One word that has always described Dragon Quest is “conservative.” That’s not a negative for DQ, either, particularly when the series has refined its formula to such a dependable level of excellence. And while the graphics won’t dazzle you like other DS RPG remakes numbered IV, the quality of the enemy animations and the rich, subtle detail in the environments - particularly in the towns – are easy to appreciate.

Another interesting detail is in the people you’ll meet over the course of the game. Many of them speak with heavy accents that are actually written into their dialogue text. It gets a little weird, reading ridiculous French pronunciations spoken in what’s supposed to be a fantasy world, but it gives the game even more charm.

Dragon Quest IV’s rigid traditionalism might deter some players from trying the series, which is a real shame. As a remake of a game played by too few outside of Japan, it’s a great starting point for those new to the franchise, and older fans can relive their memories with greatly improved graphics and translation. If you like your RPGs old school, yet approachable in their difficulty, you can’t do much better than this.

Sep 12, 2008