The setting of Dragon Sōseiki (“Dragon Genesis”) is based on true historical evidence of a pre-Inca civilization in South America, today’s Bolivia, known as Tiawanako or Tiwanaku, stretching in time as far as 1500 BC. The game incorporates some historical and mythological information about the Tiawanako culture; however, most of the other elements for the setting, the characters, and the plot are pure fantasy. The game follows the adventures of a young orphan named Guy Pendragon, who explores the Great Underground Empire of Tiawanako with his old mentor Topa. The mayor of one of the towns asks Guy to bring him some healing water from a magical fountain - which is, naturally, just the beginning of a larger story, during which Guy and his companions will uncover the secrets of the ancient civilization.
The game is a RPG with predominantly Japanese elements (manga/anime aesthetics, plot-related party members, linear quest nature, etc.); however, the exploration is done entirely in first-person pseudo-3D environments, including towns, like in Bard’s Tale series. The enemies appear randomly; there is no separate combat screen, but the battles are still menu-based, not allowing any movement. The player-controlled characters are visible on the screen in “over-the-shoulder” view, and their attacks are animated. The game is over when any of the characters’ HP reaches zero.
