Dragon Quest is a series of role-playing video games that originated in 1986 with the release of Dragon Warrior. Although the games are not related in terms of story, many aspects of the gameplay are consistent throughout the series. Each game in the series add new elements to the gameplay, such as longer quests, character classes, or different ways of story-telling.[1]
One of the major aspects of the Dragon Quest series is that it retains the same setting and general gameplay through out the series, instead of reinventing itself with each new installment.[1] This has been seen as both a positive and negative aspect by critics of the series.[1][2]
History
editDragon Quest was created by Yūji Horii, who became the series' main scenario director. Yūji Horii originally used the full-screen map of Ultima and the battle and stats oriented Wizardry screen to create the gameplay of Dragon Quest.[3] Dragon Warrior is often cited as the birth of the console RPG.[4]
When asked about the game's resistance to change during an interview, Horii explained that he wants to "keep it simple and keep things organized, after twenty years I've found this to be the best way."[5] During the same interview, Horii also stated that he would never want to make an action role-playing game for the series. He said "The reason why is because I want to make the game fun and simple and relaxing, so that you can just sit down and take it easy. People who don't like to think very much can just push the button and still get by. The people who like to think and strategize have to option to do that as well."[5] Although Dragon Quest IX was slated to have an action-oriented combat style, it was changed back to menu-based combat in 2007, two years before its release.[6]
General
editIn each installment of the Dragon Quest series, players have been able to control a party of up to four characters. The number of party members depends on the game, as well as the number of enemies that can appear in one battle. Dragon Warrior only featured one-on-one encounters, whereas Dragon Warrior II expanded the party to three characters and the number of enemies was also inscreased. Dragon Warrior III further increased the party size to four characters, which it has stayed at.[1] Players must move their parties through different towns, dungeons, and the world map in order to progress through out each game. Typically, the party must enter a town or dungeon and defeat a specific enemy or retrieve an item to progress the story. Non-playable characters exist in the game for the party to interact with. NPCs are responsible for giving the player useful information, selling items, saving the player's game, or healing the party, usually at an inn for a fee. Heroes in the series often must defeat a main antagonist to complete the adventure, and there are always several tasks they must do before that, often involving NPCs from different towns.[4]
In Dragon Warrior, players had to go through a menu in order to use stairs, open treasure chests, and speak to NPCs.[1]
Until Dragon Quest VIII, exploration was all from an overhead view, while battles were in a first-person perspective. Dragon Quest VIII changed this consistency by featuring fully three dimensional environments and battles in the third-person.[4]
Battle
editEach Dragon Quest game in the main series is a console role-playing game and features turn-based battles.[7] During battle, players can issue commands to the party and then the characters and monsters will take turns attacking each other. Certain characters are also able to use magic or skills, and these commands can either damage enemies, recover hit points or remove status ailments, or raise and lower statistics of party members or enemies. Until Dragon Quest IX, battles were randomly occuring in the series.[8] While moving the party through either a dungeon or the world map, there is a chance that an enemy group will attack. In Dragon Quest IX, enemies are visible on the field and players must touch them to enter a battle.
Characters earn experience points for each monster the party defeats in battle.[9] As characters earn experience points, they gain levels and their stats increase, making them stronger. In certain games, including Dragon Quest VII, characters will also earn different types of points from battles.[10] In Dragon Warrior VII, every battle characters are victorious in earns them class points, which allow them to increase their class levels and eventually master that class. Winning battles also grants gold to the party, which can be spent on items at stores, at inns, or at churches in order to heal or revive characters.
Character classes
editBeginning with Dragon Warrior III, the series has featured different forms of character customization.[1] Players were given the option to create a party of four characters consisting of the main Hero and three characters made by the player. Classes such as Warrior, Mage, Cleric, or Merchant could be set upon the character and that character's statistics and skills would correlate with the given class.[11] Dragon Quest VI, Dragon Warrior VII, and Dragon Quest IX all featured similar class systems, building off of the original system from Dragon Warrior III.[12][13]
Abilities
editCharacters in the Dragon Quest games can use a wide variety of abilities, spells, and skills. The original game only featured a few healing and damaging spells, but each game expanded on the list.[1] Dragon Quest VI introduced the series to skills, which are similar to spells but do not drain magic points as spells do.
Minigames
editDuring gameplay, players may be able to participate in minigames. Mini-medals can be found and traded for exlusive items. The DS remake of Dragon Quest V features several new minigames, including Bruise the Ooze, T 'n' T, the Slurpodrome, and the tombola.[14]
Reception
editThe gameplay of Dragon Warrior is seen by critics as revolutionary. In an article for Gamasutra, Kurt Kalata pointed out that the game "was also one of the most in-depth games seen on the Famicom at the time. Back in 1986, if you wanted a complicated game, you needed an expensive PC."[1]
A large aspect of the Dragon Quest games is the continuity of the series' gameplay.[15] Chris Kohler of Wired noted that the remake of Dragon Quest IV felt "like a retro game" and that "it'll seem very nostalgic and fun to anyone who has fond memories ofpoking through Dragon Quest IV on their Famicom".[15]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h Kalata, Kurt (2008). "The History of Dragon Quest". Gamasutra. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
- ^ Nutt, Christian (2005). "Dragon Quest VIII Review". GameSpy. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
- ^ "The Road to Dragon Quest". tsr's NES. 2001. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
- ^ a b c Kalata, Kurt (2007). "Dragon Warrior/ Dragon Quest". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved February 12, 2010.
- ^ a b Onyett, Charles (2005). "E3 2005: Interview with Yuji Horii". IGN. Retrieved February 12, 2010.
- ^ IGN staff (2007). "Menu Battles Return to Dragon Quest". IGN. Retrieved February 12, 2010.
- ^ Sato, Yoshi (2009). "Dragon Quest IX Battle System". 1UP.com. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
- ^ Barres, Nick (2008). "Dragon Quest IX Preview". 1UP.com. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
- ^ Sellers, Peter (2001). "Dragon Warrior III Review". IGN. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
- ^ IGN staff (2001). "Dragon Warrior VII Review". IGN. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
- ^ Prima Games, ed. (2001). Dragon Warrior III Official Strategy Guide. Prima Publishing. pp. 3–6. ISBN 0-7615-3638-8.
- ^ Bloom, Philip (2006). "The History of Dragon Quest". Retrieved February 12, 2010.
- ^ Parish, Jeremy (2009). "Dragon Quest IX: Protectors of the Starry Sky (Nintendo DS)". 1UP.com. Retrieved February 12, 2010.
- ^ IGN staff (2009). "Dragon Quest V Ships to Retailers". IGN. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
- ^ a b Kohler, Chris (2007). "Dragon Quest IV Still Totally Retro". Wired. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
External links
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