I had a chance to speak with Michael Graham from Activision about “Dawn of the Dragon”. Michael has been credited with work on Heavenly Sword, Twisted Metal, and all three of “The Legend of Spyro” games.

Candace:What is the first thing a player will notice when they start to play “Dawn of the Dragon”?
Michael:I think that the first thing players will notice when they start playing “Dawn of the Dragon” is that it has a more epic tone to it than any other Spyro game. Today’s platform adventure genre is filled to the brim with games based off of cartoons and animated films, nearly all of which have a very young tone. We wanted to make a game that was challenging and moody without being overly pandering or childish. Younger players are a lot smarter and more patient than they are often given credit for and we aimed to give them an experience that was similar to games and movies that have inspired our generation. The majority of games in the youth space seem to avoid themes of “good versus evil” or put players in intense situations. We wanted to change that and provide younger players with an experience that is unlike anything available in their demographic. This is evident right from the start of the game when Spyro and Cynder are attacked by a massive golem.

C:What was one of the toughest decisions made during the development of “Dawn of the Dragon”?
M: To be quite honest, there were a lot of tough decisions that had to be made during the development of “Dawn of the Dragon.” We were trying to complete the game in the midst of a company merger between Vivendi Games and Activision, which resulted in a lot of restless nights for the Spyro team.

C:Can you tell us a little more about the cooperative play with Spyro and Cynder? I see where you will be able to switch between the two dragons during gameplay which is going to be a new experience for players.
M:This game is truly an adventure that is shared by Spyro and his former nemesis Cynder. At any point in the game, players can switch between Spyro and Cynder, which allows players the freedom and choice to play as the character they identify with the most. Some prefer to play as Spyro with his more traditional elemental abilities. Others prefer to play Cynder, the once evil dragon that possesses slightly darker powers. It’s really up to the player. But aside from their individuality, the two dragons need to work as a team if they are to defeat the dark armies. This might involve using the specific abilities of one of the dragons, using the magical chain that bonds the two characters to reach a ledge, or even using the strength of both characters to carry heavy objects to solve certain puzzles.

C:There’s also a two player mode in the game, where players can be Spyro or Cynder. Will the two player mode give any extra gameplay or, extra features to the game?
M:Just like Spyro and Cynder need to work as a team, so will players as they tackle this game cooperatively. We wanted our co-op mode to truly be cooperative. Often times, two player games allow either player to sort of do their own thing with little concern as to what the other player is up to. In “Dawn of the Dragon” players will have to communicate and work together to time their movements as they progress. We aimed to bring that odd couple experience into the living room and encourage players to engage in conversation to overcome obstacles, rather than just zoning out in front of the TV. There is definitely a learning curve to it, but once both players begin to understand the tendencies of the other, the game is truly enjoyable.

C:The graphics and gameplay has changed dramatically to keep up with the next gen consoles. The latest edition of Spyro is vastly different than say..the Game Boy Advanced game. What are some of the large differences we’re going to see in graphics and gameplay?
M:Previous Spyro games and most other games aimed at younger audiences have a very cartoonish visual style. While that certainly has some appeal, we felt that it didn’t necessarily fit the tone of the game we wanted to make. Rather than continuing down that path, we opted to immerse players into a rich fantasy world with the terrific detail and vibrant colors to give younger players a new experience.

C:How did you decide this would be the last installment of The Legend of Spyro? Was this a decision made when the first was developed or, later?
M:Actually, we never really planned to do a trilogy. Chris Wilson (Senior Producer) and I developed top line concepts for a story arc that we felt could potentially span over three games, yet no actual plans were made beyond the first game, so we never really knew if the story would ever continue beyond “A New Beginning.” Eventually, a very talented yet relatively unheard of team in France, Etranges Libellules, came on board with “Dawn of the Dragon.” We needed to figure out a way to maintain a certain level of continuity with the previous iterations while striving to make the game feel fresh and new for Spyro’s PS3 and Xbox 360 debut. The trilogy was a lot of work and as I look back at the past few years, I’m surprised we actually got this done.

C:The Eternal Night had a rocky start when it was released. The game made it through the critics, and into consoles. Did the rocky release of the previous game have any effect on the release of “Dawn of the Dragon”?
M:The entire development of “The Eternal Night” was very hard to endure. Chris (Wilson) and I, along with the team at Krome Studios, had high hopes for what we might be able to accomplish, but there were major budget constraints and we were forced to basically reuse assets from the first game and alter the storyline to account for it. The team at Krome Studios did an incredible and commendable job getting it finished, but in the end, we were all disappointed with the finished product. When we began “Dawn of the Dragon” we had to endure a lot, but we were determined to do whatever we could to make the best game possible. We were really fortunate to have Etranges Libellules on board, because their passion and desire to make a great Spyro game was much needed to refuel our efforts.

C:Spyro is a rare game because everything about it seems like it’s for kids but, adults love the games as well. Which audience was originally planned to be reached for Spyro? The younger or older or, both?
M:Our hope for Spyro has always been to make a game that can be enjoyed by families. Thematically, the game deals with real issues of right and wrong, good and evil, friendship and loss, but it is presented in a way that isn’t graphic or violent. It has always been bothersome that focus groups consisting of 10-year-olds, show that kids want to play games that are M-rated. It’s hard to blame them – there are a lot of awesome games out there for older audiences. We aimed to create experiences that were reminiscent of those found in games for older players, but modified them to be appropriate for young players. So with Spyro, young players can battle the forces of evil and take part in epic battles, while their parents can find comfort in knowing that their children aren’t being exposed to things that are harmful or damaging in any way.

C:Spyro uses large name celebrities as the voices of the characters. Many games use voice actors who are not Hollywood names. Does this change the experience we’re going to have with these characters? Will we see and feel a little more emotion with the game compared to other games?
M:We wanted to make a game that felt more cinematic – like you are playing through an animated film. We also wanted to distance this series from previous Spyro games so that players aren’t getting the same exact experience over and over again. Above all, we wanted to offer something that could appeal to the entire family. Let’s face it; most kids aren’t very familiar with Elijah Wood, Gary Oldman or Christina Ricci, but they are in the game so mom and dad can watch the kids play and get a kick out of hearing the voices of actors that they are familiar with. It’s basically the same reason why most Pixar movies feature celebrity talent. There is a little something for everyone.

C:Spyro first came onto the scene around the same time as Banjo and Kazooie came around, it seems like at that time a lot of “mascot” characters showed up on the gaming scene. The earlier gaming generations had mascot characters like Mario and Link. Do you think that this generation will hold Spyro in the same regard some of us older gamers would hold “our” mascots as time goes on?
M:I doubt that this generation will hold our generations’ mascots with too much regard. Today’s mascots are found in Saturday morning cartoons and in animated movies. Most gaming mascots from our generation don’t do enough to appeal to the younger audiences and instead rely on nostalgia to hold onto a dwindling fan base. With Spyro, the original fan base has largely moved on to other things. Previous iterations of Spyro tried to recapture the magic that Insomniac made, but with little success. In the end, the “Legend” series was aimed to reintroduce the character to a new generation of players while giving long time fans a new twist on the character they loved when they were younger.

To find out more about Spyro and where you can buy the game, visit the website for Spyro