Dragon Commander is not an RPG. It's more a strategy game with RPG elements if I would have to label it, although I'm still unsure how much of these elements could really be labelled as RPGish.
Furthermore what would be the purpose of customizing your hero if you can't see yourself? When you are a dragon it plays in 3rd person view and you can probably customize your dragon with equipment, but as a person it looks like it is played in 1st person view. In the demo you didn't even walk to other locations on your ship, you just 'jumped' there.
I also don't think you will be fighting as a person, you fight as a dragon only. As a person you give orders and decide on your next moves.

All in all I think the character creation is not essential in this game. Choices and consequences are essential. Which path shall I take? Shall I attack or not? Should I get rid of my princess in favor of another princess who can give me the technology I need? But, that would mean I loose the benefits she gives me now and what is this new princess going to need from me? Maybe I should take that technology by force instead.
Choices like that are interesting and could play a role in how you evolve in the game.

Then again, non of it is final, so who knows.

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