Hey there, everybody.  Here are a couple updates for you tonight! <3

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Here’s a quick, rough translation of this week’s edition of Famitsu, an article on DOD3 (I will be editing this some more tomorrow).

What We Learned about DOD3 by Playing

There are just two more weeks until the official release of Square Enix’s action RPG “Drag-on Dragoon 3,” otherwise known as “Drakengard 3”.  For this purpose, the editing department received a playable demo of the game to further introduce the battle system and what sort of things we learned in the process of playing.

You are able to switch freely from four types of weapons: the sword, spear, claw, and the chakram.  Along with the ease of switching weapons to speed the pace of battles up, you are also able to ride on the dragon Mikhail’s back, both for ground battles as well as aerial battles.

Point #1:  Conversation during battles are quite horrible

Zero and her companions often engage in a bit of back-and-forth retorts during battles.  As Zero throws insults and runs off her characteristic bad mouth, the other companions make interesting comments—some even intrigued by her bad habits.  Mikhail, on the other hand, is sweetly innocent in her words, which often pushes Zero further into the depths of her mood swing.  These are just some of the things you can enjoy while decimating hordes of baddies out to kill you.

Point #2:  The flow of missions becomes more clear

The story will progress as you clear a mission.  In a more general sense, the flow goes as follows:

• Mission Preparation
• Mission Start
• Battle
• Mission Clear (once the goal has been achieved)

You will gain both experience and gold as you defeat enemies in each mission.

There may also be a nice cut-scene before and/or after an important mission.

Each mission objective will be displayed at the beginning of the mission.
As the mission begins, a cut-scene or a short conversation between characters will inform you on the objective.

Zero, at a checkpoint.  Even if you die within a mission, you are able to start again from the last checkpoint you touched.

Spread throughout every mission you will come across treasure chests that are either filled with gold or weapons!

Depending on your style of play, it may take around 20-30 minutes to clear each mission.

Point #3:  Battles of merciless rampage – Zero is Invincible in Utautai Mode!

Although Zero is accompanied by many men in her party, she possibly cares more about actually KILLING than thinking about the men around her.  Kill, kill, kill until Zero is completely covered in blood, thus allowing her to sing her Utautai song of death.

Fast-paced, Exhilarating Battles

There are two main attack styles, regular and special attacks.  Every time you use a special attack, your SP gauge will decrease.  While riding on Mikhail, you have access to use her dragon breath, rush attacks, and several other colorful attacks.

As you continually connect one attack with the next, your number of chain attacks will increase.  Once enemies are defeated, they may leave behind a Health Sphere or Blood Sphere.

An attack with “Zero’s Sword,” the first weapon she has in the game.  You can still escape from enemies closing in with Zero’s powerful attack.

Within a battle, you can open up the item screen by pressing the Start button.  You are also able to check out the combo list for your weapons.  Each weapon will have its own combinations, so it’s important to remember how to do certain moves, especially when you have so many weapons to choose from later in the game.

It’s important to choose your weapons wisely.  Consider the range of the weapon and also how big or small the motion of attack may be.  Each weapon has its own pros and cons!

Take out those pesky enemies in high places with your chakram! Hold down the Triangle button to lock-on to multiple enemies.  It’s possible to attack enemies in areas you normally cannot reach with this weapon.

Counter by first guarding!
You can guard from on-coming attacks by pressing the Circle button.  If your timing is just right, you can counter the attack.  Counter attacks may have a larger impact on surrounding enemies, so this can be a powerful form of attack if mastered!

Defeat a great number of enemies on the ground with Mikhail from high in the air!

Aerial battles have that great shooting game feel.

In some missions, you are able to ride on Mikhail for both ground and aerial battles.  For For Mikhail’s ground battles, you are able to switch freely from the ground to flying in the air.  While on the ground, you can torch enemies with Mikhail’s dragon breath, smash them with her tail, or suddenly dive upon them from the air.  As for the aerial battles, you may face wyverns and other things in the sky for a bit of a shooting game.

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  The 2nd music sample is available on the DOD3 soundtrack page!

DOD3 Soundtrack Page
http://www.square-enix.co.jp/music/sem/page/dod3/

  And Cent’s chapter of the novel is also up on the official site! It’s called “The Jewel in the Palm of my Hand”.

DOD3 Official Site
http://www.jp.square-enix.com/dod3/
English Translation by khoda on tumblr

Also, Nagashima Emi has updated her blog a little bit in commentary about the new chapter. Here’s a short excerpt from her page:

『セント　手のひらの宝石』公開されました
ＤＯＤ３ノベル第９弾『セント　手のひらの宝石』が公式サイトにアップされました。昨日（丸一日留守にしてたもんで、気がついたときには日付変わってました……）。http://bit.ly/18chKPO

  Added a bunch of interesting images to the Image Gallery:

Famitsu – Issue No. 1305
Cosplay
Display Kit

  Square Enix Members – December Calendar

There are two DOD3 related calendars for your computer desktop available to SEM
–there are even specially sized images for your iPhone or Android!
One depicts all six of the Utautai Sisters and the other is the main design for the Utahime Five manga.
Square Enix Members – Downloads – Calendar

  DOD3 has been added to the main Playstation page under Software!
Playstation – Software