I'm really surprised at how much they have streamlined the game. I'm wondering if its because of the move to the portable field that required the change of pace. Everything just seems to happen a lot faster unlike previous titles in DQ (which were slow starters, just to check a dresser or open a door felt slow as sh*t). Here, you just run around town doing what you please at a decent clip. I've also seemed to have notice that there is a lot less grinding required this time around (at least in the time I've put into it) which I'm sure will make many people happy. I'm a rpg grinder by nature though so it doesn't affect me either way.
One thing that I'll like to say about this game is that I feel as if its taking the series and some traditional rpg conventions and advancing them slightly yet at the same time taking some gameplay back to the old NES days. It has been over 10 years since I can remember actually naming my whole party. I know that is a small feature which gets overlooked but it is something I have missed since the introduction to more detailed stories and voice acting in games. I love the fact that I can name my 4 characters as my close friends. It makes me feel like a kid again and gets my imagination racing which helps build character into the lifeless avatars. Walking into towns with my 3 friends in tow make me feel as if we're some sort of mercenary group who go around righting every wrong we come across, little by little making a name for ourselves.
On another note, I'm also surprised at how much of the world seems open to you at first. I've only reached the second town outside the Observatory but after running around a bit, I've seen a few more areas I can go and discover. I'm just thinking of grinding a bit to get my 3 comrads up to snuff since I've just recruited them.
Loving this game though, really surprised at how deep this game seems, specially for a handheld rpg.
Topic: Dragon Quest IX - Release Date 7/11 - U.S. (Read 69714 times)
