... and that's Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen.
Before we delve in, let's touch on a few of the common myths regarding DQ4 and the Dragon Quest series as a whole:
Myth #1: It's Slow
The series definitely isn't slow. How can anyone who has tolerably played through RPGs like Final Fantasies VII - IX or Skies of Arcadia or Paper Mario or Shadow Hearts: Covenant or Suikoden V call the Dragon Quest games slow? Have you been knocked out of temporal alignment with the rest of the world somehow? Perhaps so. Back in reality, these games actually have a very speedy combat system, and lodging the "it's too slow" complaint is a surefire indicator that the individual has probably only played Dragon Quest VIII out of all the games in the series. The rest of them have used flexible battle speed configurations, scant reliance on lengthy animations, minimal loading and camera panning, efficient UI design, and useful AI options to greatly cut down on the length of time each encounter takes. Most dungeons are also well enough balanced that the encounter rates are not frighteningly high. And with the exception of DQ7 and DQ8, most of the games aren't overly long, either. That being said, to make the most out of the battle speed one probably needs to fight a bit intelligently and not approach each fight as an exercise in X-button mashing. Which nicely segues us to...
Myth #2: It Requires Grinding
No, you're wrong. Look, most of the time the people complaining that an RPG requires grinding are the same people who insist that they don't require any skill. Here's a pro-tip: stop whining, develop some of the skills you're clearly lacking, and you won't have to issue the grinding screed again. Use the many abilities the game affords you (especially the oft-ignored buffs and debuffs), create some effective strategies, explore the world map and dungeons thoroughly, complete the game's side quests, and get some good equipment -- you won't need level grinding and you'll be in for a far more satisfying gaming experience.
Myth #3: It's Archaic
What does this even mean? Sometimes I feel like people are throwing words around without any comprehension of their meaning. The word implies that we can clearly delineate some point in history that separates Dragon Quest games from modern games -- but on what criteria do we rely? Turn-based battle systems? Real-time battles predate turn-based, so that's certainly not a good distinction to draw. Random encounters? Unfortunately, these too are a more recent creation than non-random enemy encounters, so they can't really be used to separate "modern" from "archaic." If people want to complain that the games don't reinvent themselves often enough, or introduce enough new things with each iteration to the genre (though even this is a bit shaky as the series has still done a lot of progressive things), then okay -- but that's something else entirely. And if we're just using "archaic" as a sophomoric shorthand for "something I don't like," perhaps we should elevate ourselves out of this simpleton pit and stop pretending that there's some sort of cut-and-dry terminology to objectively classify our tastes as the good ones.
Myth #4: It Has No Story
Bzzzzt. Wrong again. I'm not entirely sure how this trope originated, the idea that Dragon Quest doesn't have any stories, but it's completely false. This isn't to say that one should play them (or anything, for that matter) solely for the stories, but there is a story here, and it's a very fun and charming one at that. Perhaps there are some people who are simply incapable of distinguishing between "story" and "flashy non-interactive feature film-length full motion video parades," but I feel very sad for these individuals and their opinions aren't worth a lot. Most people, however, should be able to appreciate the humorous dialogue and situations, the series' rich and elegant weaving of folklore and mythology into each game, and the unique narrative structures and world designs that have marked most of the Dragon Quest games.
Myth #5: It Isn't Worth 40$
No, you're wrong. Hey, no one likes the Square tax -- not you, not I, not the rest of the common plebes. But the game is worth it. "But it's old! But it's a portable game! But but but!" So what? This is a fantastic, high quality remake of a truly excellent, classic RPG; get it and you'll be able to enjoy an RPG experience easily the equal (if not the better) of some of the other most highly regarded and anticipated hits of the year, whether you're thinking of Lost Odyssey, Infinite Undiscovery, The World Ends With You, Etrian Odyssey II, Tales of Vesperia, or Final Fantasy IV. When you buy this game, you'll be getting a 20+ hour quest with a fun, charming cast, positively luscious 2D visuals, a great battle system, nice dungeons, and lots of devious bosses. It's worth the money. Just pay it. This is a series that has, sadly, never gotten the appreciation it deserves in North America, and I tip my proverbial hat to Square Enix for their recent attempts at strengthening the brand abroad and for reintroducing it to English-speaking gamers with the trilogy remakes.
If you've fallen for one of these myths (much like a youngling who's been taught to believe in the tooth fairy and trolls under bridges), this is the perfect opportunity to find out what you've been missing out on. And if DQ8 is the only game in the series you've played, now is your chance to go back to the series' roots.
Now with those little let's-scare-the-kids fairy tales out of the way, let's move on to prepping ourselves for one of the best RPG releases of the year:
Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen
Developer: ArtePiazza
Publisher: Square Enix
System: Nintendo DS
Release Dates:
09/11/08 (AU)
09/12/08 (EU)
09/15/08 (NA)
Watch the Trailer
Overview
Dragon Quest IV is marked by a very cool chapter system. In each of the first four chapters of the game, the player takes control of a different hero who must complete his or her own quest. Finally, in chapter five, all of the heroes must come together to confront their real destiny.
Also, be sure to check out Aeana's excellent thread for the Japanese release. I don't want to try to replicate all the work she did for that one.
Screens:
Characters:
Ragnar (Chapter One)
A noble veteran soldier, Ragnar is given a special assignment by King Burnard.
Alena, Kiryl, and Borya (Chapter Two)
When Princess Alena becomes bored of the castle and seeks an adventure in the world outside, the chancellor and her tutor tag along to try to keep her out of trouble.
Torneko (Chapter Three)
Torneko's dream is to become the best merchant in the world. Can you help him achieve this?
Maya and Meena (Chapter Four)
The sisters Maya and Meena seek revenge against the man who took their father's life.
So is everyone else ready?
Before we delve in, let's touch on a few of the common myths regarding DQ4 and the Dragon Quest series as a whole:
Myth #1: It's Slow
The series definitely isn't slow. How can anyone who has tolerably played through RPGs like Final Fantasies VII - IX or Skies of Arcadia or Paper Mario or Shadow Hearts: Covenant or Suikoden V call the Dragon Quest games slow? Have you been knocked out of temporal alignment with the rest of the world somehow? Perhaps so. Back in reality, these games actually have a very speedy combat system, and lodging the "it's too slow" complaint is a surefire indicator that the individual has probably only played Dragon Quest VIII out of all the games in the series. The rest of them have used flexible battle speed configurations, scant reliance on lengthy animations, minimal loading and camera panning, efficient UI design, and useful AI options to greatly cut down on the length of time each encounter takes. Most dungeons are also well enough balanced that the encounter rates are not frighteningly high. And with the exception of DQ7 and DQ8, most of the games aren't overly long, either. That being said, to make the most out of the battle speed one probably needs to fight a bit intelligently and not approach each fight as an exercise in X-button mashing. Which nicely segues us to...
Myth #2: It Requires Grinding
No, you're wrong. Look, most of the time the people complaining that an RPG requires grinding are the same people who insist that they don't require any skill. Here's a pro-tip: stop whining, develop some of the skills you're clearly lacking, and you won't have to issue the grinding screed again. Use the many abilities the game affords you (especially the oft-ignored buffs and debuffs), create some effective strategies, explore the world map and dungeons thoroughly, complete the game's side quests, and get some good equipment -- you won't need level grinding and you'll be in for a far more satisfying gaming experience.
Myth #3: It's Archaic
What does this even mean? Sometimes I feel like people are throwing words around without any comprehension of their meaning. The word implies that we can clearly delineate some point in history that separates Dragon Quest games from modern games -- but on what criteria do we rely? Turn-based battle systems? Real-time battles predate turn-based, so that's certainly not a good distinction to draw. Random encounters? Unfortunately, these too are a more recent creation than non-random enemy encounters, so they can't really be used to separate "modern" from "archaic." If people want to complain that the games don't reinvent themselves often enough, or introduce enough new things with each iteration to the genre (though even this is a bit shaky as the series has still done a lot of progressive things), then okay -- but that's something else entirely. And if we're just using "archaic" as a sophomoric shorthand for "something I don't like," perhaps we should elevate ourselves out of this simpleton pit and stop pretending that there's some sort of cut-and-dry terminology to objectively classify our tastes as the good ones.
Myth #4: It Has No Story
Bzzzzt. Wrong again. I'm not entirely sure how this trope originated, the idea that Dragon Quest doesn't have any stories, but it's completely false. This isn't to say that one should play them (or anything, for that matter) solely for the stories, but there is a story here, and it's a very fun and charming one at that. Perhaps there are some people who are simply incapable of distinguishing between "story" and "flashy non-interactive feature film-length full motion video parades," but I feel very sad for these individuals and their opinions aren't worth a lot. Most people, however, should be able to appreciate the humorous dialogue and situations, the series' rich and elegant weaving of folklore and mythology into each game, and the unique narrative structures and world designs that have marked most of the Dragon Quest games.
No, you're wrong. Hey, no one likes the Square tax -- not you, not I, not the rest of the common plebes. But the game is worth it. "But it's old! But it's a portable game! But but but!" So what? This is a fantastic, high quality remake of a truly excellent, classic RPG; get it and you'll be able to enjoy an RPG experience easily the equal (if not the better) of some of the other most highly regarded and anticipated hits of the year, whether you're thinking of Lost Odyssey, Infinite Undiscovery, The World Ends With You, Etrian Odyssey II, Tales of Vesperia, or Final Fantasy IV. When you buy this game, you'll be getting a 20+ hour quest with a fun, charming cast, positively luscious 2D visuals, a great battle system, nice dungeons, and lots of devious bosses. It's worth the money. Just pay it. This is a series that has, sadly, never gotten the appreciation it deserves in North America, and I tip my proverbial hat to Square Enix for their recent attempts at strengthening the brand abroad and for reintroducing it to English-speaking gamers with the trilogy remakes.
If you've fallen for one of these myths (much like a youngling who's been taught to believe in the tooth fairy and trolls under bridges), this is the perfect opportunity to find out what you've been missing out on. And if DQ8 is the only game in the series you've played, now is your chance to go back to the series' roots.
Now with those little let's-scare-the-kids fairy tales out of the way, let's move on to prepping ourselves for one of the best RPG releases of the year:
Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen
Developer: ArtePiazza
Publisher: Square Enix
System: Nintendo DS
Release Dates:
09/11/08 (AU)
09/12/08 (EU)
09/15/08 (NA)
Watch the Trailer
Overview
Dragon Quest IV is marked by a very cool chapter system. In each of the first four chapters of the game, the player takes control of a different hero who must complete his or her own quest. Finally, in chapter five, all of the heroes must come together to confront their real destiny.
Also, be sure to check out Aeana's excellent thread for the Japanese release. I don't want to try to replicate all the work she did for that one.
Screens:
Characters:
Ragnar (Chapter One)
A noble veteran soldier, Ragnar is given a special assignment by King Burnard.
Alena, Kiryl, and Borya (Chapter Two)
When Princess Alena becomes bored of the castle and seeks an adventure in the world outside, the chancellor and her tutor tag along to try to keep her out of trouble.
Torneko (Chapter Three)
Torneko's dream is to become the best merchant in the world. Can you help him achieve this?
Maya and Meena (Chapter Four)
The sisters Maya and Meena seek revenge against the man who took their father's life.
So is everyone else ready?
