An Exercise in Level Grinding.
Dragon Quest IV was originally released for the Japanese Famicom in 1990. After being remade for the PlayStation in 2001, the developers carried over the title to the Nintendo DS while adding some additions of its own. When the game subsequently came to mobile devices in 2013, this release broke the mold of mobile games with bad controls. This sterling port was optimized for phone screens as well as offering an optimal control scheme and touch screen layout.
In Dragon Quest IV, you’ll take control of several heroes, across several chapters, before ultimately playing as the Hero. This scenario division predated JRPGs such as Final Fantasy VI and Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn. Additionally, it offered a new perspective to heroes within the story. The fantasy setting and first-person battles accompany the Dragon Quest flavor of unique monster designs and various regions with various speaking accents.
At a first glance, this is an ideal classic RPG. For a fan coming from Dragon Quest VIII and XI, it’s just like these two wonderful RPGs but in 2D, right? Dragon Quest certainly adheres to tradition even if a little too tightly sometimes. Stacking up to 90s favorites like Final Fantasy, EarthBound, and Pokemon, Dragon Quest IV would be just as good, right? Unfortunately, Dragon Quest IV suffers from several dated mechanics and becomes a chore to play over the course of 40+ hours.
Story
Dragon Quest IV’s story follows the story of the Hero after his village was beset by monsters. Losing everyone he loved, he’s forced to escape and go out into the world. Destined to confront the source of monsters, he’s joined by heroes across several different continents.
The title spans across several Chapters following different characters. I was fond of these self-contained stories which featured anything from saving a kingdom to getting revenge against a monster lord. Each character had their own reason for adventuring before joining up with the Hero.
Perhaps what I love most about Dragon Quest IV is the overarching story of Psaro the Manslayer and his lover, Rose. Their love is torn in two when a tragedy besets them. Psaro wanders down a dark path and eventually confronts the Hero. However, a chapter added to the remake adds a new and happier ending.
Dragon Quest IV doesn’t feature as strong character interaction as such games like Final Fantasy IV or Fire Emblem. However, while it keeps the writing quite simple, it does offer its own flavor of humor, writing, and tragedy. You’ll surely appreciate the lore written within the NPC dialogue and how well each town offers various accents or buildings like casinos. Even the story of the Pioneer Town offers a compelling beginning and conclusion.
Audiovisual
Dragon Quest IV features an undeniable level of charm. With 2D sprites set in a 3D rendered world, the art style and colors mesh together well. You can even spin the angle around these 3D towns to find hidden doors or NPCs to talk to.
But what strikes me as most impressive is the animation of the enemies. The attention to detail to each individual monster’s 2D attack animations is unheard of even for the time of the PlayStation’s early 2000s release.
Veteran Dragon Quest composer Koichi Sugiyama’s orchestral soundtrack offers a notable variety of fast-paced battle themes and jazzy casino tunes. I was quite fond of the Maya and Meena’s battle theme as well. Another favorite is the theme that plays in The Azimuth and various warp point areas. It features a slower-paced string melody that may remind you of Dragon Quest III or XI.
Gameplay
Despite the awe-inspiring aesthetics, however, the gameplay is where Dragon Quest IV falls apart. The title can no doubt deliver a mood and a story. But when it comes to exploration and battling, it honestly plods too slowly. Even though it’s a 2013 port of a 2001 remake of a 1992 RPG, there is no reason why it still must play like a 1992 RPG.
Walking feels slow and there is no run button. You will get lost and, as such, I strongly recommend using a guide. With the huge world ahead of you once you get the boat, you will spend too much time dealing with random encounters before you can figure out your destination.
Not only is the encounter rate quite bothersome but the battle difficulty itself relies too much on grinding. You’ll encounter mobs of weak enemies giving low EXP before getting trounced by a boss that wipes our your team. It’s paramount that you use a guide to find the location of Metal Slimes so you can get a headstart and not waste more time grinding for EXP. Even if you build a team around solid tactics, while using buffs and debuffs, you will still get trounced by bosses for not being at a high enough level.
Chapter 6 also features a lengthy dungeon that takes 2–3 hours to finish before you fight a boss duo harder than the Chapter 5 boss. If you were around Level 30 when you finished Chapter 5, you’ll likely find yourself grinding about 10 more levels, spending nearly 5 hours, just to survive the final boss.
Final Thoughts
I find it appalling that we still have to go over level grinding in RPGs of the past decade. Even if this is a port of the PS1 and DS versions, as a 2013 title, they could have added quality-of-life improvements. Square-Enix adhered too strongly to the old formula and released a dated game.
As a fan of Dragon Quest VIII and Dragon Quest XI, going back to the older titles feels unnecessary at this point. I found myself struggling to enjoy Dragon Quest III for the exact same reasons as IV. That being said, I feel no reason to play Dragon Quest V, VI, or VII if they feature as much level grinding and the battles move just as slowly. I would rather enjoy a game that rewards you for using good tactics and preparations than one that makes you grind for hours. You’ll find better JRPGs on the market including the Final Fantasy IV, V, and VI on mobile devices.
However, if these old school mechanics appeal to you, then by all means give it a try. Dragon Quest IV is a work of art and offers a few touching moments in its story. But if you’re a curious fan of the newer Dragon Quest titles, it might be worth staying away and looking elsewhere for a classic JRPG experience. If you’re new to the series, I strongly suggest starting with Dragon Quest XI S. It’s the perfect example of a classic RPG series adapting to modern standards and making the formula its own.
Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about Dragon Quest IV. I did not enjoy this game nearly as much as I’d hoped to.
Product Release: Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen (US, 08/07/14)
Originally published at https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com.
