Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen

 DS
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 72 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 58 out of 72
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 72
  3. Negative: 5 out of 72
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. dragoonie
    Jan 23, 2012
    9
    Outstanding port of one of my favorite NES games. I was anxiously looking forward to this one when I first heard it announced, and it did not disappoint. The graphics update was sweet, and the extra post-game content, that much sweeter. The NPC's accents were laid on a bit heavy, but it does give the game a bit more character then it had the first time around.
  2. CorazonAzul
    Jul 25, 2013
    8
    The over-ambitious NES vision is properly realized on the DS with few flaws and great pace. A lengthy but satisfying quest that never takes itself too seriously.
  3. ZeRo_Bahamut
    Oct 10, 2013
    8
    Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen is the first DQ installment on the DS and an enhanced remake of the NES classic Dragon Warrior IV

    Story: The story is divided into various chapters, all starring your future party members and their own story or quest, it is unique in a way that you get to know your party members and their personal motives behind it all. Eventually you'll get    Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen is the first DQ installment on the DS and an enhanced remake of the NES classic Dragon Warrior IV

    Story:
    The story is divided into various chapters, all starring your future party members and their own story or quest, it is unique in a way that you get to know your party members and their personal motives behind it all.

    Eventually you'll get to the part where everyone joins forces and the main hero (you!) get introduced proper, from then onward you'll try and stop a certain Psaro the Manslayer (Who looks kinda like Sephiroth the elf?), who's out to evolve into the ultimate being and rid the world from all evil, after the story is beaten you can replay the ending with a twist, which I won't spoil here. ;-)

    There's some sidequests to be done, like casino games and increasing your frontier town by looking for people interested to move there.

    Gameplay:
    The gameplay is similar to any console-like RPG of it's kind, you train your party members as they gain XP and other stats, talking to people to get clues on where to venture next, defeating monsters to get coins to buy upgraded armor and weapons.

    There is a huge overworld where you to leave town in which you'll be able to ride a ship and even a hot air balloon as you progress trough the story.

    Battles are fought out in a 1st person perspective as you can see your enemies moving and doing their own thing, the pace of these battles you can decide yourself by manually doing everything or letting the AI decide the right course of action, it makes decent decisions and ensures you stay alive, tho I advice doing it manually at boss fights, I usually had the healer controller by the AI with spellcasters under my own command.

    Controls:
    I played this on a 3DS XL and I must say the circle pad was heavenly, as the characters can actually move in 8 directions, but it's really annoying to do on the D-Pad, other then that I have no complaints, everything is mapped to the right button, movement is fluid.

    Graphics:
    It seems to be using the graphic style found in Dragon Quest VII on the PS1, personally I think it has a charm to it, it's a 3D world inhabited by 2D/Sprite characters and objects, still they look quite good.
    I'm assuming it's hit or miss for some people, but it does the job well enough for me.

    Music:
    The music is your typical Dragon Quest kind, it's very melodical with a classical touch to it, some songs are better then others, I very much like the song Homeland, played when your hero traverses the overworld...

    Positives:
    + Charming graphics that capture the Dragon Quest spirit
    + Chapter system, showing you what drove your party members to join your cause
    + The battles are fun and paced to your own desire
    + Able to continue game after beating it with a suprise twist!
    + Some songs are amazing!

    Negatives:
    - Having no circle pad when not on a 3DS, seems annoying to move diagonally
    - While the story is good, it takes a backseat after the main quest starts
    - Some songs are not!

    Conclusion:
    This is an excellent game and Dragon Quest experience on the go, the story while lacking near the end still holds up pretty well to keep you going all the way trough. The battles are good and the overworld is fun to explore.    … Expand
  4. cyphid
    Oct 27, 2010
    9
    It's great to see a remake of a game that is finally stateside! I remember Dragon Quest Seven's graphics and this title must be using the same engine. DQ IV is very colorful and vibrant and the characters are so well done, I care for each character as they go through their adventures. If you have yet to play a DQ game, this is a very good starting point.
  5. Emirblade
    May 1, 2011
    9
    Oh, Dragon Quest, what would we do without your pioneering? This Chapter of the series, conveniently subtitled â
  6. Richard12
    Apr 2, 2012
    8
    A great game worth checking out for anyone who enjoys older RPGs, such as the Final Fantasies from 1 to 6. The writing was clever (especially with all the regional accents thrown in), the characters and their individual introduction chapters were all interesting, and the gameplay was solid. There were some downsides though: very few side quests, no auto-fight option in battles, occasionalA great game worth checking out for anyone who enjoys older RPGs, such as the Final Fantasies from 1 to 6. The writing was clever (especially with all the regional accents thrown in), the characters and their individual introduction chapters were all interesting, and the gameplay was solid. There were some downsides though: very few side quests, no auto-fight option in battles, occasional lag in crowded towns, and the game seemed especially vague about where you had to travel next sometimes. Like I said though, if you like older RPGs, this is definitely worth playing.… Expand
  7. UltioE.
    Oct 16, 2008
    10
    Many reviews of this game convey certain connotative caveats:
  8. KeS.
    Sep 17, 2008
    9
    Great port. The nre translation is awesome, and the game is beautiful!
  9. AlexanderO.
    Sep 18, 2008
    4
    The graphics ruined everything for me.
  10. DinoBeam
    Jul 22, 2020
    9
    ***set game text speed to 1 for quick battles, and there is a setting in "miscellaneous" called 'heal all' that makes a non-equipped character heal everyone quickly!

    Wow what a game. I was not expecting to shed happy tears as the story came to an end. What crunchy combat. What beautifully animated enemies that are surprisingly 3D! Each character has there own prologue chapter that    ***set game text speed to 1 for quick battles, and there is a setting in "miscellaneous" called 'heal all' that makes a non-equipped character heal everyone quickly!

    Wow what a game. I was not expecting to shed happy tears as the story came to an end. What crunchy combat. What beautifully animated enemies that are surprisingly 3D! Each character has there own prologue chapter that shows what set them on the path of helping you, the main character. This really makes each character feel more alive, and makes the party feel more like a party. No wonder this game is considered a backbone of RPG's as whole!    … Expand
  11. Yojimbo2015
    May 21, 2023
    8
    Very much in the same vein as its 16 BIT forerunners, its graphically rather old-fashioned and not as good as the reboot of Final Fantasy III. But this addition to the series is retro fun perfect for those nostalgic for old school RPGs.

Awards & Rankings

18
#18 Best DS Game of 2008
18
#18 Most Discussed DS Game of 2008
18
#18 Most Shared DS Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 44 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 44
  3. Negative: 0 out of 44
  1. Game Informer
    70
    For a gussied-up remake of an NES game, Dragon Quest IV features some nice touches.
    Read full review
  2. Official Nintendo Magazine UK
    78
    A decent adventure, but it'll require persistence to get the most from it. [Oct 2008, p.94]
  3. DailyGame
    85
    If you have played it and are wondering whether it's as good as you remember, it is. It may even be better than you remember.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »