Saturday, December 26, 2015

Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride (NDS)

Dragon Quest games are some of the most simplistic and straightforward RPGs on the market and there is still a need for this series.  Yes, the combat has not evolved much but each title tweaks the formula just a little bit to make it a little bit better.  This title is no different.

Although the combat is the same as the previous title, there are a couple of new ideas here.  Along with the standard idea of selecting a command and watching combat unfold, there is also the concept of monster recruiting.  At the end of battle, some monsters may join your group.  These monsters are the replacements for party members as the game lacks anything outside the main protagonist and his family.

The story is very simple but does follow the main character through a large portion of his life.  It is interesting to see a character grow up and to follow the complete story from start to finish.  Some of the events do happen quickly and the ending is definitely as sappy as they come but it was an interesting tale to say the least.  Along with this story, the game has all the humor and puns from previous titles.

The music is pretty much the same as previous titles and the enemies are not much different either.  This game seems heavily recycled from previous adventures but that adds to the charm of the series.  It makes everything so familiar that you can't help but remember how to deal with certain monsters or just what each enemy will do with each situation.

As a fan of this series, I can say that this game is much more fun than Chapters of the Chosen.  The story moves at a nice pace with a couple of rough spots and it is kind of easy to get lost but the monster recruiting makes up for it.  I loved having a slime knight with me for most of the game and even using it to beat the last boss.  It is a great thing that a monster you find so early in the game can be useful the whole game.  More games should remember that.  If you are an RPG fan, definitely pick this up, you won't be disappointed.