For DS owners who are huge RPG fans, Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky is one of the most anticipated RPGs this year. Its release in North America is less than a month away, and I finally had a chance to play the English build on the E3 show floor. First impression is that the game has the classic feel of the Dragon Quest series which has made it one of the most highly successful series in Japan. And even after only getting to play 20 minutes, I can say for myself that Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky is something I’m looking forward to.
The demo build that I got to play on the show floor didn’t say much about the story. What it did show me was how the characters interact with each other in battles and in town exploration. For people who played Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King, you will find a lot similarities in Dragon Quest IX. In fact, both DQ VIII and DQ IX are being developed by Level-5, meaning that if you loved DQ VIII, there’s a huge chance you will fall in love with this game.
Visually, Dragon Quest IX has a very colorful graphics. The sprites are well crafted, and no, they aren’t the same sprites that you saw in Dragon Quest remakes on the Nintendo DS. From 2D, Dragon Quest IX has become 3D, making it more enjoyable to play the game. In terms of the gameplay, it gave me the classic feel that a Dragon Quest game should have. The menus are classic, yet simple, and the battle system managed to keep that Dragon Quest feel. The top screen shows the map while the bottom shows where the characters are.
A lot of RPG gamers hate random encounters, and I’m one of them. In Dragon Quest IX, there are no more random encounters! The enemies are now on-screen, making them avoidable whenever the player pleases. The multiplayer in the demo we had is not currently available. The reps guaranteed to me is that gamers should expect a weekly quest via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. These quests will vary from a simple pick up mission to optional boss battles. Basically, the fun in playing Dragon Quest IX is going to be nearly unlimited.
First, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, and now Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky. From here on out, the Nintendo DS have enough RPGs to keep us entertained until The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword releases next year exclusively on the Nintendo Wii. Check back with us near the release date of the game for our review.