<s>
Drakengard	B-Application
3	I-Application
,	O
known	O
in	O
Japan	O
as	O
is	O
an	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
video	I-Application
game	I-Application
developed	O
by	O
Access	O
Games	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Square	O
Enix	O
exclusively	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
third	O
and	O
final	O
main	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
Drakengard	B-Application
series	O
and	O
a	O
prequel	O
to	O
the	O
original	B-Application
game	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
,	O
created	O
to	O
cater	O
for	O
hardcore	O
role-playing	O
game	O
audiences	O
,	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
the	O
same	O
team	O
who	O
created	O
the	O
original	O
Drakengard	B-Application
and	O
series	O
spin-off	O
Nier	B-Application
,	O
including	O
producer	O
Takamasa	O
Shiba	O
,	O
director	O
Yoko	O
Taro	O
and	O
writer	O
Sawako	O
Natori	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
music	O
was	O
composed	O
by	O
Keiichi	O
Okabe	O
,	O
who	O
also	O
scored	O
Nier	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
previous	O
titles	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
the	O
team	O
developed	O
the	O
game	O
at	O
Access	O
Games	O
,	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
experience	O
at	O
developing	O
action	O
titles	O
and	O
the	O
team	O
's	O
wish	O
to	O
address	O
criticisms	O
laid	O
at	O
the	O
gameplay	O
of	O
previous	O
Drakengard	B-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Drakengard	B-Application
3	I-Application
received	O
mixed	O
to	O
positive	O
reviews	O
and	O
sales	O
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
in	O
the	O
west	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Drakengard	B-Application
3	I-Application
features	O
hack-and-slash	O
gameplay	O
and	O
aerial	O
combat	O
on	O
a	O
dragon	O
,	O
as	O
with	O
previous	O
entries	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Drakengard	B-Application
3	I-Application
takes	O
place	O
roughly	O
one	O
hundred	O
years	O
before	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
Drakengard	B-Application
,	O
acting	O
as	O
a	O
prequel	O
to	O
the	O
first	O
two	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
being	O
a	O
prequel	O
,	O
Drakengard	B-Application
3	I-Application
mostly	O
follows	O
separate	O
timelines	O
unrelated	O
to	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
Drakengard	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
,	O
the	O
main	O
protagonist	O
and	O
antihero	B-Application
,	O
was	O
saved	O
from	O
death	O
to	O
be	O
used	O
as	O
an	O
instrument	O
for	O
mankind	O
's	O
destruction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Drakengard	B-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
conceived	O
when	O
Takamasa	O
Shiba	O
and	O
Taro	O
Yoko	O
,	O
the	O
respective	O
producer	O
and	O
director	O
of	O
the	O
original	B-Application
game	I-Application
,	O
met	O
up	O
years	O
after	O
Cavia	O
,	O
the	O
company	O
where	O
they	O
created	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
was	O
absorbed	O
into	O
AQ	O
Interactive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
brainstorming	O
process	O
,	O
the	O
company	O
used	O
fan	O
questionnaires	O
,	O
from	O
which	O
the	O
team	O
learned	O
that	O
many	O
wanted	O
a	O
dark	O
story	O
similar	O
to	O
Nier	B-Application
for	O
the	O
next	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Speaking	O
about	O
the	O
creation	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
Shiba	O
said	O
that	O
Drakengard	B-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
made	O
partly	O
because	O
the	O
company	O
was	O
making	O
fewer	O
single-player	O
RPG	O
console	O
games	O
and	O
he	O
wished	O
to	O
capture	O
the	O
atmosphere	O
of	O
earlier	O
days	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Access	O
Games	O
,	O
who	O
were	O
noted	O
for	O
the	O
survival	O
horror	O
Deadly	B-Device
Premonition	I-Device
,	O
and	O
built	O
using	O
Unreal	O
Engine	O
3	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shiba	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
company	O
was	O
"	O
just	O
really	O
good	O
at	O
creating	O
action	O
games	O
"	O
,	O
which	O
would	O
enable	O
the	O
team	O
to	O
address	O
criticisms	O
laid	O
at	O
the	O
previous	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
for	O
their	O
poor	O
combat	O
while	O
still	O
being	O
able	O
to	O
craft	O
a	O
story	O
true	O
to	O
the	O
Drakengard	B-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
the	O
time	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
unveiled	O
in	O
early	O
2013	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
60%	O
complete	O
,	O
and	O
Yoko	O
commented	O
"	O
It	O
's	O
not	O
Drakengard	B-Application
or	O
Nier	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
Fujisaka	O
,	O
actor	O
Shinnosuke	O
Ikehata	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
voiced	O
key	O
characters	O
in	O
previous	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
returned	O
to	O
do	O
voice	O
work	O
,	O
and	O
writer	O
Sawako	O
Natori	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
worked	O
on	O
Drakengard	B-Application
,	O
Drakengard	B-Application
2	O
and	O
Nier	B-Application
,	O
returned	O
to	O
write	O
the	O
scenario	O
with	O
Yoko	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
couple	O
of	O
Yoko	O
's	O
ideas	O
that	O
were	O
cut	O
out	O
or	O
rejected	O
during	O
development	O
included	O
a	O
fully	O
contemporary	O
setting	O
with	O
a	O
school-girl	O
protagonist	O
,	O
and	O
calling	O
the	O
game	O
Drakengard	B-Application
4	O
instead	O
of	O
Drakengard	B-Application
3	I-Application
,	O
with	O
the	O
story	O
revolving	O
around	O
searching	O
for	O
the	O
missing	O
installment	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Elements	O
of	O
fourth-wall	O
breaking	O
were	O
included	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
some	O
of	O
Zero	O
's	O
dialogue	O
or	O
Accord	O
's	O
actions	O
during	O
the	O
final	O
ending	O
:	O
this	O
both	O
acted	O
as	O
a	O
callback	O
to	O
Drakengard	B-Application
,	O
and	O
to	O
suggest	O
that	O
the	O
real	O
world	O
was	O
simply	O
another	O
branch	O
of	O
the	O
Drakengard	B-Application
universe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Okabe	O
,	O
who	O
also	O
led	O
composition	O
for	O
Nier	B-Application
,	O
wished	O
to	O
match	O
the	O
work	O
of	O
Drakengard	B-Application
composer	O
Nobuyoshi	O
Sano	O
,	O
finding	O
creating	O
it	O
a	O
new	O
experience	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
was	O
also	O
requested	O
by	O
Yoko	O
not	O
to	O
follow	O
the	O
musical	O
route	O
of	O
either	O
Drakengard	B-Application
or	O
Nier	B-Application
and	O
was	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
theme	O
of	O
"	O
the	O
sense	O
of	O
contrast	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
theme	O
songs	O
,	O
,	O
was	O
sung	O
by	O
Eir	O
Aoi	O
,	O
a	O
singer	O
native	O
to	O
Hokkaido	O
who	O
was	O
a	O
self-confessed	O
fan	O
of	O
the	O
Drakengard	B-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
lyrics	O
were	O
written	O
by	O
Kikuchi	O
Hana	O
,	O
one	O
of	O
Niers	B-Application
scenario	O
writers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Drag-on	B-Application
Dragoon	I-Application
3	I-Application
Original	O
Soundtrack	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
January	O
21	O
,	O
2014	O
,	O
under	O
the	O
catalog	O
number	O
SQEX-10414	O
~	O
5	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Drakengard	B-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
announced	O
in	O
Japan	O
in	O
March	O
2013	O
through	O
Japanese	O
game	O
magazine	O
Famitsu	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Drakengard	B-Application
3	I-Application
received	O
few	O
gameplay	O
previews	O
and	O
was	O
promoted	O
in	O
the	O
form	O
of	O
novellas	O
:	O
this	O
was	O
because	O
Shiba	O
wished	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
story	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
mystery	O
for	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
localization	O
was	O
handled	O
by	O
8-4	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
worked	O
with	O
Yoko	O
localizing	O
Nier	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
it	O
received	O
a	O
physical	O
and	O
digital	O
release	O
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
Drakengard	B-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
digital	O
format	O
only	O
in	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
collector	O
's	O
edition	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
also	O
included	O
an	O
outfit	O
inspired	O
by	O
Kainé	O
,	O
the	O
female	O
protagonist	O
of	O
Nier	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
contained	O
a	O
prequel	O
novel	O
concerning	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
main	O
characters	O
,	O
a	O
scenario	O
involving	O
One	O
,	O
and	O
DLC	B-Protocol
for	O
both	O
Japanese	O
voice	O
acting	O
and	O
a	O
costume	O
for	O
Zero	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
's	O
protagonist	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
complemented	O
with	O
multiple	O
DLC	B-Protocol
packs	O
:	O
they	O
included	O
multiple	O
character	O
outfits	O
for	O
Zero	O
inspired	O
by	O
previous	O
series	O
protagonists	O
,	O
cosmetic	O
adornments	O
for	O
Mikhail	O
,	O
and	O
six	O
prequel	O
chapters	O
detailing	O
past	O
events	O
in	O
the	O
lives	O
of	O
both	O
Zero	O
and	O
her	O
sisters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
DLC	B-Protocol
was	O
later	O
released	O
in	O
the	O
west	O
along	O
with	O
alternate	O
music	O
for	O
Zero	O
's	O
Intoner	O
Mode	O
sequences	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
ASCII	O
Media	O
Works	O
also	O
published	O
a	O
complete	O
guide	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
which	O
included	O
guides	O
to	O
the	O
series	O
history	O
and	O
a	O
novella	O
following	O
on	O
from	O
Shi	O
ni	O
Itaru	O
Aka	O
which	O
retold	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
Drakengard	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
novel	O
,	O
Drag-on	B-Application
Dragoon	I-Application
3	I-Application
Side	O
Story	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
28	O
August	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
novel	O
detailed	O
a	O
fifth	O
series	O
of	O
events	O
connecting	O
the	O
narratives	O
of	O
Drakengard	B-Application
3	I-Application
and	O
Drakengard	B-Application
,	O
as	O
none	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
endings	O
did	O
so	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
its	O
first	O
week	O
on	O
sale	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
Drakengard	B-Application
3	I-Application
sold	O
114,024	O
copies	O
,	O
coming	O
fourth	O
in	O
Japanese	O
sale	O
charts	O
and	O
reached	O
125,500	O
units	O
by	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Drakengard	B-Application
3	I-Application
received	O
a	O
34/40	O
from	O
Famitsu	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
four	O
reviewers	O
giving	O
it	O
scores	O
of	O
9	O
,	O
9	O
,	O
8	O
and	O
8	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
received	O
"	O
average	O
"	O
reviews	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
Western	O
video	O
game	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Anime	O
News	O
Network	O
's	O
Todd	O
Ciolek	O
named	O
Drakengard	B-Application
3	I-Application
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
in	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eurogamer	O
's	O
Chris	O
Schilling	O
said	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
played	O
out	O
"	O
like	O
a	O
jet-black	O
comedy	O
"	O
,	O
calling	O
its	O
narrative	O
far	O
colder	O
than	O
that	O
of	O
Nier	B-Application
,	O
while	O
praising	O
Zero	O
's	O
characterization	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Carter	O
called	O
the	O
action	O
gameplay	O
his	O
"	O
favorite	O
part	O
"	O
,	O
referring	O
to	O
it	O
as	O
a	O
faster	O
and	O
smoother	O
version	O
of	O
combat	O
from	O
the	O
Dynasty	B-Application
Warriors	I-Application
series	O
,	O
while	O
Kemps	O
found	O
it	O
generally	O
satisfactory	O
despite	O
its	O
simplicity	O
,	O
while	O
citing	O
the	O
dragon	O
sections	O
as	O
"	O
a	O
welcome	O
,	O
if	O
not	O
always	O
particularly	O
well-designed	O
,	O
break	O
from	O
stabbing	O
troops	O
directly.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Schilling	O
enjoyed	O
the	O
ground-based	O
gameplay	O
despite	O
its	O
simplicity	O
,	O
comparing	O
it	O
to	O
"	O
a	O
cross	O
between	O
[	O
DmC	O
:	O
Devil	O
May	O
Cry ]	O
and	O
Dynasty	B-Application
Warriors	I-Application
"	O
,	O
but	O
cited	O
the	O
dragon	O
gameplay	O
as	O
far	O
less	O
enjoyable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sullivan	O
was	O
generally	O
negative	O
,	O
citing	O
the	O
level	O
design	O
and	O
narrow	O
color	O
palette	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
her	O
critique	O
,	O
and	O
comparing	O
the	O
graphics	O
to	O
a	O
game	O
from	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
era	O
.	O
</s>
