Dracamar Review: A Charming Platformer! (PC)

Developed by Petoons Studio and 3Cat and published by Petoons Studio leaps indie 3D platformer Dracamar. In this charming little multiplatform adventure, you take on the role of one of three plucky heroes as they try to rescue magical flower Coroki, protect the cute Oki, and stop evil King Crad sinister machinations for the titular land of Dracamar.

Dracamar is a very classic-feeling 3D platformer, and anyone who plays it will find a game that keeps in with the traditions of the genre. Your mission is to collect magical seeds to unlock new regions and levels. All whilst rescuing as many Oki as you can.

With cute graphics, tight controls, and a forgiving difficulty, it makes the game approachable for anyone new to 3D platformers. Or anyone who is looking for an easier challenge in general. And it is very family-friendly. With that said, let’s get to the review and see if Dracamar is right for you!

Dracamar is out now on multiple platforms, including PC on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Price currently varies on platform and region.

Story – Nothing But Flowers

As the title of this review suggests, our story takes place in the magical world of Dracamar, a bright and colourful world filled with cute monsters and wacky characters. However, the world’s peace is upended when the evil King Crad kidnaps the magical flower Coroki and uses its energy to corrupt the adorable Oki, turning them into evil (though still cute) baddies. It is up to Caliu, Foc, and Espurna to rescue as many Oki as possible, with the help of Iko, an Oki that can transform into items and powers that will help save the world.

Dracamar features a simple but effective story.

Dracamar isn’t a narrative-heavy game. It has a straightforward story. It is simple, to the point, and that is perfectly fine. The whole affair is rather light-hearted and is told through a series of short cutscenes. As well as short conversations between characters in-game. Whilst I do wish that some of the extended cast appeared a little more than the short period before they are turned into and cured from becoming a boss, there isn’t much to complain about.

It is a very traditional video game story. A villain that feels like a cross between King Bowser and Doctor Robotnik is causing a rumpus, and you must stop them. The story works well for me because it stays light and never interrupts the gameplay. I wish that the dialogue from the Builder characters did more than just deliver silly gags. But the plot provides enough context for what is going on without slowing down the pace of the experience.

Gameplay – Smooth Sailing

As mentioned towards the head of this review, Dracamar is a 3D platformer where you must collect magical seeds and save the local critters across the game’s 15 levels (5 Bonus) and 7 Boss Fights. 3D platformers, be they indie or from a major developer, are made or broken on how well they control. The controls for this one are solid and responsive, with your core moves taught effectively throughout. With the difficulty remaining forgiving from start to finish, which gives Dracamar a rather laid-back feel.

In Dracamar you must turn the Moki back to Okis.

The difficulty curve is smooth. And Dracamar never becomes too demanding. Iko’s powers are easy to use, thanks to them sharing the same button and only appearing in specific contextual moments, so they rarely complicate the game. And there is no difference between the playable characters in terms of gameplay.

And it makes for a fine introduction to the platforming genre. Great for anyone who hasn’t played a 3D platformer before, or is looking for something rather stress-free. Plus, it’s rather short, so if you’re looking for something to play through over a weekend, this fits that bill. With plenty of different levels, bosses, bonus stages and more to provide variety.

Seed Get!

One of the big issues I had while playing through Dracamar for this review was the progression system. With areas of the overworld locked behind the need to collect a set number of specific items. With Seeds and Dark Energy being needed to build bridges and progress the game. And optional Gold Shields to unlock bonus plane-based levels. This, in and of itself, isn’t uncommon in platformers. Super Mario 64 is a fine example of that. In that game, collecting the star was needed to complete the level. So you couldn’t complete a level without getting them. Here, that isn’t the case.

There are also gold seeds from beating bosses.

Seeds and Shields are hidden in the level. Coins and Dark Energy are gained from defeating villains and smashing boxes. It is very easy to complete a level without coming across any Shields or Seeds. This can lead to having to backtrack, explore and hope you come across them. Getting Dark Energy is easier, and thankfully, I didn’t need to grind to get as much as I needed.

Balance

It creates this odd contradiction in Dracamar, where on the one hand, the game is straightforward to play through, but on the other hand requires this extra level of busy work. With the items in question often being fairly well hidden. Even to someone like me who has been playing games like this for the better part of thirty years. And I dare say that if I didn’t have this kind of experience, it would have been far harder than it should have been.

Iko will give you a spring in your step.

Though it is more of an issue of friction rather than difficulty. Dracamar is a breeze to play. With everything from the levels to the bonus stages, and boss fights being a lot of fun to play. It’s just that having to find the seeds can slow progress more than I feel it should. And there wasn’t much backtracking through Dracamar for this review. But your own experiences may vary in that regard.

Graphics & Audio – Do The Moki Cokey!

One of the big selling points for Dracamar is the fact that much of the aesthetics for it is based around Mediterranean cultures and traditions. Both in a national and regional style. So you can have areas that feel more Catalan-inspired, some Italian, and even some areas that even feel more Greco-Roman. With these interpretations being bright and colourful. And yet also has a visual flair that makes it feel like its own entity. Yet still, with the developers tipping their cap to their own history.

Yes, there are your more typical level designs as well: snow level, forest, evil castle. But they all still retain some of that core identity. The soundtrack works well throughout. But I feel it is less distinct than the visual design. And I wish there was more of a Catalan (or broadly Mediterranean) inspiration within the soundtrack.

But nothing feels weak or distracting. As mentioned, this review is based on the PC version. And during my playthrough, there was an odd glitch where the music after completing the plane levels suddenly got very loud. But it might be patched out by the time you read this. With all of that said, Dracamar is a great game, one that should keep fans of platformers entertained, be they new to the genre or more seasoned pros.

Dracamar was reviewed on PC. Game Key supplied by JF Marketing & Communications For Video Games.