Does Dragon Quest IV Deserve Its Reputation?

[@AlienGraffiti001]

The nes version starting you with Ragnar and not seeing your hero until 15-20 hours is still so unique to this day. I was blown away by the mystery and world building in the Nes version. I actually recommend that version if you can find a way to play it .

[@PaulRockey]

I’m playing through DW4 on the nes for the first time right now, and I’m loving it. It’s the first Dragon warrior/quest game I’ve ever played, and I can see why it’s so hyped. I’m almost done beating it, and it’s in my top 5 favorite nes games of all time. The other four are Legend of Zelda, Guardian Legend, Metroid, and either Zelda II or Mario 3.

[@roberthunter479]

I first played DQ4 for the NES on an emulator. I loved it so much that I buckled down and pay $60 for an original cartridge.

[@Clandestinemonkey]

Dude the third chapter was the best. I played this game back in the day and I think I spent an entire afternoon just running the shop even tho you can quickly skip that part. All my homies feel the same.

[@sonic-bb]

i agree

[@hteekay]

Torneko was so popular that he got his own spin off game

[@Chichirumiru]

Yeah, I just like seeing that gold count skyrocket :)

[@robertmcginty4146]

Selling your lunch was fun.

[@robertmcginty4146]

I once had a guy come in and sell a Sword of Malice. I made a lot of GP fast that time.

[@robertmcginty4146]

On replays, i started loading eaxh character up with as much expensive equipment as they could carry before triggering the chapter end. When you meet them again later, they are still carrying it all and you can sell it to equip the hero faster.

[@rpg_haven]

Smart!

[@nesoukkefka1741]

I think one big quality get often overlook... and it's sadly because JRPG nowaday is a popular genre every know how it works, combine with the fact DQIV is now an old game so very few player will start by it... but now imagine you've never played a JRPG before and this game for whatever reason ends up being your first, now suddenly the chapter base intro makes more sense, cause you see it's actually a big tutorial : -Chapter 1 : Makes you in control of one character that is bulky enough battles won't be to dangerous, and a character that is simple. It actually introduce you to the basics of how the battle works, with the basic command of attack and Defend, and it also introduce you to the basics of how progressing and exploring in this game works. -Chapter 2 : Up the standard, by now giving you a full team, with 2 characters having spells, this chapter introduce how to play with a team of characters instead of a solo one, teaching you that each characters have their strength and weakness and therefore have different purpose. Chapter 3..... Ok that one is the exception, and is the only one of the bunch that feel off, at least it gives the novelty of being the merchant for once. Chapter 4 : Put you in a tough situation of having 2 characters rather squishy... then it gives you a guest character that is much more sturdy, and this one is suppose to teach how the line-up works, if you pay attention if the guest character is in the third slot you may notice the twins get hit more often than him, which indicate you the earlier a character is in the line up the more ofteb it get hits, and so you must change your line up and put the guest character first. So yeah these 4 chapters are actually a big tutorial, and I really think it does a great job at teaching you all of this without flat out telling you, and without taking the player for an idiot and letting him just enough clue to figuring out all this stuff. But as said this quality get lost cause nowadays, everyone knows how to play a JRPG, so by today this is very basic, but this is actually well done, the game is further well as in chapter 5 they give the Hero just enough solo battle in the first dungeon with him/her, for him/her to catch up in level with the other. And as an all I just considerer this game the perfect entry point to the DQ series for new players and even a good entry point for the JRPG genre as an all : -The game is well designed all around, I never felt lost once in this one, and the difficulty overall is very well balance (only minor difficulty spikes for me was that big lion boss and the final boss). -It introduce every core mechanics of the DQ serie, also introduce every character's roles that exist in the serie, without any complex progression system to keep it simple and it also introduce some staple of the serie like the Small Medals quest. -And as an all is a pretty short JRPG that takes no longuer than 20-30 hours. So yeah this game is really good, it's overall design is very solid, but as said if you're a seasoned DQ or JRPG players, then the quality of this game's design are easy to overlook. Tldr : This game's simplicity is both it's biggest strength and biggest weakness, depending of the players and the expectations.

[@rpg_haven]

Well said. I appreciate the formula these old dungeon crawlers use

[@Blinkerd00d]

I was one of the 100k that bought it on NES. I was like 6 at the time but it holds a very special place in my heart. It was my first RPG. Lucia and the fortress of doom for SNES was another favorite of mine.

[@roguerifter9724]

This is my favorite game in the series, and I've played them all except for X. I like the chapter system a lot, and while I agree later RPGs did it better this was AFAIK the first JRPG to try something like this plus it has some of my favorite characters in the series.

[@ShockStormRPG]

DQ4 DS is awesome. The original DQ4 was good too, but it had the forced A.I. which kind of sucked during the battles. It was a bit of a step back after how good DQ3 was, but they bounced back with DQ5!

[@peppercatx6470]

I haven't gotten far in the game but it was fun. I think whether or not people love or feel meh about the game depends on the version. The NES version doesn't give you the power to control other party members beyond the protagonist in the final chapter. I should play this one again and beat it since I have been putting more work in beating DQ and FF games lol. Nice video. I don't know how you don't get burnt out on all these RPGs lol.

[@rpg_haven]

Hahah, I don't play them quite at the pace I put out videos, which is why I'm working on other types of content. Coming soon..

[@satsadarkpath2094]

I’d say, after 3, it’s my favourite entry in the Dragon Quest universe. All four of the original NES hold a place in my heart as they remind me of my youth

[@michaelclifton9498]

The DQ with my favorite MC design

[@GriffinatorOriginal]

Gotta be honest… I’m replaying this on DS right now and I can’t wait to be done. It feels like a massive chore all the way so far. I remembered liking the game a lot more even loving it but nostalgia tricks you sometimes I guess.

[@yoavitanzehavy6244]

I like DQ4, its a good game with a good story and characters. But Dragon Quest 5 took the series to new heights, its story and world building is great, the gameplay is also great and features some pretty cool ideas that tie to the story. I find the DQ series more conservative nature is what gives them the quality and their polish, they always take the known formula and polishes it as much as they can with every entry (except 6) while still trying different ideas with each entry. The stories and plots the games contain the tropes most jrpg's have but they make the moments and characters in the story so much more than these basic tropes and make the characters have a great impact on it. I think DQ4 is the place where it started with the stories and emphasis on chapter based gameplay in the dq games, its the first game that put effort on the backstories and the characters, you can see that there where some stuff that worked and stuff that didn't like the pace. DQ series kinda reminds me of the LOTR books lol.

[@rpg_haven]

5 is a great game. I've put off making a video on it because I don't quite love it as much as most, but it nails its storytelling.

[@yoavitanzehavy6244]

@@rpg_haven Yeah the story of 5 is great and it never suffers from the filler that 8 had like the part where Trode stops you cuz he wants to help a king's maid which is not relevant at all to the story. In 11 I guess you didn't play but its like they learned from their mistakes and made a fast forward in the combat and made the story has a little amount of filler. I need to return to 7 I started it and I stopped where the part with the rainy island with the one man there.

[@rpg_haven]

@@yoavitanzehavy6244 I most recently finished 8 and am will do the rest in order. I'm also not as high on that one as most. 7 is classic, gotta keep going!

[@yoavitanzehavy6244]

@@rpg_haven Yeah I like 8, but it definitely has a lot of filler which slows it down or makes the game confusing.

[@dapeck04]

Favorite game of all time. This game blew my mind as a kid. I didn't own it as a kid and rented it at least 50 times.

[@supersmashbro596]

considering the latest dragon quest monsters ties heavily to this (as in its first half is happening around the same time in iv before you meet the villain whos the main character of dqm3), this game really needs to be rereleased. hell, all the mainline dragon quest games need to be on steam already. heck, maybe the remake can take what happened in dqm3, introduce a time travel element like 11 did, and then have solo and psaro put aside their differences and work together.

[@newcarpathia9422]

I still remember the day I bought Dragon Warrior IV. It was release day, and I popped down to a place called Children's Palace, a toy store that was at death's door and would, indeed, be gone by the end of the year. I asked if they had it, and the store workers were stunned. "How did you know this exists???" they asked.

[@MrSerpico145]

The NES version is best. Torneko was my favorite character in that version; he even kicked ass in battle.

[@kellysooth602]

I loved Torneko’s chapter. The argument can always be made that the games are too short or too padded.

[@DragonKingX78]

I find this one to be my favorite of old school games and place it third in the whole franchise.

[@monsterdong420]

Looks like a great game. Too bad the best version in English is only available for phones.

[@michaelclifton9498]

Yeah a DQ collection(1-8) on modern consoles would nice

[@projectmessiah]

You can patch in party chat for the ds version actually

[@heydun]

with the booming popularity of dragon quest in the west, it would be huge for square enix to release the ds/mobile version on steam or switch. seems like free money for them

[@rpg_haven]

I'd love to see IV, V, and VI all get Switch releases

[@nesoukkefka1741]

You know if we get lucky and the DQI, II and III HD-2D Remake are good and sold well, I definitly wouldn't be against DQIV, V and VI receiving the same treatment.

[@creepingnet]

Dragon Warrior IV on the NES was THE game that got me into Dragon Quest to begin with. To think when I was 11 I stupidly passed it up in the original box, leading me on a 20+ year goose chase for a (hardly) affordable copy having to sell a good chunk of my vintage gaming collection for. So if I passed it up at 11? When did I first play it? 1997, age 14-15ish. I borrowed it from a friend and was blown away with the sheer size of such an NES game. I thought the game was over when I completed Ragnar's Chapter - nope. This NES release is criminally underrated. Glad I was able to finally re-obtain it for my NES.

[@rpg_haven]

I love hearing stories like this. Glad you were able to get a copy

[@RoninCatholic]

I find it so strange that for all their constant re-"translations" of the spell, monster, and item names into complete jokes in the modern Dragon Quest games, they _removed_ a localization pun in the mage twins from the fourth chapter. In the NES version they weren't Meena and Maya, but Nara and Mara. Maranara, like the sauce. I played the NES version and loved every single chapter to death. I still like 3 more than 4, but 4 was a very fun romp.

[@innova1335]

DQ IV blew my mind playing on the NES at 8 years old. Hands down best of the FF/DQ jrpg series of that era.

[@R-Otaku747]

I love ur videos!! I personally love playing the IOS version more due to the party chat system! I’m sure having the chapter system in the nes era was super innovative and surprising to many rpg fans back then!

[@Haimi-fv5xj]

Dragon quest 4: 3 Mini Dragon quests 1-2, Torneko and a dq3 at the end. Fun, although you’re right about the starting over part getting old at some point. Torneko‘s chapter was simultaneously the worst and best part of the game for me... What a weird chapter. Didn’t know about his popularity, but I get it, Torneko is very loveable. I should add though, that the European and NA versions for the DS are prohibitively expensive and don’t have the party chat feature, which is something I really missed. I’m sure it’s the reason it felt so off to me.

[@michaelreifsnider3182]

You can't fairly compare this game to what came after it. So much of this game was groundbreaking at the time of release and what do you mean the first final boss with multiple forms? They did that in DW1 with the dragon lord

[@Kayas]

I found your channel recently and watched a few of your videos (mainly on Tales) and I really like how you're super concise with your thoughts and feelings towards a game. Your videos are really well paced. Also a cool fucking accent

[@rpg_haven]

Thank you, that's awesome to hear. I spend a lot of time cutting down and editing scripts, so I'm glad you appreciate the result.

[@Kayas]

@@rpg_haven Commenting for the algorithm, I really do hope your videos catch on. They're really well made

[@maverick5169]

I will always appreciate how balanced DQ4 is during the whole game, as mages and physical attackers all have pros and cons and everyone is useful. Of course this beautiful balance gets completely destroyed once you recruit the postgame character but then again, there are only 2 bosses at that point and he should be the objective best character since... He is Psaro

[@TheBrazilRules]

To me Torneko's is the best of the Character chapters since it it was great having to play as the shopkeeper for the first time ever in the story of RPGs!

[@mootcrayon8671]

DQ4 is in my top 3 dragon Quest for certain. I love this game.

[@adamteller6685]

Yes it does. Best RPG ever and most nostalgic the of my childhood.

[@matthewschweim3463]

Starting this game and wanting a proper review to help get me pumped. Thanks for this!

[@rpg_haven]

It's my pleasure!

[@GreyCartridge]

Do you intend on playing the PS2 or DS version of 5? Looking forward to the video either way. :)

[@rpg_haven]

I'm playing the mobile versions of 4, 5, and 6

[@GlitchanBlack]

So, with that Nintendo Direct last week... do y'all think it's possible we're getting a Chapters of the Chosen remake?

[@rpg_haven]

I'd love that, but surely not till after DQ3 HD. A Switch release of the mobile version of 4 like they did for 1-3 would be great though

[@nightwish1453]

7:10 the ds version actually rewards your efforts in using everyone, basically everyone (except torneko) has a use and to efficiently beat the game you have to change the party, HCbailly's barrier tower video has him use different comps for each fight with the most efficient start to beat them

[@vicraiden3068]

I have mixed feelings on the chapter system in this game... On one hand, it's a neat way of developing the characters and the world around them before you get to the meat of the adventure on top of kinda serving as a tutorial for JRPG beginners, but on the other hand, it can indeed feel like a slog to build a character from scratch every time. I wish everything before Chapter 5 was either optional or revisitable as some sort of flashbacks. Also, this game has got to have one of my favorite endgames in the series: you have to descend into what's basically Hell, challenge the big bad's four top lieutenants to gain access to the final dungeon, and then get through that and - surprise - the final boss' throne room is treated as a separate location from the dungeon itself, giving you just enough breathing room to call the rest of the party over.

[@rpg_haven]

Yeah, IV's endgame is really cool

[@brendanreamer4507]

I one thing that I appreciate about the mobile remake is the party dialogue, because I don't actually remember existing in the ds remake

[@rpg_haven]

It's not in the DS remake. I believe the DS versions of V and VI do have party chat, though

[@jasonviande5053]

Going into DW4 cold in 1994 after finishing FF3 was an eye opener. It looked primitive compared to my beloved FF, but man was I not prepared for the gameplay. The downside is I've never been able to enjoy it since then, as most of the appeal really was the surprise. Oh well

[@Chichirumiru]

My problem with DQ4 is the fact that you explore such a large part of the game right at the start with the character introduction. When the introduction is done and you finally get to explore the world you keep finding those places that are already explored and get disappointed. "Damn, I've already been here, I guess I wasted my time..." Only played the Mobile and DS ports of 1-6, maybe I should try out the NES version of 4, since the AI characters sound interesting.

[@peeradettanawiwat7193]

Just finished DQ4 today. If I have to say how good it is, I have to compare to 3 which is the best from old trilogy(I only play 1, 2, 3, 4, 11 so far), both 3 and 4 has its own good and bad side and different gimmick, so for me 4 is at the same tier but not as great as 3. The reason for me is probably "chapter", battle theme which drop from 3 a little(I feel like it's not fit every fight and annoyed me sometimes). Overall, even if it's not better than 3 but I enjoyed 4 a lot more, another great game I don't regret buying. Since I finished 4 I'm gonna move on to 5 to see why it's so hype, I wanna know too if it's the same or better than 3.

[@rpg_haven]

That's fair. They are very different games

[@rommyremus9650]

Awesome

[@newarchillabog9403]

Chapters of the chosen and 3 are just fantastic. Got my gf into rpg's. She gets the one hand grind. Lol

[@lasthand3428]

Great video. Subscribed. Looking forward to watching more.

[@rpg_haven]

Thanks for watching

[@veteran0121]

To be honest I rank this as one of the highest in the series. It's fourth on my list and it's a very strong 4th. 11, 8, and 5 I rank higher but let me reiterate this is a very strong 4th place on my list. That said I tend to look at DQ3 as a very solid but maybe slightly overrated game in the series. I understand why people rank it highly and think of it highly as well I just think it might be a tad overrated in fandom. At the same time I think DQ2 gets way too much hate. I love DQ2.

[@rpg_haven]

DQ2 rocks

[@aza1479]

My favorite I have DLL the games and Japan editions and all maps paperwork shirts etc…

[@reverend481]

imo not a bad game but just gets overshadowed because it's sandwiched by some of the GOATs (3 and 5)

[@xrpmoonwolf]

Played all dq games in a row wanted to complete whole series. Def not best but not bad

[@sonic-bb]

personally i found the merchants gameplay interesting. But i disliked playing as everyone before playing as the main character lol. And thats just cause i wanted to be the cool looking main character on the box art already

[@ColdShadow7]

Lava lava? I didn't even know her!

[@SGT_IcemanMan]

I always liked dragon quest 4 more than 3. Dragon quest 3 characters didnt really have a story at all, besides the main character. And 4 felt like a bunch of rpgs on 1 game. Then you play them all, with every character having a story, unlike 3.

[@phillipg6553]

Is it me but does this guy sound like Sargent Skinner from the Simpsons?

[@DarkmoonWinter]

DS version has a patch that brings back party chat making it the best version.

[@rpg_haven]

The mobile version also has party chat.

[@DarkmoonWinter]

@@rpg_haven Yes but its still lacking the features that emulation brings to the table.

[@chriskroutil1518]

4 has the best music.

[@peanutbutterdinosaur]

Sad that only mobile has the party chat

[@rpg_haven]

I really like the mobile version

[@kingbaboon1145]

Great game!

[@newarchillabog9403]

Love your channel btw

[@rpg_haven]

Thank you!

[@Chewy00]

Honestly I wasnt a fan of the story being seperated into chapters. Dq4 has my favorite designs but Ig I was expecting too much out of an nes game lol

[@rpg_haven]

Agreed

[@jasonreardon8477]

Bad review. U keep comparing this to new games have no appreciation for what this game brought to the table.

[@brandonsclips7741]

I don't know about that. He was just giving his view, he didn't say the game was bad lmao

[@ghhn4505]

I dunno, I think if you're reviewing something in the sense of "should you play it in the modern age," then pointing out other games that do something similar but better than the thing you're reviewing is fair.

[@striche]

@@ghhn4505But that’s not the context. The context is “does it deserve its reputation” which is going to be, largely, established at its release. Thus an analysis in that context must be rooted in historical context. Comparisons to modern games don’t really jive with “does it deserve its reputation” imho.

[@haydens5321]

⁠@@strichethat’s not true. Lots of media have different reputations now than they did upon release. There are some beloved cult games that were received poorly at first, and some games with poor reputations that reviewed well on release

[@johnmoser3594]

Spends the whole time complaining he doesn't have any attention span for story. Probably doesn't talk to every NPC he meets.

[@rpg_haven]

I always talk to every NPC. Come watch my streams sometime

[@Y-two-K]

hot dog

[@roberthunter479]

I've written it before, and I'll write it again: Square is the worst thing to happen to Enix. It's a shame because DQ is usually better than Final Fantasy, except for FF1 being better than DQ1. Then for FF2 & FF3, they aren't as good as their DQ counterparts. DQ4 and FF4 are both good and I love them both. DQ5 and FF5, well, DQ5. DQ6 and FF6, hmmm. I think I like DQ6 better in this instance. DQ7 and FF7 may seem like sacrilege, but I think FF7 is WAY overrated. I find DQ7 to be better. DQ8 and FF8, no contest. DQ8 is leaps and bounds better. DQ9 and FF9....I don't know. I haven't gone all the way through DQ9 yet. DQX and FFX - I have DQX on my PS4 but I can't play it, nor have I ever. I don't like FFX so it's irritating that DQX went the WoW route. DQXI and FFXI - For me, DQXI. I would even write that DQXI is better than the remaining FF games. Beat the NES version first and loved it. Probably due to one of my friends telling me he thought it was the worst one, so I had low expectations. I noticed the strange translation for the DS versions as well. Each character has a weird accent attributable to some real-life area. I think the game was translated by some group in the UK. I write 'I think" because many words are spelled the way they'd spell them. Don't know why they chose to add the accents. I think this game is great. I like it better than 5 and 6. 5, to me, is a bit of a downer. I feel like the game is depressing until the end. Not to say that it's not good, it's great. Just me and my opinions. Great video as always. I wish I had the time to play these again.

[@clintperez8874]

FF9 is amazing

[@Thirteen13551355]

Problem for me with DQ (regardless of whether they're better), is that if you've played one or two of them, you've played them all. FF has some bad apples, but they all feel worth playing because they're so different from each other.

[@LC-id6wx]

DQ1 is the only one that aged poorly, but it's still a well made game. FF1 is a buggy mess where half the mechanics don't work. I don't understand its popularity.

[@Thirteen13551355]

@@LC-id6wx PS1 version fixes most of these bugs. Great version. Just avoid the newer ones or NES.

[@cerealguy9979]

"usually DQ is better than FF" It doesn't make it better, you're just taking from your preference and you didn't even explain what and how are the games good or bad, without mentioning the strength or weakness of each ones. This is more bias than anything else.

[@Access_clan]

Seems very similar to mother 3

[@Game__Boy]

Dragon Quest 8 and 11 are the worst games in the series

[@rpg_haven]

I think you're going to enjoy my video on DQ8 when I get to it.

[@skyealexander4605]

I actually prefer the NES version, especially because they made Alena's area bizarrely Russian and because they changed the names of Nara and Mara while also turning them from Gypsies to Arabic. I also absolutely hate the newer magic spell names, they're just too goofy for me, and the new dialogue is some of the worst ever written.

[@rpg_haven]

Fair point. The localizations are a travesty