However, despite its mediocre gameplay, there is one facet of the game that is unquestionably top-notch: the voiceover. Consistent voiceovers are definitely a rare feature in DS games, and the quality of the voice work in Dawn of the Dragon is excellent. There is quite a lot of star power voicing the different characters here, including Elijah Wood, Christina Ricci, and Gary Oldman. The actors really do a great job voicing their parts, and the audio quality is quite good, especially considering the DS' audio capabilities.

The visuals in Dawn of the Dragon are on-par with most other DS titles, although they do fluctuate between the different level types. The 2D side-scrolling levels actually look a little bit better than the 3D flying levels and feature a bit more level detail. But on the whole, the visuals here are passable, and there are no significant problems.

The control in this title also fluctuates depending on the type of level you are playing. The side-scrolling levels feature standard D-pad and face button control, with no stylus control whatsoever. However, when you are playing through a flying-type level, you will have to use the D-pad to navigate and the stylus to attack enemies with long-range attacks. The side-scrolling controls work very well, but the stylus and D-pad combination in the flying-type levels felt a little weird and took some getting used to. But once you do get the hang of them, the controls work very well.

The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon on the DS is certainly a solid entry in the series. It has a very easy-to-learn format, is very easy to control, and features a star-studded voiceover. However, it definitely doesn't push any boundaries, and the gameplay suffers from being very predictable. If you are a Spyro enthusiast, then Dawn of the Dragon definitely delivers all the platforming action you are used to, and you probably won't be disappointed. But if you are looking for something more than just the usual grind, you may want to leave this Dragon on the shelf.

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Staff Contributor