Dragon Quest IX

Dragon Quest IX Review
What do you expect from the next iteration of your favourite JRPG series? Better graphics? Improved voice acting? An innovative new battle system? Dragon Quest IX has none of these things. The reason for this can be traced back to a decision made before the game was even in development; the decision to bring the game to a handheld console. As with Square Enix's controversial attempt at westernisation with Final Fantasy XIII, the decision was made with the intention to open the franchise up to a wider audience. The question is: is this going to sit well with the diehard fans that have stuck with the series since day one? As I find myself loitering in that category of gamers (I'd need to be a few years older to have been there since day one), I decided to find out.


Before getting stuck in, let's take a moment to explain a few things. If Square Enix has succeeded in attracting a new audience, there could be people reading this who haven't the foggiest what the series is all about. Here's the history lesson, then: the first Dragon Quest game was released on the NES back in 1986, and over the next 24 years enjoyed the success and sales that other franchises can only dream of. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King, the most recent entry in the series (and the first game in the main series to reach European shores) was released on the PlayStation 2 in 2006. It was a rip-roaring success, and all eyes were on the PS3 to play host to the inevitable ninth game. That 'next gen' Dragon Quest game will have to wait a while, however, because Square Enix has decided to launch Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies (DQIX from here on out) on the console with the biggest pool of potential players: the Nintendo DS.



Despite its newfangled four-player co-op (which I'll be addressing shortly) the game is incredibly traditional in the role playing sense. You'll wander from town to town, slaying monsters and helping out NPCs with whatever problems their poor little town is facing. It's the quintessential JPRG experience. A JPRG wouldn't be a JRPG these days without some form of item synthesis, and DQIX doesn't disappoint with its extensive alchemy features, allowing players to create more potent medicines and stronger weapons by combining existing items. Side quests can of course be found off the beaten path too, although I found the majority of these took the form of a thoughtless fetch quest. The series might have moved from the big screen to a little handheld one, but all the features you'd expect from a console RPG are included

The Dragon Quest series has always had a strong religious theme at the core of its narrative, and the ninth iteration of the series is no different. The silent protagonist (whom you create before starting the game) is a guardian angel; a 'Celestrian' - to use the game's lingo - who looks after a small town known as Angel Falls. After helping out about town and collecting benevolence from its faithful denizens, our winged protagonist returns to the realm of angels to offer the benevolence to the great Yggdrasil tree. The idea is that this will allow the angels to ascend to the land of God, but an unforeseen catastrophe throws a spanner into the works. After blacking out, our hero wakes up in Angel Falls stripped of his wings and halo, and his heavenly powers replaced with mortality. The adventure that unfolds involves finding out what happened, and reinstating your Celestrian status.

As we've come to expect from Square Enix games, the localisation is superb, and the script has a fantastic sense of humour. Story delivery on the whole is lacking, however, which can be attributed to the fact that none of your party members talk. For the most part, the plot is advanced through the vexatious monologues of Stella, a fairy that starts following your character around early on in the game. For the first time in the series, your party is comprised entirely of mute adventurers, all of whom are created and recruited by the player. The customisation features are basic, with but a few preset face types and hairstyles to choose from. Still, the game features such an extensive range of hats, gloves and suits of armour that this doesn't seem to matter.