Review: Dragon Quest IX: The first 8 hours & 27 minutes

   Before I say anything about Dragon Quest IX, give me a moment to relect on my previous post about RPGs I have yet to complete:

   I completly forgot about poor Dragon Quest VIII. Released for the PS2 back in late '05, I bought this game day one, mostly due to the demo of FFXII that was bundled with it. Previously, I wasn't a big Dragon Quest person, as I had a bad experience with Dragon Warrior for the NES when I was 6 or 7. This game really should of been on the list instead of Xenosaga, but I had forgotten it until I got DQ IX from Gamefly.

A nameless hero, a loud-mouth brit, a girl with a great rac-erm, whip skill, and a guy I never got far enough to unlock.

   In all honesty, I really enjoyed this game for the most part. As stated before, I have issues completing consol RPGs nowadays due to time restraints in life, same with this game. The problem was that when I went to pick the game back up, the disc was mysteriously missing. (I think it ran away with my disc 1 of Grandia III... AHCRAP!! I forgot to finish that game too!!!! I have failed at blogging.) Now all thats left is the box, the plastic case, and FFXII demo.
   Will I go back? I hope so. Moving on..

Not to be confused with anything Toriyama did that has Dragon in the title.

   Note: all commentary in the ( ) are my thoughts during this point of the game.

   As the game starts out, you create a hero/heroine from a selection of sizes, eight types of hair (including the hair of familer style.), eight types of faces, skin tone, eye color, and name. Once you've created your new Toriyama-Inspired character, you set out on your journey. First thing you'll notice is that you have a Halo and Wings. (Did I die already?!?! Am I really this terrible at JPRGs nowadays?!?!)
   You have become the new guardian of Angel Falls (Not to be confused with Angel Grove) and are sworn to protect it's people from monsters & helping the dearly departed cross over. You can also go into occupied homes and listen to what people are saying outloud for some reason & also rummege thru belongings such as the 20 gold some poor guy left wide out in the open. (in his dresser.) You head back to skies to report to your boss and to turn in benevolessence given to you by the now happy town people who belive in you and your protection. This benevolessence is used to help the great tree Yggdrasil bare fruit for the gods. (Don't eat Lord Emma's fruit, huh?) Some crap goes down, something that reminds me of Doom Train goes nuts, and I fall from the sky and land face first in Angel Falls (Aha! I get the joke now!) Now, you have to find a way back to the sky and discover what happend when you fell to the planet.



My hero looks almost nothing like this...

   Right away, you'll notice the awesome animated cutscenes that is onpar with other more popular Square-Enix titles like FFIV & Kingdom Hearts (Any of them.) and the graphics are about on par too. Like all DQ games, the storyline, character design, and music is done by the same set of creaters that have been around sense DQ1. Storyline can be generic at times, but it still has enough to pull you into the overall story without taking the fun aspect away from the game. DQIX also boosts a huge multiplayer option, but as my girlfriend doesn't have time to play and my daughter is more interested in her Pokemon White game, I don't have many oppertunities to play multiplayer. So, I did the next best things and made 3 more characters based on friends/family. Remember kids, fake friends based on real people is like having real friends. (/cry)

"Hello! I'm full of so much Loli, you'd think I was a character from Fiesta Online."

   As a quick round-up, DQIX is a great game I do plan on going all the way to the end with. Challenging & nostalgic, this game is just what I need to hold me over till my JRPG craving has passed. I definitly advise this game to anyone looking for a new JRPG that hasn't picked up Pokemon yet.
   I'll definitly keep you updated when I finally beat this game, so it doesn't end up on my previous post's list ever.