Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of Starry Skies preview

by Dave Rudden
June 09, 2010 17:52 PM PT

With a mixture of old-school RPG visuals and combat with modern multiplayer flourishes, Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of Starry Skies looks like it can cater to all crowds. It also marks the first time the Dragon Quest series has appeared exclusively on the Nintendo DS.

I’ve been to Nintendo’s offices quite a few times, always knowing what to expect. Largely because Nintendo usually tells me exactly what to expect. Whether it’s been a demo of WiiWare games like Bit.Trip Beat and Cave Story or blockbuster titles like New Super Mario Bros. Wii and The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, Nintendo has told me ahead of time what I’d be demoing when I set foot in their Redwood Shores building. The last time, however, I was told the game would be a secret, and that the demo would be longer than usual. With visions of Metroid: Other M, Wii Party and other major recent announcements dancing in my head, I must admit that I was a little nervous and disappointed to learn that the game I would be trying out was Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of Starry Skies.

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of Starry Skies preview

Click here for more Dragon Quest IX screens.

Both of those emotions came from my lack of recent role-playing game experience. While I enjoyed SNES and PS1-era RPGs like Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VII, and Suikoden, I’ve had little time to dedicate to more modern-day epics. I’ve also found myself having trouble adapting to MMORPGs and the faux-MMO gameplay apparent in Final Fantasy XII and XIII. In the time that I was able to spend with Dragon Quest IX, I’ve found that it’s been able to appeal to many of my older RPG sensibilities, while also seemingly serving as an introduction to many new-school ideas.

As an RPG franchise steeped in a specific style, Dragon Quest IX is one of the few games that can allow you extensive customization options without sacrificing characterization. The player I created, Daveth, was very attuned to my style, with shaggy hair, a headband, and as per a recent drawing done of me, no nose. After adding a priest’s frock, a shiny gold sword, and a shield designed to look like the series’ trademark Slime enemy, I was able to embark on my quest.

The battles in Dragon Quest IX are initiated by running into characters who are present on the world map, which has always been preferable in my RPG experiences. I particularly liked the added touch of having lower level enemies actually flee from the screen when my character neared — a trait shared by my all-time favorite RPG, Earthbound. While I certainly understand the fact that players might not share my distinct RPG preferences, the single player mode allows players to choose between control over each character’s attacks or assigning behaviors so that battles can run with less interruption. Having experienced both methods of single-player combat allowed me to engage in Dragon Quest IX’s multiplayer mode without any growing pains.

While most multiplayer RPGs take a real-time approach, from Phantasy Star Online’s small and focused battles to World of Warcraft’s massive melees, Dragon Quest IX struck a balance between multiplayer newness and RPG tradition that I instantly felt drawn to. The four of us were able to independently move around the dungeon, but whenever one of us came across a monster, the ensuing battle played out in a more old-school form. Any player who chose to join in the battle chose their combat option from a standard “attack-magic-item” menu. Our team was able to briskly beat back most opponents, though there were a few awkward moments where the entire team had to wait for one player to pick his attack. While our team wasn’t quite strong enough to fell the large dragon guarding the dungeon’s most valuable treasure, the experience of engaging in an epic battle with the help of three friends sitting next to me was almost as enjoyable as a victory.

If Dragon Quest IX manages to have even a fraction of its Japanese success when it lands in the U.S. on July 11, I’m hoping it won’t be the final time I quest with compatriots.