After a long RPG Hiatus...Dragon Quest

[Flake]

I used to love RPG's, blessed as I was to grow up in the SNES era. I got burnt out on the whole deal with the PS2. Mostly, Final Fantasy was to blame. I mean, pardon my opinion but..wtf happened to that series?

So I'm feeling the bug again and looking to get into Dragon Quest, now that the games are so accessible what with the DS re-releases and what not. Having never gotten into the series though, I need some advice.

Where is the best place to start in the series? Graphics aren't really a big deal for me. It's the story and gameplay mechanics I'll care about the most.

Thanks in advance, all.

Edit: And I'm really talking about the whole series, guys. Even the NES era ones. I just want to know what the best 'getting on' point would be.

[Breetai]

The DQ series, while some of them take place in the same universe (DQ I-III are in the same world, while I think IV and V are in the same world... then VI is different and I have no idea about VII and VIII), you can really play them in any order you want and they'll still make sense.

Don't be afraid of starting with either IV or V on the DS. Both are excellent RPGs and easy to play.

I've played through I-VI, but haven't tried VII and VIII. V is probably my favourite.

[Flake]

Are the Dragon Warrior games on NES the best english language option for playing the original few games? I know they started to get DS remakes with IV but I'm pretty sure one through three are only on the gray box.

[dedalusdedalus]

Man, I love DQ I-III. As Breetai says, it's in the same universe, so you'll recognize recurring landmasses within each sequel. Of course, "new" parts of the world are opened to you each time, so it's a neat mix of the new and the nostalgic. I gotta say though: these games require a fair amount of grinding. Not extreme, but it's still more than modern RPGs require.

The NES versions have not aged well, so I'd go with the remakes if they're available. It's not merely a graphical issue; the random battles take forever to complete.

There's a remake of III on GBC, as well as an unreleased Japanese SNES rom for which you can find a translation. Not to sure if 1-2 ever got a remake though.

[pepharytheworm]

I-III are my lest favorite of the Dragon Quest series, but if you start further in the series these games will seem quite archaic.

My recomondation is to start with DW III on the GBC, its the best US version graphically and its easier and cheaper to find. If you don't like that one then skip I and II. If you like it play DW I & II GBC, both games on one cart.

From there the DS ports are really great. V is better overall but you are going to love the chapters especially Torneko's in IV. From there either DW VII PS1 or DQ VIII PS2. Both are very long so be expecting to put over 100 hrs for each one. DW VII plays a lot like the DS remakes, so if you like them you'll like VII.

Hopefully VI and IX will be out soon for the DS.

If you start to love there series there are quite a few spin-off titles:
Dragon Warrior Monsters 1&2 GBC - pokemon clone
World of Dragon Warrior: Torneko: The Last Hope PS1 - dungeon crawler its okay
Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime DS - More of an action game but fun
Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker DS - I liked this one better than the GBC ones.
Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors Wii- 1st person view on rails style. Alot of people don't like this game but I thought it was quite fun. Its pretty short compared to the rest of the series.

[Breetai]

There's a remake of III on GBC, as well as an unreleased Japanese SNES rom for which you can find a translation. Not to sure if 1-2 ever got a remake though.

DQ (or... DW) I&II were re-released on the GBC and the graphics were slightly improved in the process. I have both DW I&II and DW III GBC carts and they are all worth it.

DQ I&II is also available on the Super Famicom with redone graphics, but it is only in Japanese.

theworm was dead-on in his assessment and I agree with him. DQ I-III are really old school. Starting with III and then going to I/II is a good idea! Still, IV or V would be the easiest way to go. DQ VI on the DS in English should be coming out relatively soon. Of I-VI, V is generally regarded as the best and I agree with that.

[Flake]

Well I dug around and found out that my girl friend already has Dragon Quest IV on the DS. Nothing like trying it out for free, right? Thanks all. Let's see if I can get back into the whole RPG shtick.

[pepharytheworm]

Well I dug around and found out that my girl friend already has Dragon Quest IV on the DS. Nothing like trying it out for free, right? Thanks all. Let's see if I can get back into the whole RPG shtick.

Good choice it was also my first foray into Dragonquest. The music is lovely and the broken down chapters make the game go by really quick. I spent around 35 hrs and it felt like half that.

[corn619]

If you still have your PS2 I'd give Dragon Quest VIII a try. I finish very few RPGs and this game was a adventure of a lifetime and single handedly made me like RPGs again. I've yet to find a game that has the ability to suck you in like this game does. I put 130 hours into this game and wanted more and was sad to see it end. The game is just beautiful and the gameplay, graphics and story are all top knotch, and really maintain that Dragon Quest feel and experience. Part IV would be my second choice, the way the four characters stories come together is great and took a different approach to story telling when compared to games of its time. I plan on tackling Dragon Quest VI next. I'm wondering if I should wait for the DS rerelease or play via emulation on my big screen.

[pepharytheworm]

So, how are you liking it so far Flake?