The long-running Dragon Quest series is undoubtedly one of Square Enix's best, and the mobile ports to have come from the games aren't any less thrilling. Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen, is the latest game to hit handheld devices, having journeyed from the Famicom/NES to the Nintendo DS, and now to mobile. It's a fantastic game, no matter the system you're playing on, and worth a look even if that's not your genre.
The Good
Chapters of the Chosen is a traditional role-playing game, so you should have a good handle on how to deal with the various battles and idiosyncrasies of the genre. Travel across an overworld, encounter bad guys, lather, rinse, and repeat. There's one caveat to this game, however -- you work your way through specific chapters (hence the title) as minor party members before meeting the protagonist. It's an engaging concept that you likely haven't seen before in the realm of traditional JRPGs, and one great reason to embark on the journey even if you're already a hardcore RPG gamer looking for your next fix.
Character portraits and sprites are colorful and interesting, especially since they were brought to life by the venerable Akira Toriyama, and dialogue as well as the narrative is touching and engaging, even when you're playing as a "lowly" shopkeep.
The Bad
Some may be frustrated or turned off by the increasingly frequent text-heavy segments throughout the game, or the fact that you must play as specific characters before returning to the "main" character, especially since most RPGs are a lot more open-ended.
There's little room for choice in this game, and you must stick to the path presented to you. Because of that, it's pretty by-the-books, but some may find this a turn-off, especially given the fact that the other Dragon Quest games are a lot less rigid.
The Verdict
Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen is another fantastic release from Square Enix that works just as well as a mobile RPG as it does as a DS release. If you've got a few bucks to spare, why not pick this up for a nice weekend play?
The Good
Chapters of the Chosen is a traditional role-playing game, so you should have a good handle on how to deal with the various battles and idiosyncrasies of the genre. Travel across an overworld, encounter bad guys, lather, rinse, and repeat. There's one caveat to this game, however -- you work your way through specific chapters (hence the title) as minor party members before meeting the protagonist. It's an engaging concept that you likely haven't seen before in the realm of traditional JRPGs, and one great reason to embark on the journey even if you're already a hardcore RPG gamer looking for your next fix.
Character portraits and sprites are colorful and interesting, especially since they were brought to life by the venerable Akira Toriyama, and dialogue as well as the narrative is touching and engaging, even when you're playing as a "lowly" shopkeep.
The Bad
Some may be frustrated or turned off by the increasingly frequent text-heavy segments throughout the game, or the fact that you must play as specific characters before returning to the "main" character, especially since most RPGs are a lot more open-ended.
There's little room for choice in this game, and you must stick to the path presented to you. Because of that, it's pretty by-the-books, but some may find this a turn-off, especially given the fact that the other Dragon Quest games are a lot less rigid.
The Verdict
Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen is another fantastic release from Square Enix that works just as well as a mobile RPG as it does as a DS release. If you've got a few bucks to spare, why not pick this up for a nice weekend play?
4/5
