Headway on Dragon Quest for America

[Kenryoku_Maxis]

I donno what kind of impact it will have for many people here, but I consider it BIGGER THAN GLOBAL WARMING. It looks like Square Enix is actually making moves to bring the DS Remakes of Dragon Quest IV and V to America. One of which they've had 90% of the US and International translation done with since the Japanese launch of the game in November.

News here: http://kotaku.com/383354/square-enix...est-trademarks

[Jogurt the Yogurt]

Could be interesting. I never really followed the DQ/W series past the very first game when it first came out, so I don't really know which ones are considered the classics and which ones are considered missable.

[Kenryoku_Maxis]

Originally Posted by Jogurt the Yogurt

Could be interesting. I never really followed the DQ/W series past the very first game when it first came out, so I don't really know which ones are considered the classics and which ones are considered missable.

Being a Dragon Quest Fanboy, I think they're all similar in gameplay and fun in their own right, if not many of them downright amazing. But generally, most people are mixed on what are the 'best' Dragon Quest games. The Dragon Quest series outside of Japan didn't take off because it got botched on release when Enix tried to get various companies over the years to release it outside of Japan. And after the Square Enix Merger, they have been anything but gun-ho on trying to do anything but bring out the Monster and side games, when they should hae started with the main series games.

I can just tell you, there's no coincidence why Dragon Quest IV-VI is being remade. V and VI never got brought to America and IV and V were highly popular in Japan, even for the already rediculously popular series. Plus, storywise, IV-VI are somewhat connected.

[pdRydia]

Sounds good to me! Been wanting to try the main series, and the DS would be the best system for it.

[hippiecrite]

Awesome news. I hope it happens.

DQIII was always my favorite and IV was really good too. I'd really like to play V and VI so here's hoping they get released over here.

[Jogurt the Yogurt]

Originally Posted by pdRydia

Sounds good to me! Been wanting to try the main series, and the DS would be the best system for it.

You should try the first one. It's awesome. I may just try to give it another playthrough this summer.

[pdRydia]

Originally Posted by Jogurt the Yogurt

You should try the first one. It's awesome. I may just try to give it another playthrough this summer.

The NES one? I played it a bit, enough to learn some of the jokes that arise from the game. I even went Over The Bridge a few times! But I think I'd prefer a slightly more polished version--uberleveling off slimes is a bit much for me these days. :]

[Kenryoku_Maxis]

Originally Posted by pdRydia

But I think I'd prefer a slightly more polished version

Every Dragon Quest is pretty much a leap forward from its predecessor in some way. From Dragon Quest I to II, you go from Single Combat with 'over the bridge' difficulty to fighting with party members on a huge quest to save your kingdom and your neighboring kingdoms from a Monster king who invades each of your lands and destroys many kingdoms. The beginning scene of the game even shows a castle being ransacked and a king being killed. While its all in 8-bit NES, it was something big for the series and showed that RPGs could have a story build up (and good music with Koichi Sugiyamas score).

The series just on the NES went from a lone warrior looking to kill a Dragon Lord in Dragon Quest I to Dragon Quest IV, a VI chapter story with 7 different characters each with a very different lot in life. As you go through each of their chapters however, the individual characters roles start to connect and you see where the different roles start to form a main plot. And then the Hero immerges.

So really, the series of Dragon Quest has been a front runner in creativity and originality for JRPGs ever since its creation. Its just sad that there's always something that seems to keep it from coming over here. Let's hope this is Square Enix finally fixing that.

And yes, Dragon Quest I is the one I'd say actually makes you sit there and grind. But then, it was almost an experiment. It was the first game, recognized by many to be the first 'console JRPG' of its type, and didn't involve much story, side quests or things to do besides 'get item, go to this town, beat game'. But considering it as the first JRPG console RPG, then damn, its pretty well made. I mean, hundreds of JRPGs that followed weren't even half as good, or just plain crappy. Eventhough they tried to add on new improvements.

[Kenryoku_Maxis]

Well, it seems after months of saying 'Unreleased' for US on their main Page, IGN has finally given a release date for Dragon Quest IV DS. And the date is.....

August 29, 2008.

Um....what the hell Squenix? Do you really want to bury Dragon Quest so bad that you don't even announce its coming over, put it AFTER the summer and then make us wait all the way a YEAR from the Japanese release? Plus the translation was already 90% done upon the Japanese release...

I guess they really just don't want anything but Final Fantasy to succeed in America.

Looks like you have to wait clear through the summer for one of the best RPGs to hit the DS.

[Jogurt the Yogurt]

Last I heard, 29 August was still an unofficial date. I don't see why it's a bad date, though. I didn't expect it to be coming anytime soon, especially since, as you said, it hasn't been announced. Wasn't the Japanese version released in November?