ReQuesting

There are not many occasions where I buy a game more than once. The amount of times I have done so could be counted on one hand, and the second edition bought usually has some form of additional content. I have not, however, bought a game just for being in another language. That has since changed.

For some reason, Dragon Quest IX never really clicked with me. I wanted to like it, tried to like it, played through to the end of the game, but then rather than continue on with the mass of post-game content and downloadable content, chose to shelve it instead. I'm not really sure why, but I mostly attribute it to the sudden lack of focus on party members that had made the previous titles so enthralling for me. I'm well aware that the original titles worked in this manner, but that just makes it feel like even more of a step back. There was also the poorly executed inclusion of downloadable content. Normally, I'm not someone who is opposed to such a thing. However, for DQIX, it was only possible to obtain some specific pieces, and some of the most interesting pieces, by attending a roadshow that was touring up and down the country. If you didn't attend, your chance was gone. I found this more frustrating upon learning that this content is already on the cartridge, you were simply obtaining data to unlock that content.

So, why then, considering my dislike, did I decide to try it again? The first reason, and perhaps most compelling, is finding it second hand for a mere 900 yen. Secondly, at the moment in Japan, there is an anniversary event in Roppongi. I've assumed, perhaps foolishly, that there will be some way to obtain previous downloadable content there. Finally, DQIX seems to be one of the few Japanese games that has furigana, which could simply be described as a reading guide, for all of the kanji in the game. It makes learning fun!

If in the end, this is a futile attempt, then at least I've given it an honest try. I just sincerely hope that with Dragon Quest X being an MMO, that the series hasn't changed drastically enough with IX for me to wish for the good old days.