he wants to destroy the world. The ending of Castlevania’s Dracula arc is also predictable and there were barely any stakes at all for the characters (no pun intended). By Season 3, Castlevania has already become complex with the characters having no main goal.

5 WHY CASTLEVANIA: MORE EPISODES

Now, we did mention that Castlevania already has three seasons at the ready. That much is a testament to its success. In fact, its first season was so successful and in-demand, the fans asked for more episodes per season and the showrunners delivered.

That only means there’s a lot more of Castlevania while fans of Dragon’s Dogma have to wait maybe a year more for another season assuming it gets greenlit or if it even has enough material to turn into a show. As it is, Dragon’s Dogma is pretty much finished with no promising potential for succeeding seasons in its storyline.

4 WHY DRAGON’S DOGMA: THEMATIC EPISODES

Even though it has fewer episodes, Dragon’s Dogma turns each one into a valuable moral lesson for its viewers. Each episode is titled after a sin based on Christian teachings or ideals. That’s why each episode has its own unique flavor and/or monster as well as a bit of character development.

It’s not just for show either, each sin is connected to the protagonist’s salvation whether or not he’ll fail to avoid them. Castlevania is more devoted to its overall story though this also means that there are obvious filler episodes each season and even episodes where practically nothing happens, especially in Season 3.

3 WHY CASTLEVANIA: MORE CONSISTENT ANIMATION

One thing that many anime fans will notice right away with Dragon’s Dogma is its generous use of 3D animations. This might be a turn-off for some especially with the notoriety attached to them thanks to blunderous anime projects like Berserk 2016.

Dragon’s Dogma isn’t that bad when it comes to animation but its 3D still leaves much to be desired. Castlevania’s more consistent use of 2D and lends much to its gothic art style and quality. The result is that it might be easier to watch for a lot of anime viewers.

2 WHY DRAGON’S DOGMA: MORE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

Turns out the reception for Dragon’s Dogma isn’t that great and it’s mostly appreciated by fans of the video game. Still, that only means there’s no other way for it to go but up with where it’s standing right now. It has lots of room for improvement and could even become a much better show than Castlevania is most of its issues are addressed come the second season (or if there ever will be one).

It does seem like the show was rushed and could have used more time in the oven in order to develop its characters more. However, there’s no doubting how much potential it has for a video game adaptation. After all, it’s already a cool concept on its own.

1 WHY CASTLEVANIA: BETTER SOURCE MATERIAL

With that said, Castlevania’s legacy might just be too much to handle for Dragon’s Dogma if they ever directly compete with each other. It has more solid characters and the main recurring villain in the games (Dracula) is more recognizable as well as charismatic.

Not to mention Castlevania has more fans that support it than Dragon’s Dogma thanks to the multitude of games available for the franchise. There’s easily tons of stories the Netflix anime can adapt if they ever run out of ideas. Dragon’s Dogma will have to do some catching up.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/dragons-dogma-castlevania-best-netflix-video-game-adaptation/