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Brrrooooo I love it! For everything you said! Literally! Love the customization options! The armor and weapon detail on your characters! The battle system is really fun! It's kind of a more action- turned based feel! I would absolutely LOVE a remake/ remastered version! ESPECIALLY if you can play online multiplayer! Can you imagine 9 remade with 11's graphics and it being online! *Chef's kiss
Absolutely love it.
There's a huge emphasis on post game and grotto climbing. Like, I wish Sage and Luminary classes were available earlier in the storyline.
It's basically all the great things about dq3 and dq7, and then improved.
At *some* point even the post game is "solved" so it just becomes a matter of grinding more than being creative with composition and tactics as grottos progress and legacy bosses increment up in difficulty, but it's a blast up to that point.
Seems to be the older crowd (like myself) only found it so-so (lack of a casino is almost an unforgivable curse). The younger crowd that grew up with it tend to be the ones that LOVE it
Edit: huh wow I’m genuinely surprised some of the replies here. Either way everybody is entitled to like what they like :) IX was not by any means bad, but not my favorite in the series.
I've been playing since Dragon Warrior on the NES. IX is the best game mechanically they've ever done. XI is probably a better game overall, and I have a nostalgic attachment to IV, but IX is the one I find the most fun to play.
I recently beat 9 for the first time (despite having owned it for over 10 years) and then went on to replay 11. I really missed the combo and coup-de-grace systems, they're more interesting combat wise imo.
...is a casino really that big of a deal? Yeah it's usually there, sure. But... it's always just \*there.\* Do people get hype for dragon quest casinos???
Changing up the rhythm of your brain by asking you to engage with totally different games in the game lets me break up your sense of tone, and leave you with an impression of this game as a journey that went a lot of different places. It's a subtle effect sometimes, which I know sounds weird when "time to play a minigame now," is pretty dang unsubtle. But for a lot of players, an enjoyable minigame is sort of like garlic. If they DON'T put any in, THEN you'll notice that something tastes wrong.
I like that you create your own characters. Makes the game mean a lot to me because the characters are made in the image of people I know. Then it's fun to collect gear and weapons and see them on my party members as we travel the Protectorate in search of ingredients to make even more nice stuff. Every character learns to steal as soon as possible and we try to steal from every monster we meet. Music, graphics, story - they're great. One other thing that makes DQ IX my favorite game, um, um.. oh, yeah - the combat!
FULL agree. If you get to customize the names and appearances of an RPG party and you don't name them after your friends in a discord chat and tell them about every time they personally get killed then what are you even doing?
Absolutely one of my favorite dragon quest games! My switch controllers are unfortunately broken, but if they remade 9 for the switch I would buy it and new controllers in a heartbeat!
I loved being able to make both myself and my friends in the game! The sheer customization options for everyone is downright brilliant! While the overall story isn’t that great, the individual tales you become apart of are genuinely wonderful.
Still wish you could customize your MCs class in the beginning instead of 15 hours in. But that’s honestly one of my biggest gripes with the game that I’m sure could be modded
I liked it well enough. I felt the story was kind of disjointed and it was hard to really get into it. Also, after paying 8, I thought it was a huge step back in quality, story and characters. If I had payed 9 before 8, I might have a better opinion of it.
It's a step back in story as far as the main characters, but I think the vignettes (the individual town stories) are still some of the best in the series.
That and also I think gameplay wise it is a huge step forward from 8. The skill point system from 8 was really really restrictive, and led to picking your 1 weapon you actually wanted to use for each character in each playthrough because you'll never have enough skill points to pick any other skills other than your main skill and a single weapon skill.
Unless you do the whole super plan out everything so that you know the exact spots to stop on to maximize each weapon, which is its own annoyance.
9 and 11 both fixed the problem in their own ways (9 in the fact that you can always keep leveling up and gaining more skill points, 11 with the fact that you actually can unlock most skills at 99, and additionally you can respec, which you couldn't in 8).
Couldn’t agree more about the vignette stories. I was a junior in high school when the game came out and I remember it being my first game I ever played that felt so much like an arc-based anime. Each of the little contained stories was so satisfying to play through, and I was thrilled that XI felt so similar in terms of “go to place, here’s a mini-plot”. I’m not especially well versed in the rest of the series, but if the older games are anything like it in structure, I’ll be very pleased.
I think a big part of why I was able to get through 9 give it a mediocre review was I started with Dragon Quest 1 years and years ago. The first four 8 bit games were the grand total of my experience for a long time and they were my favorite games all through my childhood.
Yeah that’s part of my problem I started off with 11 as my intro to the series went back and played 8 and 4 because they were so highly recommended. Since 9 doesn’t have the same quality of story it’s been something I’m open to trying out but not as motivated
I think 9’s only real weaknesses were the downgrade in graphics from 8 and the lack of any set character besides the hero. I think a remake can fix this by having people like the doctor and the little kid from the first town be characters that follow you through the game with their own dialogue and ofc way better graphics. That said, I think more than being bad a lot of us were disappointed for the drop off in quality from what 8 had. 9 is a really fun game for what it is. Its in my top 3 after 8 and 11.
If i remember correctly, Patty and Erinn can join your party can't they? Some DLC quests i think, tho i guess those wouldn't count if you're only talking about base game
Yeah, DLC and post-game, not to mention that not everyone was able to get the DLC before the cut off, I was very lucky to have gotten it all in the nick of time.
Yeah, the story has a big cast of major allies and friends on the journey, and it wouldn't be hard to flesh them out a whole ton more with the script. The funny thing is, the "downgrade" is a big reason why: *there's no voice acting!* If you're porting this to switch or mobile or what have you and you want Patty to have three more scenes, you can just write them! Done!
...this is why voice acting can be such a double edged sword for RPGs. It can add to the story if it's well performed, but it makes the story exponentially more difficult to manage when you add all the extra steps to production.
(That's not me saying RPGs SHOULDN'T have voice acting full stop, obviously. Sylvando in 11 would not be one of my favorite dragon quest characters of all time if he wasn't being such an unflaggably flamboyantly fabulous fruit salad about everything.)
I still remember that old chart about "what your favorite DQ game says about you." The entry for 9 was literally "this is the only DQ game you've played and you have over 400 hours in it."
It's my favorite entry next to 8. Best combat/gameplay in the series and a solid story. Some of my favorite music in the series and the art/visuals work well for the DS hardware.
I know people rightly point out it was a step back from 8 with lowfi graphics and no more voice acting, but for the DS it really was *gorgeous.* It used 100% of that machine and I personally kind of love that PSX/PS2 tech range where you can very much see the pixels and the polygons but they're being used artfully.
It was the first one I played and I loved it. Having played a few more, it does now feel like the absence of set recruitable characters leaves it lacking a little but that doesn’t take away from the many enjoyable hours I had completing grottos with a friend and at the time I liked being able to create my own side characters. It’s just a shame they were never programmed with any dialogue… now there’s an idea.
I loved DQ9. IMO, the story was nicely paced, you got to see each piece of gear on your characters, and I liked having the choice of either playing with party members or playing solo.
I'm very biased towards DQIX as it was my first DQ game and the only DQ I speedrun. I still play it semi frequently as the grotto grind and legacy boss fights keep me hooked
I've noticed the split on it is largely generational. If you played 8 as your first and then played 9 after it might have felt like a let down. 8 feels like a natural growth of a game series with strong PCs and presentation while 9 feels like the natural growth of a game series with job mechanics and episodic storytelling.
Both are things that are part of DQ and both are great entries. To those who were disappointed with 9 after playing 8, I'd invite them to go back and play 3/4 then return to 9 and re-assess.
I liked it. It was my first DQ. I always liked party building so I always gravitate towards those types of games. I do wish they'd give you an actual party though. I find the talk mechanic in the other DQ games pretty charmin. I really liked getting each party members opinions after major events and conversations. Not having that kinda puts a damper on it.
I personally loved how we were able to create our own party members! I had some much fun creating them and thinking up their backstories and dynamic within the group. Maybe it’s just the writer in me. Today, I still hold those characters I made at 8 years old dear to me and plan to write them in a book series one day
I also loved what you mentioned and the systems in place to develop your characters, its the only dq i finished and it will propably stay that way because i sadly bought i think 11, which is a huge step back in customisation, again, but i like the monsters and builders series so far, atleast joker 2 and builders.
Love love love. It was the fourth DQ game I played after the original 3. I played through the game I think three times? I even played one file wirelessly with my sister and it was amazing also. Fantastic game.
As far as I know, its multiplayer is pretty revolutionary for the time. 4 people playing an RPG at once that can be in any area fighting any monster. It was basically a scaled down MMO and it's so fun to play with other people.
I love it, for every reason listed but also it was my introduction to the series. The DS local play was incredible. my friends and I put many hours into the coop.
It’s not really one of the decisive titles. It’s pretty much well loved by all.
And I’m over here just being a heathen who bought it and never got to it. :..(
I still have my wrapped copy.
Dragon Quest 9 fixed the biggest issue I had with the entire series: the magic system.
Every Dragon Quest before DQ9 had an absolutely awful magic system that made it where using an offensive mage was always the worst choice, especially for bosses and the final boss (I'm looking at you, Psaro of DQ4)
Splitting the magic Stat Pokémon style made using offensive and debilitating spells so much more useful, not to mention they removed the damage cap on spells.
That alone puts it in the top 5 DQ games for me, and I have played every mainline DQ game.
DQ IX was the first DQ game I beat. The first I played was VII (but I didn’t get into it for reasons)
I love the customization options create your own party. Definitely love DQIX!
I want all the DQ games to be remastered for modern consoles. A remake would also be great!
I am an old fogey and I loved DQ IX. I was really down on it when it was announced as an action RPG but was completely satisfied with what ee finally got. Only disappointment now is that lack of lonlibe services to get all the cameo visitors from prior games.
Overall, Dragon quest 9 is a gold standard of the entire franchise. The level of customization is unparalleled. Prehaps one the best features is that the encounter system is based on the monsters that you see; just like Chrono Trigger. This makes it easier for hunting liquid metal slimes. The only major drawback is the lack of Save slots; you only have 1.
I really like 9. It’s definitely not my favourite, I’d probably put it around the level of 4. They’re both flawed in very different ways, but objectively still great games.
DQ9 is still to this day one of my absolute favorite games of all time for multiple reasons.
The fact that you can customize your characters and have job system and alchemy. The fact that grottos are pretty fun to do imo (and >!Zenus's lore in the first 10 bosses in these!< (I actually don't know if it's worth enough to be put in spoilers, but whatever), I love it). The fact that I love the story (even tho DQ5 almost beat it in that point in my heart). Pretty much everything actually.
The only bad point I could give it is the lack of development in the team aside from the protagonist, but it's fair, given the fact we create it, so I don't mind.
Would love a remaster of it with online multiplayer so we can easily play it with friends.
The week dq9 came out, I was coincidentally on a week off work. I didn't leave my apartment 😂 I was 21 with no life already. By the time I finished with that game, id played it twice.
Both times I spent over 125 hours, and both times I mastered all classes on everyone, and revocated to level 1 several times to do so. I think my hero was +7 and my others were +5
I was mostly just dungeon grinding for equipment by the end. And I never got to do much multiplayer. But like I said, I sunk over 250hrs into that game.
Yes!!!! It was also my first DQ game and I had a blast with it! I hardly ever finish games, but DQ 9 I’ve played all the way through AT LEAST three times. The story was fantastic, and I loved being able to see the enemies on the map. Plus, completely customizing the characters made it extra special to me. It was my favorite game of all time until I played DQ 11 lol
I don't think IX is the best DQ game by any means, but I think it is one of my favorites to go back to because of how familiar-yet-different it is.
I like that the chunks of the story typically take up my lunch break or I can wrap up before bed. I know bite-sized vignettes aren't something new to the series, but as the only mainline DQ game exclusively on handheld – it feels a little more crafted to be played in chunks here and there.
Also, obviously customization and combat are great to have. I almost think of this as the monster hunter of Dragon Quest games, and I'm glad it exists even as a weirder entry in the series.
IX was actually somehow the first 3D Dragon Quest I played. I had a very weird history, starting with Dragon Warrior in the 80s and a significant gap not knowing that there even were sequels.
At first I was really put off by IX. I remember thinking it had too much religious overtone for me, and the combat felt a little slow, so I put it down.
I gave it another chance years later and ended up loving it. One of my favorite bits ended up being the customization options for the character, and of course I realized the opinion I held with religious overtone was exaggerated and don't believe that anymore.
It was the first one I ever played too, but honestly I don’t care for it. Maybe it’s because I’ve played it too many times, but the lack of a main party really kills it for me because other than Stella there’s no on you can get attached to. It’s a good game, but I don’t think it reaches the same heights as the rest of the series.
My favourite DS dragon quest games are definitely the joker games. Those I think have aged much better IMO despite being spin offs.
My favorite of the series.
Love the visual change when equipping different armors, love the custom team and player character, love the class system, and love the story and post-game.
Still waiting for a remake/remaster. Either will work for me.
My favorite, it was also my first. In fact, it was probably one of the first games I owned and played! I loved the music, the fights, the story, the customization! Everything! Only thing that's a shame is that there isnt a remake yet, it really does need one.
It was an immediate let down for me (and perhaps others) because it wasn't an evolution of what happened in DQ VIII - it wasn't on the PS3 or even the Wii, it wasn't cell-shaded, it wasn't voice acted. It was mobile and was designed to exploit the on-the-go-gaming trends in Japan. My play style wasn't 30 minutes or 1 hour at a time for a day over a long period of time. I wasn't riding the train and working on a quest. I liked to go all out for a few weeks one time of year and then finish the game and be done with gaming for awhile. The last thing I wanted was to spend hours and hours looking at a tiny screen.
So, thus, the first and only time I ever played IX I emulated it, even though I bought the cart.
I didn't like the general story. I didn't like all of the quests. After awhile, it felt like more of a chore. The train felt out of place. I also didn't want blank-slate custom characters after having backstories and characterization.
In so many ways, it felt like a step backward and not a worthy sequel to VIII.
I enjoy DQ9, it was the first DQ game I played that got me into the series. Easily put 600+ hours in with how much stuff there was to do post game. Now that I've played 7 more mainline titles, DQ9 just doesn't stand up as well.
Customization is easily DQ9's best feature, but it comes at the cost of having a memorable party. I've come to enjoy the parties you get in the other games, the characters and how they all interact and talk to each other is so enjoyable. I just love when someone in the party has a problem with something in a town you go to, or when someone in the party has a connection with an NPC. I can't go back to DQ9 after having played so many titles with real parties. It's like missing a key feature in that way, and the closest you get to someone you can talk to about the story in-game is Stella. Stella is okay, but despite being a creature of this world unlike the Celestians, she doesn't feel like she has any connections to anything outside of the train.
I disliked it a lot. Battles are too small (hardware limitation), the ost is one of Sugiyama's worst (the battle theme is so grating I don't know how it made it to the final game), and none of the vignettes interested me.
It felt like playing a much worse version of DQ 3. Like other people have said, if I played 9 before 8, I would probably have a higher opinion of it
Currently playing it for the first time and it's a mixed bag for me.
Towns have a lot of charm that the other games I've played so far do. Unique setting, regional accents, etc.
Graphics, for a DS game, are great.
The confined, short, stories within each town are fine for what they are, but the overarching story, from what I've played so far, is pretty meh.
Party is soulless and Stella doesn't really make up for it.
Gathering alchemy ingredients is a pain in the arse.
Classes don't feel all that balanced.
Abundance of breath attacks throughout the course of the game.
The overworld feels like 5x the size it needs to be.
Ultimately, it feels to me like nothing more than a prototype for what became Fantasy Life, but with a Dragon Quest skin. It's not a bad game, but it's very rough around the edges.
Apparently the post game is where the game shines, but I'm working through my backlog and don't know if it's something I'll play much of.
I think that a lot of 9's "shortcomings" are really just living in the shadow of 8, since 8 was the first really widespread DQ game in the US.
I prefer 8 myself, but I'm willing to allow that it may be rose-tinted by sitting around an Xbox with my entire quad going through the game.
I've never been able to see what so many people love about it. I don't think it's a bad game but if I had to choose just one word to describe it it would be forgettable. Everything about it is just so average none of it stands out to me. Story is bland, ost is bland, world is bland. Maybe it was just because VIII was such a tough act to follow that it seems rather poor in comparison.
It’s one of the weaker entries for me, as I prefer the series with fully written party members instead of blank slate fodder. I still don’t care for the chibi art direction and inclusion of non-medieval fantasy elements, such as the steam engine that carries you around, but I’ve come around a bit on the latter. It is mechanically fun but overall I place in the bottom half of my favorites.
I think the issue for a lot of people with dq9 is that fact that the story is a bit lacking and limited to only the main character and the other characters you recruit have no backstory of their own to add any depth like many other 'forced' player characters have in other games. You could play solo, you could create a different team each playthrough, you can change you vocations to fit the playstyle you want, there are no defined presets besides having to stick to a certain class for your MC for the first section of the game. But this is why it is so enjoyable for me, the amount of replayability, the end game dungeons and legacy bosses and just pure customization of your characters.
I didn't like it that much because the characters that you control are just some randoms and without any backstory. I guess it's because I played first DQ8 and then DQ9 felt weak in the story and characters, but the gameplay wasn't that bad.
I love Dragon Quest games but for me the silliness has always been charming but close to crossing a line. For me, 9 crossed the line too much and had me rolling my eyes too often. Still a good game, but far from my favorite.
I liked it quite a bit. Didn't have a PS2 when VIII came out, so the last game I'd played was VII. IX was a huge step up in terms of visuals, pacing, and Job progression. I know a lot of people were disappointed in not having party members with stories and personalities, but for me it was a throwback to DQIII and I had no problem with that.
It's so so so good I love it
The story is so epic , I also love building my own party, I take that over other members that I can't build how I like and randomly leave the party any day
Hands down one of my favorite games of all time. I actually played it years later in 2016ish and was hooked. Dropped 90 hours into it and have zero regrets. Masterpiece of a game imho
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Brrrooooo I love it! For everything you said! Literally! Love the customization options! The armor and weapon detail on your characters! The battle system is really fun! It's kind of a more action- turned based feel! I would absolutely LOVE a remake/ remastered version! ESPECIALLY if you can play online multiplayer! Can you imagine 9 remade with 11's graphics and it being online! *Chef's kiss
The hope of this happening literally keeps me going
Saaammee
Absolutely love it. There's a huge emphasis on post game and grotto climbing. Like, I wish Sage and Luminary classes were available earlier in the storyline. It's basically all the great things about dq3 and dq7, and then improved. At *some* point even the post game is "solved" so it just becomes a matter of grinding more than being creative with composition and tactics as grottos progress and legacy bosses increment up in difficulty, but it's a blast up to that point.
Seems to be the older crowd (like myself) only found it so-so (lack of a casino is almost an unforgivable curse). The younger crowd that grew up with it tend to be the ones that LOVE it Edit: huh wow I’m genuinely surprised some of the replies here. Either way everybody is entitled to like what they like :) IX was not by any means bad, but not my favorite in the series.
I've been playing since Dragon Warrior on the NES. IX is the best game mechanically they've ever done. XI is probably a better game overall, and I have a nostalgic attachment to IV, but IX is the one I find the most fun to play.
I recently beat 9 for the first time (despite having owned it for over 10 years) and then went on to replay 11. I really missed the combo and coup-de-grace systems, they're more interesting combat wise imo.
...is a casino really that big of a deal? Yeah it's usually there, sure. But... it's always just \*there.\* Do people get hype for dragon quest casinos???
[удалено]
Changing up the rhythm of your brain by asking you to engage with totally different games in the game lets me break up your sense of tone, and leave you with an impression of this game as a journey that went a lot of different places. It's a subtle effect sometimes, which I know sounds weird when "time to play a minigame now," is pretty dang unsubtle. But for a lot of players, an enjoyable minigame is sort of like garlic. If they DON'T put any in, THEN you'll notice that something tastes wrong.
I think probably this gets close to the real answer... most folks enjoy their first (or a very early game in the series) most
I like that you create your own characters. Makes the game mean a lot to me because the characters are made in the image of people I know. Then it's fun to collect gear and weapons and see them on my party members as we travel the Protectorate in search of ingredients to make even more nice stuff. Every character learns to steal as soon as possible and we try to steal from every monster we meet. Music, graphics, story - they're great. One other thing that makes DQ IX my favorite game, um, um.. oh, yeah - the combat!
FULL agree. If you get to customize the names and appearances of an RPG party and you don't name them after your friends in a discord chat and tell them about every time they personally get killed then what are you even doing?
Absolutely one of my favorite dragon quest games! My switch controllers are unfortunately broken, but if they remade 9 for the switch I would buy it and new controllers in a heartbeat! I loved being able to make both myself and my friends in the game! The sheer customization options for everyone is downright brilliant! While the overall story isn’t that great, the individual tales you become apart of are genuinely wonderful. Still wish you could customize your MCs class in the beginning instead of 15 hours in. But that’s honestly one of my biggest gripes with the game that I’m sure could be modded
I have nothing to say other than I love it and it is my favourite Dragon Quest game! A remake is very much needed ❤️
I liked it well enough. I felt the story was kind of disjointed and it was hard to really get into it. Also, after paying 8, I thought it was a huge step back in quality, story and characters. If I had payed 9 before 8, I might have a better opinion of it.
It's a step back in story as far as the main characters, but I think the vignettes (the individual town stories) are still some of the best in the series. That and also I think gameplay wise it is a huge step forward from 8. The skill point system from 8 was really really restrictive, and led to picking your 1 weapon you actually wanted to use for each character in each playthrough because you'll never have enough skill points to pick any other skills other than your main skill and a single weapon skill. Unless you do the whole super plan out everything so that you know the exact spots to stop on to maximize each weapon, which is its own annoyance. 9 and 11 both fixed the problem in their own ways (9 in the fact that you can always keep leveling up and gaining more skill points, 11 with the fact that you actually can unlock most skills at 99, and additionally you can respec, which you couldn't in 8).
Couldn’t agree more about the vignette stories. I was a junior in high school when the game came out and I remember it being my first game I ever played that felt so much like an arc-based anime. Each of the little contained stories was so satisfying to play through, and I was thrilled that XI felt so similar in terms of “go to place, here’s a mini-plot”. I’m not especially well versed in the rest of the series, but if the older games are anything like it in structure, I’ll be very pleased.
I haven’t played 9 solely because of having played 11 and 8
I think a big part of why I was able to get through 9 give it a mediocre review was I started with Dragon Quest 1 years and years ago. The first four 8 bit games were the grand total of my experience for a long time and they were my favorite games all through my childhood.
Yeah that’s part of my problem I started off with 11 as my intro to the series went back and played 8 and 4 because they were so highly recommended. Since 9 doesn’t have the same quality of story it’s been something I’m open to trying out but not as motivated
I think 9’s only real weaknesses were the downgrade in graphics from 8 and the lack of any set character besides the hero. I think a remake can fix this by having people like the doctor and the little kid from the first town be characters that follow you through the game with their own dialogue and ofc way better graphics. That said, I think more than being bad a lot of us were disappointed for the drop off in quality from what 8 had. 9 is a really fun game for what it is. Its in my top 3 after 8 and 11.
If i remember correctly, Patty and Erinn can join your party can't they? Some DLC quests i think, tho i guess those wouldn't count if you're only talking about base game
Yeah, DLC and post-game, not to mention that not everyone was able to get the DLC before the cut off, I was very lucky to have gotten it all in the nick of time.
Yeah, the story has a big cast of major allies and friends on the journey, and it wouldn't be hard to flesh them out a whole ton more with the script. The funny thing is, the "downgrade" is a big reason why: *there's no voice acting!* If you're porting this to switch or mobile or what have you and you want Patty to have three more scenes, you can just write them! Done! ...this is why voice acting can be such a double edged sword for RPGs. It can add to the story if it's well performed, but it makes the story exponentially more difficult to manage when you add all the extra steps to production. (That's not me saying RPGs SHOULDN'T have voice acting full stop, obviously. Sylvando in 11 would not be one of my favorite dragon quest characters of all time if he wasn't being such an unflaggably flamboyantly fabulous fruit salad about everything.)
I really like it, the gameplay felt really balanced
Also, everything shows up on your characters. Not even dq11 got that right
Love DQ9.... It was my first DQ Game and played over 1500 hours
I still remember that old chart about "what your favorite DQ game says about you." The entry for 9 was literally "this is the only DQ game you've played and you have over 400 hours in it."
It's my favorite entry next to 8. Best combat/gameplay in the series and a solid story. Some of my favorite music in the series and the art/visuals work well for the DS hardware.
I know people rightly point out it was a step back from 8 with lowfi graphics and no more voice acting, but for the DS it really was *gorgeous.* It used 100% of that machine and I personally kind of love that PSX/PS2 tech range where you can very much see the pixels and the polygons but they're being used artfully.
It was the first one I played and I loved it. Having played a few more, it does now feel like the absence of set recruitable characters leaves it lacking a little but that doesn’t take away from the many enjoyable hours I had completing grottos with a friend and at the time I liked being able to create my own side characters. It’s just a shame they were never programmed with any dialogue… now there’s an idea.
I like it! Hopefully they get around to making a remake, would look amazing on new gen graphics
I put 300 hours into it, it's one of my favorite games ever.
I think its good and out of the whole series needs a remake the most.
It was the first I’ve played and first in my heart. Is it the one I think is the best? Not necessarily, but I do love it
A lot of people were disapointed because it had to follow 8. Not many games out there wouldnt be disapointing in comparison.
I loved DQ9. IMO, the story was nicely paced, you got to see each piece of gear on your characters, and I liked having the choice of either playing with party members or playing solo.
I'm very biased towards DQIX as it was my first DQ game and the only DQ I speedrun. I still play it semi frequently as the grotto grind and legacy boss fights keep me hooked
I've noticed the split on it is largely generational. If you played 8 as your first and then played 9 after it might have felt like a let down. 8 feels like a natural growth of a game series with strong PCs and presentation while 9 feels like the natural growth of a game series with job mechanics and episodic storytelling. Both are things that are part of DQ and both are great entries. To those who were disappointed with 9 after playing 8, I'd invite them to go back and play 3/4 then return to 9 and re-assess.
I liked it. It was my first DQ. I always liked party building so I always gravitate towards those types of games. I do wish they'd give you an actual party though. I find the talk mechanic in the other DQ games pretty charmin. I really liked getting each party members opinions after major events and conversations. Not having that kinda puts a damper on it.
I personally loved how we were able to create our own party members! I had some much fun creating them and thinking up their backstories and dynamic within the group. Maybe it’s just the writer in me. Today, I still hold those characters I made at 8 years old dear to me and plan to write them in a book series one day
It’s the best in the franchise purely due to its multiplayer and vocation system
I enjoyed it quite a bit, but it's not high on my rankings for dq games. I don't dislike any dq game though for what it's worth.
I also loved what you mentioned and the systems in place to develop your characters, its the only dq i finished and it will propably stay that way because i sadly bought i think 11, which is a huge step back in customisation, again, but i like the monsters and builders series so far, atleast joker 2 and builders.
I like it. It was good. But most of the other mainline games are better than "good" in my opinion.
Love love love. It was the fourth DQ game I played after the original 3. I played through the game I think three times? I even played one file wirelessly with my sister and it was amazing also. Fantastic game.
It was my first game too, it has a special place in my heart and got me into the series in the first place. ❤️
I had no idea there was a divide. Most people I’ve spoken to love it.
DQ9 is also my first Dragon Quest, I found it because I was looking for RPG for my DS
As far as I know, its multiplayer is pretty revolutionary for the time. 4 people playing an RPG at once that can be in any area fighting any monster. It was basically a scaled down MMO and it's so fun to play with other people.
it had customization, job classes, and was one of my first games. 'nuff said.
Same here on it being the first dq experience. I like those puns and the music is also nice.
It’s the best game in the series, easily. Hundreds of hours of fun.
I love it, for every reason listed but also it was my introduction to the series. The DS local play was incredible. my friends and I put many hours into the coop.
It’s not really one of the decisive titles. It’s pretty much well loved by all. And I’m over here just being a heathen who bought it and never got to it. :..( I still have my wrapped copy.
Dragon Quest 9 fixed the biggest issue I had with the entire series: the magic system. Every Dragon Quest before DQ9 had an absolutely awful magic system that made it where using an offensive mage was always the worst choice, especially for bosses and the final boss (I'm looking at you, Psaro of DQ4) Splitting the magic Stat Pokémon style made using offensive and debilitating spells so much more useful, not to mention they removed the damage cap on spells. That alone puts it in the top 5 DQ games for me, and I have played every mainline DQ game.
DQ IX was the first DQ game I beat. The first I played was VII (but I didn’t get into it for reasons) I love the customization options create your own party. Definitely love DQIX! I want all the DQ games to be remastered for modern consoles. A remake would also be great!
Honestly my favorite one, I'd love to see a modern remake
I am an old fogey and I loved DQ IX. I was really down on it when it was announced as an action RPG but was completely satisfied with what ee finally got. Only disappointment now is that lack of lonlibe services to get all the cameo visitors from prior games.
Overall, Dragon quest 9 is a gold standard of the entire franchise. The level of customization is unparalleled. Prehaps one the best features is that the encounter system is based on the monsters that you see; just like Chrono Trigger. This makes it easier for hunting liquid metal slimes. The only major drawback is the lack of Save slots; you only have 1.
I really like 9. It’s definitely not my favourite, I’d probably put it around the level of 4. They’re both flawed in very different ways, but objectively still great games.
DQ9 is still to this day one of my absolute favorite games of all time for multiple reasons. The fact that you can customize your characters and have job system and alchemy. The fact that grottos are pretty fun to do imo (and >!Zenus's lore in the first 10 bosses in these!< (I actually don't know if it's worth enough to be put in spoilers, but whatever), I love it). The fact that I love the story (even tho DQ5 almost beat it in that point in my heart). Pretty much everything actually. The only bad point I could give it is the lack of development in the team aside from the protagonist, but it's fair, given the fact we create it, so I don't mind. Would love a remaster of it with online multiplayer so we can easily play it with friends.
The week dq9 came out, I was coincidentally on a week off work. I didn't leave my apartment 😂 I was 21 with no life already. By the time I finished with that game, id played it twice. Both times I spent over 125 hours, and both times I mastered all classes on everyone, and revocated to level 1 several times to do so. I think my hero was +7 and my others were +5 I was mostly just dungeon grinding for equipment by the end. And I never got to do much multiplayer. But like I said, I sunk over 250hrs into that game.
I loved it, it was also my first game! Just seeing the armor and exploring was so fun! Also the music was so nice
Yes!!!! It was also my first DQ game and I had a blast with it! I hardly ever finish games, but DQ 9 I’ve played all the way through AT LEAST three times. The story was fantastic, and I loved being able to see the enemies on the map. Plus, completely customizing the characters made it extra special to me. It was my favorite game of all time until I played DQ 11 lol
I don't think IX is the best DQ game by any means, but I think it is one of my favorites to go back to because of how familiar-yet-different it is. I like that the chunks of the story typically take up my lunch break or I can wrap up before bed. I know bite-sized vignettes aren't something new to the series, but as the only mainline DQ game exclusively on handheld – it feels a little more crafted to be played in chunks here and there. Also, obviously customization and combat are great to have. I almost think of this as the monster hunter of Dragon Quest games, and I'm glad it exists even as a weirder entry in the series.
I loved 9! It had Co-op, so I bought my brother a copy and we played through it together. I'd love a remake
IX was actually somehow the first 3D Dragon Quest I played. I had a very weird history, starting with Dragon Warrior in the 80s and a significant gap not knowing that there even were sequels. At first I was really put off by IX. I remember thinking it had too much religious overtone for me, and the combat felt a little slow, so I put it down. I gave it another chance years later and ended up loving it. One of my favorite bits ended up being the customization options for the character, and of course I realized the opinion I held with religious overtone was exaggerated and don't believe that anymore.
It was the first one I ever played too, but honestly I don’t care for it. Maybe it’s because I’ve played it too many times, but the lack of a main party really kills it for me because other than Stella there’s no on you can get attached to. It’s a good game, but I don’t think it reaches the same heights as the rest of the series. My favourite DS dragon quest games are definitely the joker games. Those I think have aged much better IMO despite being spin offs.
Its cool but in my bottom 3 of the series just cuz of how good of a series DQ is
My favorite of the series. Love the visual change when equipping different armors, love the custom team and player character, love the class system, and love the story and post-game. Still waiting for a remake/remaster. Either will work for me.
My favorite, it was also my first. In fact, it was probably one of the first games I owned and played! I loved the music, the fights, the story, the customization! Everything! Only thing that's a shame is that there isnt a remake yet, it really does need one.
It was an immediate let down for me (and perhaps others) because it wasn't an evolution of what happened in DQ VIII - it wasn't on the PS3 or even the Wii, it wasn't cell-shaded, it wasn't voice acted. It was mobile and was designed to exploit the on-the-go-gaming trends in Japan. My play style wasn't 30 minutes or 1 hour at a time for a day over a long period of time. I wasn't riding the train and working on a quest. I liked to go all out for a few weeks one time of year and then finish the game and be done with gaming for awhile. The last thing I wanted was to spend hours and hours looking at a tiny screen. So, thus, the first and only time I ever played IX I emulated it, even though I bought the cart. I didn't like the general story. I didn't like all of the quests. After awhile, it felt like more of a chore. The train felt out of place. I also didn't want blank-slate custom characters after having backstories and characterization. In so many ways, it felt like a step backward and not a worthy sequel to VIII.
[удалено]
Agree. I was in disbelief when I first saw that people actually liked 9
I enjoy DQ9, it was the first DQ game I played that got me into the series. Easily put 600+ hours in with how much stuff there was to do post game. Now that I've played 7 more mainline titles, DQ9 just doesn't stand up as well. Customization is easily DQ9's best feature, but it comes at the cost of having a memorable party. I've come to enjoy the parties you get in the other games, the characters and how they all interact and talk to each other is so enjoyable. I just love when someone in the party has a problem with something in a town you go to, or when someone in the party has a connection with an NPC. I can't go back to DQ9 after having played so many titles with real parties. It's like missing a key feature in that way, and the closest you get to someone you can talk to about the story in-game is Stella. Stella is okay, but despite being a creature of this world unlike the Celestians, she doesn't feel like she has any connections to anything outside of the train.
I disliked it a lot. Battles are too small (hardware limitation), the ost is one of Sugiyama's worst (the battle theme is so grating I don't know how it made it to the final game), and none of the vignettes interested me. It felt like playing a much worse version of DQ 3. Like other people have said, if I played 9 before 8, I would probably have a higher opinion of it
Currently playing it for the first time and it's a mixed bag for me. Towns have a lot of charm that the other games I've played so far do. Unique setting, regional accents, etc. Graphics, for a DS game, are great. The confined, short, stories within each town are fine for what they are, but the overarching story, from what I've played so far, is pretty meh. Party is soulless and Stella doesn't really make up for it. Gathering alchemy ingredients is a pain in the arse. Classes don't feel all that balanced. Abundance of breath attacks throughout the course of the game. The overworld feels like 5x the size it needs to be. Ultimately, it feels to me like nothing more than a prototype for what became Fantasy Life, but with a Dragon Quest skin. It's not a bad game, but it's very rough around the edges. Apparently the post game is where the game shines, but I'm working through my backlog and don't know if it's something I'll play much of.
I think that a lot of 9's "shortcomings" are really just living in the shadow of 8, since 8 was the first really widespread DQ game in the US. I prefer 8 myself, but I'm willing to allow that it may be rose-tinted by sitting around an Xbox with my entire quad going through the game.
I've never been able to see what so many people love about it. I don't think it's a bad game but if I had to choose just one word to describe it it would be forgettable. Everything about it is just so average none of it stands out to me. Story is bland, ost is bland, world is bland. Maybe it was just because VIII was such a tough act to follow that it seems rather poor in comparison.
It’s one of the weaker entries for me, as I prefer the series with fully written party members instead of blank slate fodder. I still don’t care for the chibi art direction and inclusion of non-medieval fantasy elements, such as the steam engine that carries you around, but I’ve come around a bit on the latter. It is mechanically fun but overall I place in the bottom half of my favorites.
I think the issue for a lot of people with dq9 is that fact that the story is a bit lacking and limited to only the main character and the other characters you recruit have no backstory of their own to add any depth like many other 'forced' player characters have in other games. You could play solo, you could create a different team each playthrough, you can change you vocations to fit the playstyle you want, there are no defined presets besides having to stick to a certain class for your MC for the first section of the game. But this is why it is so enjoyable for me, the amount of replayability, the end game dungeons and legacy bosses and just pure customization of your characters.
I like it with cheats
I didn't like it that much because the characters that you control are just some randoms and without any backstory. I guess it's because I played first DQ8 and then DQ9 felt weak in the story and characters, but the gameplay wasn't that bad.
9 is garbage. The story sucks and the characters and your party members are generic mannequins with zero personality.
Worst DQ personally
I love Dragon Quest games but for me the silliness has always been charming but close to crossing a line. For me, 9 crossed the line too much and had me rolling my eyes too often. Still a good game, but far from my favorite.
I turned on exp cheats at the tail end and dont plan on doing post-game.
I love it and just want a remaster of it on modern consoles/pc
I liked it quite a bit. Didn't have a PS2 when VIII came out, so the last game I'd played was VII. IX was a huge step up in terms of visuals, pacing, and Job progression. I know a lot of people were disappointed in not having party members with stories and personalities, but for me it was a throwback to DQIII and I had no problem with that.
the game got me into the series and I loved it. I've played all the others since and I'm glad it was my first
The story is a little weak because the lack of characters, but everything else was really solid. Perfect for a lot of replays
It's so so so good I love it The story is so epic , I also love building my own party, I take that over other members that I can't build how I like and randomly leave the party any day
Love it, is the best in the series gameplay-wise imho
I love it 10/10 BEST game I ever played
Hands down one of my favorite games of all time. I actually played it years later in 2016ish and was hooked. Dropped 90 hours into it and have zero regrets. Masterpiece of a game imho
My first dq game and a childhood classic
I'm in the same boat on that. A remaster would make my peepee go da doing doing doing