Anyone here tried Dragon Quest IX?

[Togath]

I was thinking of trying the ninth Dragon Quest game sometime soon, but thought I should ask around first, to find out more about it.

The only experience with the series I have had is Dragonquest VIII, so I'm not sure what is normal for the series, since I've only played one game from it before.

So, anyone here played it(or just know much about it) and have any opinions about it?

[Sajiri]

I have DQ9 and enjoyed it a lot. I'm not usually into jrpgs, and to be honest I haven't played any other dragon quest so I cant compare, but I thought it was a lot of fun either way. Interesting, sometimes sad story, you get to customise your own character and your entire party- from looks to classes. It was one of those games I just played non stop til I finished which I don't normally do, but then my opinion could be distorted since I had very low expectations originally and only played it because a friend would not stop bugging me about it.

It turned out completely different than I thought.

[Ogremindes]

It's not all that much like 8. The mechanics are basically the same, but you're looking at something like a final fantasy job system for character development, and your party is mostly generics. And you don't have the awesome world map exploration. If you love the mechanics of 8 and aren't so fussed about story and exploration this game is for you.

[Togath]

I might try it for the character/class customization, though the exploration was one part I enjoyed about VIII.
I'll probably put it on my list of games to try out, though not necessarily a priority.

edit: gamewolrd size-wise, how does it compare to recent(2008 to present) pokemon games?(an odd thing to compare it too, but they're the only handheld console games I've played so far)

[Zevox]

Eeyup, played every game in the main series (sans 10, which is an MMO and Japan-only at this time).

DQ9 is a relatively big departure from 8, insofar as any game in this series is a big departure from any other (the series is very traditional). It brought back the class system that has appeared in the series intermittently, but also brought back the companion system from DQ3, where you recruit companions at an inn, picking their class, gender, and slightly customizing their appearance, but at the cost of them not having any personality (or indeed dialogue at all). Characters' appearance now changes based on the items they have equipped. It also switched encounters to be non-random, showing monster silhouettes on the map which you can avoid if you want to.

It does still have 8's skill system, tension system, and a slightly altered alchemy pot, though, and the combat is the same old-school turn-based system you had in 8. The basic way it plays, with you proceeding across the world pursuing a linear story, is also the same.

Personally, I felt it was disappointing. The above changes were largely not ones I liked, and I felt the writing suffered for the lack of any speaking party members (since the main character is still a silent protagonist, as all in the series have been). And since it was following up on 8, which I consider the best in the series and would hold up as a near-perfect example of what I want out of a traditional-style JRPG, well, it's hard not to be let down. Which isn't to say that I disliked it, as it was still fun, but I felt it was a sad step back from what I want out of the series.

That said, whether you'll feel the same will depend greatly on personal taste. What do you like in JRPGs in general, or DQ8 in particular?

[Ogremindes]

Also, IIRC, there's many, many side quests and a basically infinite postgame based on random (or quasi-random) maps. It's structured a lot like a MMO.

[Mando Knight]

I loved DQ IX. Unfortunately, due to the structure of its party system, only post-endgame-only (and the early temporary) party members have any personality, and that's only while they're still NPCs. You do get a talkative "gyaru (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyaru)"-"style" fairy that runs some of your menus and does some of the talking-party-member job.

That said, I found the story entertaining and touching, especially when using the free-DLC expansions.