Dawn Break: The Flaming Emperor
By Neilie Johnson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Generic adventure heavily pushes in-game purchases.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this app.
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Dawn Break: The Flaming Emperor
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What’s It About?
DAWN BREAK: THE FLAMING EMPEROR features a mysterious woman fallen from the stars in a typical anime-style storyline where Dark versus Light heroes battle it out for control of a magical fantasy kingdom. Gameplay includes a host of glamorous collectible heroes, lots of cool-looking outfits and gear, and tons of explosions and sparkly effects. Players progress by fighting their way through the story campaign and unlocking further game modes (both versus and co-op). Controls feature virtual buttons and a virtual thumbstick, as well as an "auto-play" button that lets gameplay become almost 100 percent noninteractive. The emphasis is on collecting: heroes, outfits, weapons, currency.
Is It Any Good?
This generic game is another entrant in the seemingly endless parade of mediocre anime-style fantasy role-playing games. It can be tough to differentiate Dawn Break: The Flaming Emperor from other games in the genre due to its stylistic quirks, but this one gives new meaning to the term "cookie cutter."
It's sad to say that, in a way. So much work goes into making these games -- even the mediocre ones -- that you have to give the makers credit for pulling them off at all. Still, competition is fierce, and you'd think they'd do more to help their games stand out. There are only two things that make Dawn Break: The Flaming Emperor stand out, and neither of them are good. First, there's the dialogue. Dialogue occurs in Japanese with English subtitles, and poor translation and frequent typos make character exchanges range from the inadvertently amusing to the totally bizarre. Far worse than the language issues though, is the relentless pressure to buy something. Ads pop up the second you fire up the game, and the main menu is packed with purchase-centric submenus. You're constantly prompted to collect things and sign up for monthly subscriptions. If you can ignore these things, the app has all the elements anime RPG fans have come to expect: the sexy heroines, the androgynous boys, the corny humor, the over-the-top special attacks -- but it's just not enough. Add to that the frequent crashes that occur just as battle's starting, and you've got a sugary, run-of-the-mill role-playing app that's not worth the calories.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about marketing. How often should a game push players to buy something?
Think about what makes one role-playing game better than another. Is it the heroes? The rewards? The combat? The effects?
Discuss the pros and cons of games having an auto-play button. Is there a point to calling a game a game if you don't actually have to play it? Does it save time if you can fight through meaningless fights to get into the larger, more significant battles?
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
- Pricing structure: Free (Contains optional in-app purchases.)
- Release date: February 8, 2018
- Category: Role-Playing Games
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures
- Publisher: Auer Media & Entertainment
- Version: 1.0.55568
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 6.0 or later; Android 4.0.3 and up
- Last updated: July 11, 2020
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Download
Our Editors Recommend
RPG Apps -- Role Playing Games
Role-Playing Games (RPGs) for Kids
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate