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Square-Enix Announces Western Release Of Dragon Quest IV

Dragon_Quest_IV_coverToday, Square-Enix revealed their lineup for this year’s Gamescom event held in Cologne from August 13th to the 17th.  They’ve got a bunch of stuff to show, but the biggest news for iOS gamers is that an English version of Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen will be there. While English releases seemed likely for the Dragon Quest iOS games after Dragon Quest VIII‘s ($19.99) sudden appearance, it’s nice to have confirmation.

Originally released on the NES, Dragon Quest IV tells the stories of several adventurers who eventually come together to battle a terrible evil. Its unique narrative framework and charming characters make it one of the more memorable games in the series. The iOS version is, save a few small differences, a port of the Nintendo DS remake, which itself was based on a Playstation remake that only saw release in Japan.  The remake adds many features over the NES version, including an entirely new chapter that adds significantly to the story. There’s no word yet on if the somewhat over zealous localization from the Nintendo DS version will be altered, but if Dragon Quest VIII is any indication, it will probably be pretty similar.

I’ve had the opportunity to play the already-released Japanese version of the game, and apart from some slight music issues, this is probably the best Dragon Quest port yet on iOS.  It’s naturally a bit more old-school than Dragon Quest VIII, but it wears its age well. Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen currently has no announced release date, but it’s probably not that far off, so keep watching this space for more information as we get it.