G4 released their review for the game - http://g4tv.com/games/ds/41376/Dragon-Quest-IX-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skies/review/ it's not the most interesting one so I didn't post it as news, but they did give it a 5/5.
Plus even more reviews are coming in on Metacritic. Currently it's sitting at a 86 though once that G4 review comes in it'll be bumped up a bit. Anyway just one more day and 2 hours to go. Can't wait.
The reviews are great so far.
...Tomorrow...tomorrow...I love you... tomorrow!"
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Now Playing: Golden Sun Dark Dawn, God of War Ghost of Sparta, and DKC Returns
gamingeek said:
The reviews are great so far.
Yeah, I had my pre-order in before the reviews, now I'm really stoked to be getting it. Not sure when I'll get to it, hopefully this year. I'm hoping it has some of the feeling from Rocket Slime in it.
I guess I can wait one night...IF I CAN SLEEP!!!
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Now Playing: Golden Sun Dark Dawn, God of War Ghost of Sparta, and DKC Returns
The COLORS, the SOLID sprites and environments...
I LOVE how GG's Wang is the FIRST enemy group you encounter ! ! !
Those who I am charged to protect love me already and are freely spreading Benevolessence all over my realm...
Mmmm... Benevolessence...!
Oops! I think I have some on my chin!
All my main character was doing was going around stealing crap from people's cupboards and playing with horse dong dung 'til he could get benevolessence shot all over 'im!
Hardly befitting an Angel!
Now, when do I get my horns and tail?
It would only be appropriate!
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I LOVE the richness of the colors.
I LOVE the BOLD black-lined characters and the cell-shading effect!
I LOVE how after you get a bit stronger, Slimes, Cruelcumbers and such turn-tail and RUN when they see YOU!
I LOVE the change in appearance as you equip different weapons and armors!
I LOVE the change in ANIMATION when you change weapons, too!*
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I TOTALLY know learning the Sword Skills will make the game THAT much easier...
...but, I dunno, I REALLY CAN'T decide!
It's obviously not on the same level as DQ8, but it's a far, far cry from any of the previous versions... even 7 from the PSOne!
I LOVE the Dynamic camera in the Battle Screens.
I LOVE the BIG, UP-CLOSE, fluid Sprites!
It's not NEARLY as pixelated as I thought it was going to be for a DS cell-shaded game.
It's is probably the best looking DS game of all time!
(The World Ends with You certainly had it's own style, but DQIX is totally solid, all around, and the color palette strikes me each and every time I turn the game on!)
Even though it is on a Portable, it has everything (if not more than) every other version had! (+Multiplayer!)
It's Lighthearted from the Start... but you're also dealing with Fallen Angels and the Guardianship of Mankind.
It's got it's silliness, like picking up Horse-Poo... but it's also got it's underlying Darkness... Who is Corvus and what happened to him?
It seems like the Developers went all out in the Monster Naming department: Cruelcumbers, Sacksquatches, etc, etc...
You still got your typical DQ trappings: Gossiping ladies, Secrets down the Wells, Breakable Jars and Barrels...
I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED DQVIII... It was (in my eyes) what catapulted Dragon Quest into the new Millennium with beautiful graphics and a much broader appeal than the older versions (although I LOVED them too)...
--BUT--
Dragon Quest IX seems to returns to the series roots... YOU get to decide your Party's characters, structure and Skills. I loved Jessica and Yangus, of course, but you were limited in just how much you could DO with them. THIS game does everything 8 did, but puts MORE in your hands to control...
...and, again, even though I'll probably NEVER use it...
...PLUS MULTIPLAYER!
YAY!
EDIT: BOO! Where are my ROBIO IMPRESSIONS!!!
Okay my DSi's batteries were about to die so I guess I can put the game away for a while. I pretty much played it non-stop for 6 hours since I got it and I'd be playing it it I still could. Unfortunately, some mysterious goblin child around here chewed on the end of my charger and now it has to be in just the right position in order to charge.
Anyway it is indeed a proper Dragon Quest game. In fact, it's very much like they've said - this is the spiritual sequal to DQIII. It's that game, but it's evolved and taken the best elements of DQVIII along with it. It's a straight forward story, but with lots of incentive to go back and frequently visit places from the past. Lot of character customatization, from the ability to the equipment, right down to the gloves. And the alchemy pot is back!!
Really looking forward to see how the class change system progresses. I'm a little disappointed that there were only 6 classes to choose from at the start. Hopefully this will be expanded upon pretty soon. Anyway only 6 hours in so far, so who knows what's next. Probably will get another 3 hours in tonight.
The one (other) thing I LOVE about Dragon Quest is: It is unyielding when it comes to giving up it's style. It doesn't feel the need to yield to "modern" RPG conventions...
There's no brooding, emo Hero.
It doesn't HAVE TO BE dark, dreary and in a post-apocalyptic future.
The Villains aren't misunderstood, emo Brats... They tend to be EVIL...
There's no Grey areas here. You know who the heroes are, you know who the villains are. You don't have to THINK that HARD. You just enjoy the discovery of it all --AND-- the dynamic, edge of your seat (without 45 minute summon-sequences) FUN Battles!
PLEASE DON'T EVER CHANGE DQ ! ! !
robio said:And the alchemy pot is back!!
Yay, Alchemy Pot!
Yay, Impressions!
I only played for a little bit, but all I can say is "wow!"
You're right, Leo. This is the best looking DS game. The graphics are very clean and crisp and doesn't have that pixelated or wavy, screen-tearing 3D look to the other DS games.
It's great so far!
I'll play more later. Got a $15 gift card from Toys R Us with this so I essentially got the game for $20!
I'm happy!
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Now Playing: Golden Sun Dark Dawn, God of War Ghost of Sparta, and DKC Returns
Looking at the list of skills, I'm pretty sure I'm going to want something strong against Dragons and something able to hit Metal... things...
That does suck.
At least it's coming out in two days. And after years of waiting, we'll finally have it in our hands!
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Now Playing: Golden Sun Dark Dawn, God of War Ghost of Sparta, and DKC Returns