If this isn't the very first time you've ever read an article about videogames, then you already know that Dragon Quest is one of the industry's oldest and most successful franchises. You might also know that the ninth installment, sub-titled Protectors of the Starry Sky, is due out in Japan next month, and is the first numbered DQ game to be released on a handheld. No release date for us lowly gaijin yet, but I'm sure it's coming.
To make the wait easier (or harder, depending on your point of view), Square Enix released a new trailer yesterday. It's all in moonspeak, of course, but games are a universal language. Even through the language barrier, a few of the details are clear -- I can tell by the pixels and by having seen quite a few Japanese RPGs in my time.
There seems to be a character creation/customization feature
Inventory is managed à la Diablo, and the armor and weapons you equip show up on the character model
Item synthesis via Alchemy Pot is back
Combat is traditional and turn-based, but enemies are visible on the overworld
There seems to be some sort of upgrade system (jump to the 3:40 mark)
Akira Toryama is back (obviously), and there seem to be some fully animated scenes
I'm not terribly familiar with the Dragon Quest series, nor have I followed DQIX very closely (although I will from now on!) so I'm not sure how much of this is new, but it's certainly news to me.
Of particular interest is the multiplayer action (which starts at about the 4:15 mark): it looks awesome, but I have some questions about the implementation. How difficult will it be to communicate with your team? Can players drop in and drop out? Can you use your own, personalized character; and, if so, will the experience or loot you acquire in multiplayer translate to your own game?
I don't have answers to any of these questions, but Square's seven-minute trailer (below the jump) does a lot to convince me that I would love to learn the answers first-hand. If the comments over in Novokaine's c-blog are any indication, it seems that you guys agree with me.
Joseph Leray is a founding Destructoid editor and has better hair than you. He speaks French and needs to send us his updated bio in English, preferably.
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At first I was mad that the next DQ game was going handheld, but I've come to accept it now, and am quite looking forward to it.
A lot of that change of heart probably has to do with the fact that this is the first DS game I've ever seen with actually DECENT 3D graphics.
Also, I'm a sucker for equipping things and getting to see it on your character. What's the point of getting the ultimate armor if it doesn't make your character look totally badass.
Dragon Quest FTW! This installment looks amazing. I recently got round to my first Dragon Quest game (DQ4 on DS) and am a total convert. Will be getting all of them, and this looks like an absolute delight. Can`t wait!
I also second what J. Solgrim mentions. That would be awesome, though i guess hard for any piece of technology to get the two screen thing up on a tv correctly.
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Contest:
9:00 PM on 06.16.2009
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I'm still annoyed at Square Enix for not having this game at E3 though.
A lot of that change of heart probably has to do with the fact that this is the first DS game I've ever seen with actually DECENT 3D graphics.
Also, I'm a sucker for equipping things and getting to see it on your character. What's the point of getting the ultimate armor if it doesn't make your character look totally badass.
Yeah, I agree with you on the 3-D graphics; the 3-D models look less like ass than in other games.
I'll be looking forward to this, but I'd like to see if I can hold of the other DQ games on the DS first.
I also second what J. Solgrim mentions. That would be awesome, though i guess hard for any piece of technology to get the two screen thing up on a tv correctly.