DQIV was one the games I fell in love with. The first website I ever made (GeoCities represent!!!) was a DQIV tribute. I don't know if it's because I played the original so many times over, but I wasn't as enthralled with the DS remake. I think more than anything, the game just showed it's age and graphics aside it just felt dated. Ultimately for most of the game the only notable thing they added was a dialects to the different characters (which in most case were painful). However, without spoiling anything I will say that the bonus chapter in the remake was fantastic. It felt very organic to the story, almost to the point where I'd believe it could have been intended for the original game. So be sure to play that once you beat the game. You'll miss out on the best part otherwise.
Also as far as the assigning tactics, just forget it. It's nice enough but you'll always be a better general if you just command them individually. Too many times characters will do stupid things. For instance I recall equipping Alena with a Fire Claw which she would usually use as an item instead of just attacking and that would lead to her doing less damage. ALso you'll miss out entirely on what makes Nara/Nina (whatever the fortune teller's name is) so valuable. It's hard to get her to use her tarot cards in battle as an item if you don't tell her to. Those cards are unpredictable, but this is one of those games where money can be tight. Her cards have a 1 in 5 shot of doubling money earned in battle and if you do that enough it will add up and make a big difference during the middle portion of the game.
See, I've had oodles of money in this game, I've already bought all the highest armor and weapons (but then in JRPG's a tend to dawdle). I did not know that the Silver Tarot cards could be used as a weapon with Naya.
In terms of feeling dated, I must say I find the combat to be almost exactly the same as the original Phantasy Star, it's pertty basic, but still enjoyable with the various spells.
I don't find the DS graphics to be dated at all -- it looks pretty much like DQ7 on the PS1 (which even for the PS1 were comically poor, I must admit), but on the DS it works out for me. Do they make a big change to the graphics in DQ5? (Which I'll be playing as soon as I finish this one).
I really enjoyed DQ4 very much, but the difficulty shot up really quickly later on forcing you to grind for hours to move on. I guess I sort of lost patience, but the game is great.
I still prefer DQ5's story and characters because it felt more powerful to me, but I love DQ4's multiple story point of views.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now Playing: Golden Sun Dark Dawn, God of War Ghost of Sparta, and DKC Returns
Another thing I noticed is that Star Ocean lifts pretty heavily from some of the scenes in this game. Notably the Colliseum tournament level and the whole ship building delays part. The cities are laid out in those two areas pretty similarly as well.
Both games were made by Enix.
I was interested to learn today that the original Dragon Warrior was given away free with a subscription to Nintendo Power. Quite a score. Here is the text of the letter that accompanied the free game:
ENIX AMERICA
CORPORATION
NINTENDO POWER DRAGON WARRIOR GIVEAWAY
As a subscriber to NINTENDO POWER magazine, you undoubtedly enjoy game playing on you Nintendo Entertainment System. We at Enix America Corporation would like to introduce our unique series of role-playing video games. For a limited time, receive a free copy of Dragon Warrior I and the big map for our newly released Dragon Warrior II adventure with your new or renewed subscription.
In Dragon Warrior I, you are a stranger in the Kingdom of Alefgard. The once tranquil land has fallen into darkness by the hands of an evil Dragonlord. Ruthless creatures roam the countryside and fear plagues the land. Assistance from townspeople, magic spells and special devices aid you in your quest to destroy the Dragonlord. You are the DRAGON WARRIOR. <U>You</U> must save Alefgard.
The adventure of Dragon Warrior II takes place a century after the destruction of the Dragonlord. The land is now four times the size of Alefgard and consists of the kingdoms of Cannock, Midenhall and Moonbrooke. Peace has reigned for 100 years until recently when Hargon the Sorcerer attacked Moonbrooke Castle and threatened to conquer the world with his gods of darkness. The King of Midenhall has received word that his kingdom may be Hargon's next prey. The King is old and unfit to battle Hargon so he has turned to his heir with this task. You are the King's heir and you must grapple with Midenhall's destiny as a Dragon Warrior. A party of three adventurers is yours to role-play and a ship is at your disposal for the vast journey. But beware, young warrior, more enemies exist than ever before. Only you can save the world!
We wish you luck in your journey through the world of Dragon Warrior I and we look forward to you challenging Dragon Warrior II in the near future.
Sincerely,
ENIX AMERICA CORPORATION
November 1990
Had to get one of my older sisters to pay for a subscription for me with her credit card to get my Dragon Warrior.
Ah. Good times. Good times...
DQIV is the only one in the series I have beaten. I played the DS version and enjoyed it very much. Well, if I were honest, I didn't beat it completely. I didn't do all the beats after Psaro joins you (i did some) and I suspect there's quite a bit, but I did sort of beat the main storyline I guess.
I started DQV on DS and would like to continue and finish it at some point, so I will be sure to post impressions here as I do.
Rocket Slime, I also completed and enjoyed very much (actually long before I played IV) it's a different game entirely
___
Listen to Wu-Tang and watch Kung-Fu
DQ is one of the best rpg series ever made
all the games are best quility nearly flawness, great stories, gameplay, fantisic monsters that are timeless
even sub games like monsters and rocket slime are above the rest from that gender
THe only DQ game I've played and flat out not liked was the DQ: Swords game for the Wii. It was very pretty to look at, but not fun at all. DQM 3: Caravan Hearts wasn't so good either, though it wasn't anything offensive. Just a little slow. But if you ever see anything with the DQ name on it, it's a good bet it's a good game.
robio said:THe only DQ game I've played and flat out not liked was the DQ: Swords game for the Wii. It was very pretty to look at, but not fun at all. DQM 3: Caravan Hearts wasn't so good either, though it wasn't anything offensive. Just a little slow. But if you ever see anything with the DQ name on it, it's a good bet it's a good game.
I was so tempted to get that a couple of weeks ago. It was about $8.
aspro said:robio said:THe only DQ game I've played and flat out not liked was the DQ: Swords game for the Wii. It was very pretty to look at, but not fun at all. DQM 3: Caravan Hearts wasn't so good either, though it wasn't anything offensive. Just a little slow. But if you ever see anything with the DQ name on it, it's a good bet it's a good game.
I was so tempted to get that a couple of weeks ago. It was about $8.
At $8 I'd say go ahead, but not for any more than $10. It is a cool idea, and it's even fun for the first couple levels. The DQ monsters look better than they ever have. After that though, unless your tastes severely deviate from the norm you'll be getting tired of it. By the end of the third or forth level if you make it that far you'll either be bored by the repetition or going crazy due to lack of responsiveness for the special sword strokes.
^10-4. I think when I found it was waggle-enabled that nixed the deal.
Amazon wrote me today about DQ6:
Hello,
We're still trying to obtain the following item[s] you ordered on October 28 2010 (Order# ).
"Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Reverie"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002I0GKIQ
We apologize for the inconvenience caused by this delay.
ASK_Story said:I really enjoyed DQ4 very much, but the difficulty shot up really quickly later on forcing you to grind for hours to move on. I guess I sort of lost patience, but the game is great.
I still prefer DQ5's story and characters because it felt more powerful to me, but I love DQ4's multiple story point of views.
I am now probably where you were talking about. I am 22 hours in and just got Ragnar into the party, but before getting him I had to grind for about 3 hours. And I've found a new area of the world offering up equipment and weapons for 3,000-4,000 zeni or whatever, so yeah. Still enjoying it though. I have my party down now, after some experimentation.
For DQ4 I've found that the Hero, Ragnar, Alena and Brey/Borya were my team of choice towards the end of the game. Once Borya learns the Oomph spell he becomes the default mage for all boss battles, and his ice spells will do pretty well for all the minor encounters.
aspro said:
I am now probably where you were talking about. I am 22 hours in and just got Ragnar into the party, but before getting him I had to grind for about 3 hours. And I've found a new area of the world offering up equipment and weapons for 3,000-4,000 zeni or whatever, so yeah. Still enjoying it though. I have my party down now, after some experimentation.
I know I could've continued after I grinded for hours and hours, but I guess it burned me out and made me give up. Plus, DQV coming out around that time took me out of DQIV as well.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now Playing: Golden Sun Dark Dawn, God of War Ghost of Sparta, and DKC Returns
robio said:For DQ4 I've found that the Hero, Ragnar, Alena and Brey/Borya were my team of choice towards the end of the game. Once Borya learns the Oomph spell he becomes the default mage for all boss battles, and his ice spells will do pretty well for all the minor encounters.
Right now I've got Hero, Alena, Maya and Kiryl. I'm into using things like Sap, Kabuff, Fizzle and stuff like that, so on any enemy worth fighting I put on some spells before I lay down the physical attacks.
for anyone with club nintendo accounts, they added in a dq9 screen saver for 10 coins
^That reminds me. Here is the DQ9 wallpaper I got for pre-ordering DQ9 from amazon.
damn thats awesome wall paper
i wanted nintendo to make a posters of ether inn or one the streets
There are enough DQ enthusiasts aruond here I thought I'd start a thread for the DQ games as I play them.
As I mentioned in podcast #80, except for Rocket Slime I have not played any prior DQ games. In my library I have 1,3,4,5,7,8,9, with 6 never having come out in the west (yet). I've been around to see my wife play through 7 and 8, so knew the great Toriyama art design, pun-ridden moster names and memorable music, but had never given it a go for myself.
Rocket Slime, one of my top ten games of all time) in which you play as a Slime, had all those components, and much more, but it's still nothing at all like a numbered DQ.
In four, you play 4 "Chapters" each focusing on a single character, so you get to start from scratch four times before you get to the main chapter, in which you join the other members to form a party toward the ultimate goal (which I've forgotten at this point). This was a great way for a beginner in the series to start, because it's basically repeating a very enjoyable tutorial four times over, each time introducing slightly more challenge. By the time I got to the fifth chapter (after about 13 hours) I was really comfortable with all the monsters, items, spells and rules of the series.
Now that I am in the fifth character the hours between 13 and 20 have melted by and the game has really become a cake-walk (though enjoyably so).
I was wondering if the combat is the same in the games that came after it? You can assign tactics, which is useful, but still the bosses and individual battles seem easier than those I found in Final Fantasy 1 through 5. I'd welcome any impressions of the game, and your past exposure to it.