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As we looked towards the end of the year schedule, there was an interesting curio that snuck onto the 3DS. 7th Dragon III: Code VFD, a contender for silliest game name of the year, and having released earlier this year in the US. Given the competition on the same platform in 2016, it doesn't really stand out a great deal.

Upon further research, I discovered that 7th Dragon III: Code VFD is actually the fourth in a Japanese exclusive series. Some story details are therefore references to prior games, including the idea that dragons are destructive beings that spread Dragonsbane flowers that cause Dragon Sickness - an incurable disease.

You don't need to know any of these things prior to leaping into 7th Dragon III: Code VFD, as the game's plot is depressingly generic. As a new player in a game called 7th Encounter, your performance in a simulation draws the attention of the developers, who are secretly developing a task force to eliminate a real dragon that is trying to destroy everything.

As much as I'd like to say the hook is enough, the rest of the narrative plays out with little fanfare. Twists common to the RPG genre are revealed as if they've never been done before. As a basis for dungeon crawling, it's serviceable, but it's miles off being captivating.

I'm also not a great fan of the presentation. We've seen just how much the 3DS can handle over the years. Despite some great use of clashing colours, the dungeons feel lifeless. A little meter on the top left will indicate when the next battle happens, but it's merely disguising the fact that battles are random.

Each chapter proceeds along the same mundane pattern. You're given dungeons to explore, in which you need to defeat the dragons, loot chests, and then get the next bit of story. This is certainly true of most RPGs, but the lack of a decent narrative holding everything together, as well as the easy random encounters that litter dungeons, make this even more noticeable.

With the ability to create party members of varying classes, you can grant them new abilities by spending points gained in battle. These abilities are unique to those classes, so the only way to get a decent variety of skills on the table is to utilise the party system to its fullest.

Luckily for grinding purposes, everyone gains experience and skill points regardless of whether or not they participated in the battle, and can use support skills both in and out of battle. Fighting in and of itself isn't terrible as the combat system utilises a turn-based formula that works well. The problem is that most enemies are pushovers that can be wiped out in a few hits, meaning that interesting encounters only come in the form of boss battles.

Class variety is far beyond the typical Knight and Mage we've grown accustomed to in JRPGs. Early on you get the choice of four classes: Samurai who is essentially a sword wielder that hits things a lot, Agent who uses hacking and other trickery to support their allies, Godhand who combines punches with healing, and the Duelist who believes in the heart of the cards. There are numerous others, but these four feel the most well rounded as they can fulfil multiple roles in the party.

For those worried that this would be a linear experience, there are side quests on offer. These are however mostly a case of gathering items and delivering them to a particular NPC for item rewards. You also have the Nodens base of operations to create new facilities in the hub. Given how much there is to build, warping between them by using quick travel is a godsend.

1. Diverse class system
2. Interesting opening premise

1. Dungeon crawling a slog
2. Generic storyline overall
3. Side quests are basic fetch quests
4. Doesn't push the 3DS graphically

Despite the plethora of content on offer with 7th Dragon III: Code VFD, this is a dull game. What good ideas there are within the class system and the initial premise of the plot, they're almost negated by the tediousness of the dungeon crawling that's barely disguised, combined with a narrative that ticks all the RPG tropes. An utterly forgettable experience when compared to the best RPGs of the year.