When it comes to RPG titles the storyline is arguably the most important part of the puzzle – if you don’t engage and empathise with the characters portrayed on-screen then chances are you’ll lose interest quicker than England can exit a World Cup. Does Dragon Quest IX hit the target when it comes to riveting narrative? Read on to find out in this section of our Dragon Quest IX review.
Read the rest of our Dragon Quest IX review
Dragon Quest IX review
Dragon Quest IX review: Multiplayer
Dragon Quest IX review: Gameplay
While most Japanese RPGs tend to place you in the shoes of rookie adventurers tasked with overcoming their personal fears and saving an entire kingdom, Dragon Quest IX takes a more unique approach.
In Dragon Quest IX you are one of the titular sentinels of the starry skies – a guardian angel known as a Celestrian – whose job it is to watch over the tiny hamlet of Angel Falls. Dragon Quest IX neatly references real-world perceptions of religion by making you invisible to the townsfolk – they worship you and look to you for divine protection, but aside from random bouts of good fortune, they have no way of proving you even exist.
The opening of Dragon Quest IX sees you move from apprentice guardian to sole protectorate of Angel Falls. By collecting the magical element of Benevolessence – which is generated whenever a townsperson expresses thanks to the Celestrians – you help to fulfil the prophecy long spoken about in angel circles: once the esteemed Yggdrasil tree bears fruit, a magical locomotive called the Starlight Express will appear to whisk your kin away to the promised land of the Almighty. Bear with us.
Needless to say this doesn’t go according to plan, and upon unleashing its legendary fruit the tree – and the entire Celestrian kingdom – comes under attack by a mysterious enemy. The Starlight Express is smashed into several pieces and scattered throughout the mortal world below and to make matters significantly worse, your character plunges down to the town of Angel Falls to awaken as a human being – albeit one with limited angelic powers.
The Dragon Quest series has always been famous for offering up unique plotlines and Dragon Quest IX is certainly no exception. Throughout your epic mission you’ll encounter myriad locations, countless enemies and an entire cast of non-player characters.
The one crucial element missing from the adventure is banter between you and your four-strong band of fellows. This is because the game has been designed to be played by up to four different human protagonists, meaning that scripted dialogue between each player-controlled character would be impossible.
The large number of non-player characters in the game removes this limitation somewhat and the talkative and ditzy fairy helper Stella is on hand to provide occasional comic relief. To be honest after a few hours of solo questing you barely even notice the lack of communication between your team, but that’s not to say that you won’t become attached to them. Because you can create each party member yourself you’re guaranteed to get a genuine sense of satisfaction from seeing them evolve and develop over the course of the adventure.
The plot of Dragon Quest IX is neatly supplemented by optional tasks which sit alongside the main quest and provide some welcome distraction from the main storyline. They usually start off as fairly rudimentary fetch-quests where a character will ask you to collect a particular item, but later examples are a little more complex and almost operate as touching mini-dramas in themselves. In the near future you’ll be able to download other challenges via Nintendo’s online Wi-Fi service, too.
Dragon Quest IX may not quite challenge the seminal Final Fantasy VII when it comes to gripping scenes and tear-jerking moments but it does offer an excellent plot which is made all the more impressive when you consider that it’s possible to share the experience with three of your mates.
Read the rest of our Dragon Quest IX review
Dragon Quest IX review
Dragon Quest IX review: Multiplayer
Dragon Quest IX review: Gameplay
