Dragon Quest IX

CDH

Dragon Quest IX has been confirmed for 23rd of July in Europe

Link: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/dragon-quest-ix-dated-for-july

Anyone else looking forward to this?

_Godot_

I am!

Gloam

I am incredibly excited about this game. Imported the Japanese version last year and put in many many hours, looking forward to playing it with friends and all of that good stuff!

Gloam

So anyone importing the American version of this?

Retr0gamer

I really want it but at the moment haven't got the money

_Godot_

I preorderded it from GameStop today. But if you preorder it from play.com you get a hat with a slime on it.

Gloam

Got a 9/10 from EDGE, so that's a good sign. Hipe Videogamesplus delivers this close to the American launch on Sunday.

johnny_ultimate

I cannae wait! I was in Japan for the launch last year and desperately wanted to pick it up but y'know, Kanji symbols are a bit of a hurdle. I have never completed a Dragon Quest game before, but I have adored the time I've spent with them. This time I'm going to finish it, I swear :pac:

ussjtrunks

videogamesplus still havent sent the game out

Gloam

ussjtrunks wrote: »

videogamesplus still havent sent the game out

They dispatched mine on Thursday. So *maybe* it'll be here today! Hope someone else gets this soon!

elekid

I really enjoyed DQs IV and VIII so I'm really looking forward to this.

Is anyone else amused by the tv ads though? They focus on the fact that you can dress your characters in loads of different costumes and conveniently gloss over the brutal battling and grinding which forms a much bigger part of what Dragon Quest is all about. I'd say anyone who buys it because they want to play dress up with cutesy characters is in for a shock!

Retr0gamer

Yeah but they might end up enjoying it! Sneaky nintendo!

Sid_Justice

I really enjoyed DQs IV and VI too and I'd go as far as saying they're some of the most enjoyable games I've ever played. However, after about 10 hours gaming, I'm a little bit disappointed with IX.

There is very little, at least thus far, character development or storyline. The previous games were enjoyable because, despite being very kiddsy and cartoony, the characters were well developed and you really got motivation to progress the story.

I'm not a hard core gamer but I've finished the previous two and would have never contemplated not doing so, but I'm tempted to not to bother with this release.

The explanation is IX has gone down a multiplayer mode, so the extra characters are generic because it's designed for making teams with your local area network friends etc. Unfortuntely i'm not into multiplayer gaming (or at least, I don't have any friends that play such games) so it doesn't really appeal to me.

I think a 9/10 is a bit OTT (disregarding the multiplayer) and 7/10 may be a fairer score.

Gloam

Sid_Justice wrote: »

I really enjoyed DQs IV and VI too and I'd go as far as saying they're some of the most enjoyable games I've ever played. However, after about 10 hours gaming, I'm a little bit disappointed with IX.

There is very little, at least thus far, character development or storyline. The previous games were enjoyable because, despite being very kiddsy and cartoony, the characters were well developed and you really got motivation to progress the story.

I'm not a hard core gamer but I've finished the previous two and would have never contemplated not doing so, but I'm tempted to not to bother with this release.

The explanation is IX has gone down a multiplayer mode, so the extra characters are generic because it's designed for making teams with your local area network friends etc. Unfortuntely i'm not into multiplayer gaming (or at least, I don't have any friends that play such games) so it doesn't really appeal to me.

I think a 9/10 is a bit OTT (disregarding the multiplayer) and 7/10 may be a fairer score.

I feel that he character and mood of previous Dragon Quest's is still present in Dragon Quest IX, you just have to look towards those who you help and their stories as opposed to your party and their personalities. I welcome the blank slate characterisation for my party members, as it allows for seamlessness between the single and multiplayer components. The game's plot does pick up later on when you meet more epople and experience some touching and funny moments. I put about forty hours into the Japanese version and easily see myself doubling that with the English release. Keep on keeping on Sid and you will be rewarded!

Gummy Panda

Multiplayer is only through WEP? or does it support WPA?

Gloam

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Multiplayer is only through WEP? or does it support WPA?

The online shop supports WEP only, unfortunately the multiplayer is local only. Which makes things difficult!

Gummy Panda

Gloam wrote: »

The online shop supports WEP only, unfortunately the multiplayer is local only. Which makes things difficult!

OH!

I thought square enix would have changed that for western market. It's not like we have 1 hour train commutes full of people playing DS' here

Gloam

That's true, maybe there'll be organised events by Nintendo Europe, I know Nintendo of America is doing something like that... I doubt it though!

ussjtrunks

My copy still hasn't shipped , as long as it's half as good as 8 it should be awesome

Retr0gamer

For people worried about the multiplayer focus I've heard that there's a good 40+hour single player game that feels like a full dragon quest game and the post game content which adds another 100+ hours is perfectly maneageable in singleplayer.

Gloam

So far the singleplayer is really, really good. I haven't yet had a chance to try multiplayer, but the story seems great so far. The game has just what you'd expect from a mainline DQ game - touching stories and charmaing characters, battles are cool too and have a lot of nifty dynamic angles and stuff going on.

johnny_ultimate

So who else picked this up today?

So far, so wonderfully Dragon Quest. I actually really like the setting and story. I'm only just about to start the first main dungeon, but it has everything I love about the series - music cues, good natured atmosphere, slimes, pleasingly old school turn based battles etc... I admire that Dragon Quest's changes only try to improve the core formula rather than radically overhaul it. Woo to the lack of random battles - you still get attacked regularly, but you can usually run around them.

This is a sequel certain other Square Enix employees could learn something from. A game that is undoubtedly Dragon Quest

Mr Trade In

Bought it today in HMV for €35, big fan of the series.

YouSavedMyLife

First time to play a DQ game. Everything about it is spot on, cept the fact that your whole party are lifeless drones. I know they made it with Multiplayer in mind, but its losing my attention with the lack of character interaction and story (so far)

I just beat the Wight Knight so i guess im not that far into the game :P Hopefully it picks up

Retr0gamer

Dragon Quest isn't really about the story, more about the excellent battle system and the individual storylines of the towns you visit.

_Godot_

Picked it up from GameStop, such a cute looking game.

johnny_ultimate

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Dragon Quest isn't really about the story, more about the excellent battle system and the individual storylines of the towns you visit.

I actually really like the core narrative to this so far, but I have read in revies IX is ultimately more so about the subplots alright. However, for the most part, Dragon Quest games have been surprisingly effective with narratives. Good article in Edge this month about the series (which we can't forget is pretty new to these shores) explaining the complex narratives of earlier games. From what I've played of IV (around 15 hours), it has a fascinating structure, and V is meant to be even better. VIII is a bit more light-hearted and playful than those ones.

noodler

This is really tempting me to buy a DS.

Although so is Snakeeater and the 3DS so I am torn.

David Power

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Multiplayer is only through WEP? or does it support WPA?

What do you mean?

Gloam

Anyone managed to find somebody on the Tag Mode, went around town for hours today. No one appeared though. Loving the game so far! Hope it does well in terms of sales!

David Power

Gloam wrote: »

Anyone managed to find somebody on the Tag Mode, went around town for hours today. No one appeared though. Loving the game so far! Hope it does well in terms of sales!

I did, I'm in kilkenny too. It's nothing special really. I now have a warrior called Andy.

Gloam

C'mon now that's cool! A warrior named Andy! I wish I knew a warrior named Andy! I did it with my Japanese character, but I think if you have more people you're more likely to unlock special stuff

Retr0gamer

noodler wrote: »

This is really tempting me to buy a DS.

Although so is Snakeeater and the 3DS so I am torn.

How can you not have a DS???

Suppose no point getting one now, when the 3DS hits you would probably be better off with thator get a rock bottom priced DS.

_Godot_

What classes are you guys using? I got a warrior, a thief (called him Locke:)), a priest and a martial artist.

johnny_ultimate

_Godot_ wrote: »

What classes are you guys using? I got a warrior, a thief (called him Locke:)), a priest and a martial artist.

I think I have a priest, a mage and a warrior. My main is still a minstrel. At first I was annoyed that you don't have a 'proper' party that take part in the story. But after working them up to a high enough level, they definitely suit my fighting style. I'd love if they did engage more, but I suppose it's a fair enough compromise for multiplayer.

On that note, I'm still working on getting my friends to invest!

NeoKubrick

Reference error

YouSavedMyLife

Starting to really enjoy this game now dispite the lack of party character interaction. Each towns stories are entertaining in there own right. Just reached the Abbey where you can change vocation but the Abbot has legged it. Im running a 3 man group of Minstrel, Martial Artist and a Priest. 3 man because the frame rate drops when i have 4 chars on the field map. It annoys the hell out of me. I cant play games with poor or dropping framerates

noodler

Retr0gamer wrote: »

How can you not have a DS???

Suppose no point getting one now, when the 3DS hits you would probably be better off with thator get a rock bottom priced DS.

Its only this I want to play on the DS so not sure if it would be worth it.

Retr0gamer

So much more stuff amazing on the DS though that there has to be at least a dozen other games you would want? Especially when it comes to RPGs.

Sephiroth_dude

Whats the difficulty level like?is it hard?

johnny_ultimate

Sephiroth_dude wrote: »

Whats the difficulty level like?is it hard?

Like most Dragon Quest games:

Very easy at first (you pretty much only have a basic attack).
Gets increasingly complicated as you travel between towns.
Eventually, you're struggling to preserve your HP and MP even in standard field battles.

However, so far there doesn't seem to be as much of a need for grinding as there was in 8. There hasn't been any points when I've felt I've been going out of my way for exp, while at the same time not exactly avoiding battles either.

A fairly steady difficulty curve in general I'd say!

Dave1711

I got me a minstrel,mage,priest and warrior! :-)all around level 30 atm

Sephiroth_dude

Ordered it today on play.com for 34.99 .

_Godot_

Sorry for bumping an old topic but this week the DVC shop is selling stuff like metal slime spears, metal slime swords and other metal slime stuff. Woo!

Xluna

Best rpg of 2010. Every DS owner should play this game.

Ping Chow Chi

swiped my Girlfriends DS so I could play this, I'm loving it at the moment