Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen

Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen brought a modernly remade version of the classic RPG to the Nintendo DS, which for the first time split the story into several separate chapters following different characters before all the threads unite in the final act. The player first gets to know the fates of future allies – from a valiant warrior through a merchant to a pair of comic mercenaries – and only then takes on the role of the main Hero, the Chosen One, who unites them all in the fight against a dark enemy threatening the entire world, highlighting how the individual fates ultimately intersect.

The battle system remains faithful to the series – classic turn-based combat with random encounters and clearly readable strategy around choosing classes and spells – supplemented by a command system for party members in the form of AI tactics that can be adjusted to the current combat situation. The DS version also added new animations, reworked graphics, and bonus content, including an additional playable section after completing the main story, which extends the already substantial playtime by several dozen more hours of content. The music was composed, as always, by Koichi Sugiyama, and its melodic, orchestral motifs are among the most recognizable in the entire series, still accompanying concert performances of Dragon Quest pieces to this day.

The remake was very well received as a dignified way to make an older entry accessible to new players without losing its charm, and for many it became their first taste of the Dragon Quest series in the West, where the brand had long been less known than in Japan. Its honest craftsmanship and respect for the original still make it a popular choice for those who want to get to know the roots of the series. Chapters of the Chosen thus remains an example of how to sensitively bring a classic to new hardware without unnecessary compromises and with respect for what made the original beloved.