The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning

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The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning

Developer(s)	Krome Studios
Publisher(s)	Sierra Entertainment
Release date(s)	October 10, 2006 October 27, 2006 November 2, 2006
Genre(s)	Action
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	ESRB: Everyone 10+ BBFC: PG
Platform(s)	Nintendo DS, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Playstation 2, Xbox

The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning is the latest installment of the Spyro the Dragon series of video games, developed by Krome Studios of Australia. The game serves as a "new beginning" for the Spyro series as a whole.^[1]

1 Gameplay
2 Setting
- 2.1 Plot
3 Characters
4 Voice actors
5 Reaction
- 5.1 Awards
6 References

[edit] Gameplay

The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning uses a more action-based focus than previous Spyro games, with a limited use of Spyro's gliding ability and a wider variety of combat moves. It is also shorter than previous Spyro games, with six levels that progress from a starting point towards a final destination and boss encounter in a linear fashion, and two rail shooter style flying levels adjoining them.

[edit] Setting

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Plot

The game begins inside a temple, where a large red dragon named Ignitus is watching over an egg; it is the "Year of the Dragon", a time every twelve years when new dragon eggs are brought to the realm. A dragons' prophecy tells that every ten generations, a rare purple dragon will be born, who will direct the fate of that era; Ignitus is looking after such an egg.

The dragons are, however, at war with an enemy known as the "Dark Master" who also knows of the prophecy, and lays siege to the temple, intent on destroying the brood of eggs. Ignitus escapes with the purple dragon's egg, leaving it to drift downriver into a swamp, hoping for the best. The egg is discovered by a family of dragonflies, and upon hatching, Spyro is adopted into the family and raised as one of their own, alongside Sparx, a young dragonfly born the same day.

One day, after coming under attack by strange foes and discovering that he can breathe fire, Spyro is told that he is not a dragonfly himself but a stranger from a distant land; Spyro decides to leave the swamp in search of his true home; Sparx, though reluctant at first, decides to follow along. Spyro is pursued by hostile forces, but eventually comes into contact with a distraught Ignitus, who although pleased that Spyro is alive, fears that with the Dragon Temple under occupation by their enemy, and led by an enemy dragon named Cynder, their war is already lost.

Spyro convinces Ignitus to lead him to the Temple, and is able to drive Cynder's forces out, after which Ignitus tells Spyro more about their war against the dark armies, offers Spyro some training in the art of the fire element, and then sends Spyro off to rescue three other dragons from Cynder's forces. One by one, Spyro clashes with Cynder's armies, rescues the three other dragons, while acquiring new skills and training along the way. It is learned that Cynder has been draining the dragons' power into crystals, and also that Cynder herself is merely a pawn serving the Dark Master -- Cynder originally being born from the same brood of eggs as Spyro.

Cynder, however, attacks Spyro shortly after he rescues the final Dragon Guardian, Terrador; Ignitus intervenes to fight Cynder but is captured. It is revealed that it was the four dragons who originally sealed away the Dark Master, and that Cynder is using the dragons' drained powers to weaken the seal. Ignitus's power is the final key in unsealing the Dark Master, so Spyro is sent on a final, direct assault against Cynder's fortress.

Spyro attempts to fight Cynder, but Cynder succeeds in draining Ignitus's power of fire into a crystal, and escapes to the sealed realm of the Dark Master. Ignitus fears that it is too late to stop her, but Spyro pursues Cynder and forces a showdown, eventually using all of his power in a final attack which defeats her, purging her of the Dark Master's influence and returning her to her true form, a young dragon the same size as Spyro. The realm begins to collapse in on itself; Sparx insists on making a quick exit but Spyro declares he will not leave Cynder behind with the Dark Master; though barely, Spyro is able to grab Cynder and escape safely.

Though victorious, the battle cost Spyro much of his own strength and powers, and both Spyro and Cynder suspect that the Dark Master is still alive somewhere; the war is still not over.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Spyro and Sparx

Described as an "oddly-matched, yet compatible pair", Spyro was adopted into a family of dragonflies, growing up alongside Sparx, a dragonfly born the same day. Upon learning that he is not a dragonfly himself but born from a distant land, Spyro set out on a journey to discover his origins, and Sparx followed.

[edit] Dragon Guardians

A group of four elder dragons, each the master of an elemental power and who in turn teach that power to Spyro.

Ignitus: A red dragon, and master of fire, who is the first Guardian Spyro encounters and becomes the closest to him; he is the one who sends Spyro off to locate the other three Guardians. He teaches Spyro the art of Fire Breath.

Volteer: A yellow dragon and master of electricity, the first dragon rescued from Cynder's forces; Volteer speaks at a rapid pace. He teaches Spyro the art of Electricity Breath.

Cyril: A blue dragon and master of ice; a wise but prideful dragon and the second rescued from Cynder's forces. He teaches Spyro the art of Ice Breath.

Terrador: A green dragon and master of earth, the third dragon saved from Cynder's forces. After Ignitus's capture, Terrador sends Spyro to Cynder's fortress. He teaches Spyro the art of Earth Breath.

[edit] Cynder

Cynder, the game's antagonist.

A large, powerful black dragon, Cynder serves as the primary antagonist in The Legend of Spyro. Although born from the same brood of eggs as Spyro, and in truth the same size and age as Spyro, Cynder's egg was seized by the Dark Master's forces and she was raised by them; under the influence of the Dark Master's power, Cynder grew to adult size and strength quickly, and was then able to defeat and capture the Dragon Guardians, collecting their power in order to unseal the Dark Master from imprisonment. After her defeat, Cynder returned to her original size and strength, and was safely returned to the Dragon Temple.

[edit] Voice actors

Elijah Wood as Spyro
David Spade as Sparx
Gary Oldman as Ignitus
Cree Summer as Cynder
Corey Burton as Volteer / Exhumor
Jeff Bennett as Cyril / Sparx's Dad / Mole-yair
Kevin Michael Richardson as Terrador / The Conductor
Phil LaMarr as Kane
Vanessa Marshall as Sparx's Mom

[edit] Reaction

The Legend of Spyro has received mixed but positive reviews, with most critics approving the game's direction as an improvement to the series although the gameplay has been criticised for being strictly linear and - differing from the previous (platforming-based) games in the series - repetitive in spite of Spyro's variety of attacks and abilities. It has been criticised for its slowly-paced cutscenes but commended for its graphics and high-quality full motion video.