Characters of Dragon Quest IV

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Enix's role-playing video game Dragon Quest IV (DQIV), features eight permanent player characters in the Nintendo Entertainment System version, and nine in the PlayStation and Nintendo DS versions. The chapter structure of DQIV results in a new set of characters being controlled in each chapter; it is not until the fifth chapter that the Hero becomes the controllable protagonist.

Contents

The cast was designed by Akira Toriyama, who served as art designer for the Dragon Quest series. In addition to the nine main characters, there are various helper characters who have temporary stints with the party and then leave after the plot advances. Many non-player characters populate the world of DQIV as well. Most notably, the protagonists are out to stop the villainous Psaro, who plans to get revenge on humanity by resurrecting the Ruler of Evil.

Concept and creation

The main cast of Dragon Quest IV comprises different characters from different walks of life, all of whom eventually coalesce around the protagonist and their quest to save the world. Each of the five chapters has its own set of characters and quest. [1] The character designs were created by artist Akira Toriyama. [2] Following the success of Dragon Quest III , the creator of Dragon Quest IV , Yuji Horii, wanted to make a distinct game from III rather than retread it too directly since he expected many people would begin the series with IV. In III, players obtain a full party at the beginning of the game. Horii varied the formula by splitting the game into chapters and having the chapters be separate quests, wanting players to experience each character's story before searching for their party members. He also intended on surprising players, introducing the characters Maya and Meena to the Hero when they are searching for the other characters first instead of Ragnar McRyan, who was the first character you played as. [3]

In the NES version of the game, the lead character was controlled directly by the player, while other characters were controlled by artificial intelligence. It was initially considered giving each character AI that matches their in-game personality, but it was felt that it would not be satisfying. They also considered allowing monsters to join the party, but decided against it, viewing the AI system as adequate. [4] [ citation needed ] Later versions of Dragon Quest IV allowed most characters to be controlled directly.[ citation needed ] In the English localization of the Nintendo DS version of Dragon Quest IV, various characters were given different accents. The first chapter gives characters Scottish accents, the second gives them Russian accents, and the fourth gives them French accents. This is unlike the Japanese versions of the different versions, where everyone has a standard Japanese accent. [5] The English localization team for the DS version aimed to give the characters names that evoked the original English names for some characters while including the original names; this resulted in names such as Ragnar McRyan, which combined the English localization "Ragnar" and Japanese name "Ryan." [6]

Main characters

Hero

The Hero is the protagonist of the game, and can be male or female. More unique differences were planned for the male and female Heroes due to demand from Dragon Quest III players, but this was neglected after creator Yuji Horii forgot. [4] In the original version on Nintendo Entertainment System, they could be named at the beginning, but did not appear until Chapter 5. In later versions, a prologue is added that has the player controlling them briefly before Chapter 1. They later appear in Chapter 5 as the starring character. In this chapter, Psaro's army destroys the village in the pursuit of the Hero, killing everyone except the Hero, including their friend Eliza who disguises herself as the Hero to keep the Hero safe. They venture out into the world, gathering various allies in their quest to defeat Psaro.

Ragnar McRyan

Ragnar McRyan (Ragnar in the NES version) is the first playable character in the NES version of Dragon Quest IV. He is sent by his king to investigate the disappearance of children from a nearby village, allying with a Cureslime named Healie along the way. He discovers that a demon has been kidnapping children to kill them as an attempt to potentially kill the chosen one. Ragnar kills this demon and rescues the remaining children before being sent to track down the Hero in order to assist him in his quest to defeat Psaro.

Alena

Alena is a princess and the star of the second chapter. She sneaks out, accompanied by her retainers Kiryl and Borya, in order to go on an adventure and become a warrior despite her father's wishes. She eventually enters an arena and participates as a fighter, winning by default after another combatant, Psaro, fails to show. Upon returning to the castle, she finds that the castle is empty, going with Kiryl and Borya to discover the truth of the occupants' absence. She eventually joins with the Hero after they help her and Borya heal Kiryl from a fever, assisting them in defeating Psaro.

Kiryl and Borya

Kiryl and Borya are two of Alena's retainers who accompany her on her quest to explore the world. They believe that she would not obey her father and remain behind, and thus would be safer if they went with her. In Chapter 5, Kiryl becomes deathly ill, forcing Alena to search for a cure. Once the cure is found, Kiryl accompanies Alena and Borya in joining the Hero in their quest to defeat Psaro.

Kiryl's AI was commonly criticized for using ineffective spells in battle, such as spells that are meant to cause instant death, even if the spells could not possibly work. [7] Excite writer Bergman Tagata noted that this quirk about Kiryl was annoying due also to his propensity to use it on weaker enemies as well, stating that this occurs because the AI does not have information about the enemy, and only learns after fighting them. Because boss characters are fought only once, he explained that Kiryl doesn't have any opportunity to put that knowledge to use. [8]

Torneko

Torneko is a merchant, and the star of the third chapter. He does not have strong fighting capabilities, and his story involves him establishing his own business. Along the way, he helps create a bridge and a tunnel, as well as avert a war between two kingdoms. He eventually joins the Hero in their quest to defeat Psaro. Torneko went on to star in multiple spin-off titles, including as part of the Mystery Dungeon spin-off Torneko's Great Adventure .

Maya and Meena

Maya and Meena are sisters, a dancer and fortune teller respectively, who serve as the lead characters for the fourth chapter. They are investigating the murder of their father, eventually discovering that he was researching something called the Secret of Evolution, and was killed for it by his apprentice Balzack. They eventually join the Hero, killing Balzack and assisting the Hero in defeating Psaro.

Antagonists

Psaro is the main antagonist of the story, with his goal being to get revenge on humankind for perceived atrocities, including the abuse of his love, Rose, an elf whose tears are made of ruby. He and his minions kidnap and kill children in order to prevent the rise of the Legendary Hero, though the true Hero ends up surviving the attack on their village. As part of his plan, he is also seeking to master the Secret of Evolution, which would give him incredible power. Following the assassination of Rose, orchestrated by Aamon, he goes mad, turning into a monster and becoming defeated by the hero. In later versions of the game, Rose can be revived, allowing the player to spare him, at which point he joins the party in killing Aamon.

Aamon

Aamon (Dragon Warrior IV: Radimvice) is a minion of Psaro's, one who manipulates Psaro into doing things to serve his own ends. Aamon eventually helps cause the death of Rose, Psaro's love, which results in Psaro losing control and going on a rampage, allowing Aamon to take over as leader of the monsters. He becomes the main antagonist after defeating Psaro in the Nintendo DS version of Dragon Quest IV after Rose is revived and Psaro is pacified.

Other appearances

Various characters in Dragon Quest IV make appearances in other games in different capacities. In Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree's Woe and the Blight Below and Dragon Quest Heroes II features multiple characters as playable characters, as does Dragon Quest Tact , Dragon Quest Walk , and the Itadaki Street series. [9] [10] [11] [ citation needed ] [12]

A manga anthology titled Dragon Quest 4 Panel Manga Theater was created, featuring the cast of Dragon Quest IV. Multiple manga authors contributed to the anthology, including Ami Shibata and Hiroyuki Eto. [13]

Reception

Dragon Quest IV has been noted as a pioneering game in character-based role-playing games. [3] Eurogamer writer Simon Parkin enjoyed the conceit of the game having different starring characters in each chapter, particularly due to how much it diversifies the cast. [14] Hardcore Gamer writer Chris Shive similarly enjoyed this structure, believing it successfully made players care about the whole cast. [15]

The AI controlling the non-main characters of each chapter in the Nintendo Entertainment System version of the game has received negative reception, with Chris Shive commenting that the best improvement in the Nintendo DS version was allowing the player to control them directly. [15] This AI design has led to issues with the AI, particularly the character Kiryl using the instant-death spell Whack on enemies immune to it, which gave him a reputation of being a stupid character. [16] Automaton writer Takumi Nango praised the use of non-English accents in the English version of the Nintendo DS version, feeling that it was tastefully done. They praised the detail that the localization team put in, particularly how they made dogs' bark match their region as well, suggesting that they did a lot of research into the different dialects. They believed that the motivation to include different dialects was out of a desire to reflect how the main cast all hail from diverse regions, social classes, and occupations. [5]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torneko</span> Dragon Quest protagonist

Torneko is a character in the 1990 video game Dragon Quest IV, one of its heroes. He also appears as the star of multiple games in the Mystery Dungeon series, being used for the first entry to make the series more appealing by using a recognizable brand. He is among the most recurring characters in the Dragon Quest series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bianca, Nera, and Debora</span> Dragon Quest V character

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psaro</span> Dragon Quest IV villain

Psaro is a character in the 1990 video game Dragon Quest IV. He is the primary antagonist of the story, leading a charge to wipe out humanity for the sake of demons, particularly due to his infatuation for an elf named Rose, who suffered under humans. He wishes to find and kill the human prophesized to one day defeat him, which causes him or his minions to come into contact with one or more of the multiple main heroes of the game who later come to support the prophesized hero in their quest. He comes to assume the form of Psaro the Manslayer after a tragedy pushes him to the brink. A sixth chapter was added to the PlayStation version that expands Psaro's story and features him as a playable character. He is also the protagonist of the 2023 game Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince. His design was created by Akira Toriyama. Psaro has been generally well received, praised as a tragic villain and for the multiple forms he goes through in the battle against him.

Alena (<i>Dragon Quest</i>) Dragon Quest IV character

Alena is a character in the 1990 video game Dragon Quest IV, one of its main characters. She is the star of the second chapter, going out to explore the world and become a strong warrior with her retainers Kiryl and Borya, before discovering her kingdom wiped out. She later joins with the protagonist of the game in their quest to defeat the leader of the monsters, Psaro, and save the world. Her design was created by Akira Toriyama, and she is voiced in Japanese by Shoko Nakagawa. She is a fan favorite Dragon Quest IV character, noted as a strong female character by multiple critics, one from RPGFan noting how rare this was on the NES.

Hero (<i>Dragon Quest IV</i>) Dragon Quest IV protagonist

The Hero is the protagonist of Dragon Quest IV, and can be male or female. They do not have a default name, and can be given a name by the player. They are the second Hero in Dragon Quest to allow players to make them male or female, and the first to give the female Hero a distinct design. During the course of the story, the game's antagonist, Psaro, causes the death of their village, including their friend Eliza. They journey to defeat Psaro, joining other characters along the way.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Healie</span> Dragon Quest IV character

Healie, also known as Hoimin is a character in the 1990 video game Dragon Quest IV. He is a Healslime, a variant of the Slime monster from the series, who aspires to become a human, joining the warrior Ragnar McRyan in his quest to rescue kidnapped children from minions of Psaro. In promotional media for the franchise, he has been portrayed by Kanna Hashimoto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ragnar McRyan</span> Dragon Quest characters

Ragnar McRyan, known in Japan as Ryan is a character in the 1990 video game Dragon Quest IV. He is one of multiple characters who assist the game's Hero in their battle against the monster Psaro. He stars in chapter 1, allying with the monster Healie to rescue children kidnapped by Psaro's minions. He was the first playable character in the NES version of the game. He has appeared in multiple other games, including the Itadaki Street and Dragon Quest Heroes series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maya and Meena</span> Dragon Quest characters

Maya and Meena are two characters in the 1990 video game Dragon Quest IV. Maya is a dancer and Meena a fortune teller. The two are sisters who set out on a journey to avenge their father's murder. They appear as the lead characters of the fourth chapter, and join the Hero in the fifth chapter to defeat the monster Psaro. They were created by Yuji Horii and designed by Akira Toriyama, and have been the subject of praise for both their designs and concepts, particularly Meena's use of tarot cards as weapons and Maya's beauty. The music played for the pair has also received praise, with critics identifying folk music and Middle Eastern music inspirations for their theme.

Hero (<i>Dragon Quest III</i>) Dragon Quest III protagonist

The Hero, also known as Loto in Japanese and Erdrick in English, is the protagonist of the 1988 video game Dragon Quest III. Unlike previous Dragon Quest protagonists, this Hero can be male or female, though fans criticized the lack of differences between the two gender options. They are the son of Ortega, who went missing after seeking out the villain Baramos. The Hero assumes this quest on their 16th birthday. The male Hero appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a playable character as part of a character called "Hero," alongside the heroes of Dragon Quest IV, Dragon Quest VIII, and Dragon Quest XI. They are a silent protagonist save for one line, which was not well-received by fans. The lack of differences between the male and female Hero received criticism as well, leading to efforts to improve this in Dragon Quest IV. The Hero has been identified as an iconic Hero, with multiple critics identifying their design as a foundational one, citing the protagonist of the light novel Maoyu as an example.

References

  1. ↑ Kalata, Kurt (February 2, 2009). "Dragon Quest IV: The Chapters of the Chosen". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  2. ↑ Reed, Kristan (August 8, 2008). "Dragon Quest IV dated for Europe". Eurogamer . Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Fukuyama, Koji (December 22, 2017). "「堀井雄二」調査団: アドベンチャーゲームは如何に日本のストーリーゲームを発展させていったか？ （後編）". Automaton. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Dragon Quest IV – 1989 Developer Interview". Shmuplations. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  5. 1 2 Nango, Tenko (September 24, 2014). "英語版『ドラクエ』、地域方言を活かしたローカライズの妙味". Automaton. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Square Enix Discusses Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride's Localization". Siliconera. February 13, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  7. ↑ Kawachi (February 11, 2024). "『ドラゴンクエストIV』が発売された日。天空シリーズ1作目。ザキやザラキを連発するクリフトの思い出【今日は何の日？】". Famitsu . Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  8. ↑ Tagata, Bergman (December 19, 2018). "ぼくらはドラクエ4でAIを学んだ ボスに効かない即死呪文連発でイライラ". Excite. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  9. ↑ Romano, Sal (March 2, 2015). "Dragon Quest Heroes 'Alena and Kiryl Sub-Story' DLC trailer". Gematsu . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  10. ↑ Vitale, Adam (April 20, 2017). "Dragon Quest Heroes II - Meet the Heroes: Alena, Kiryl, & Torneko". RPG Site. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Dragon Quest Tact - Dragon Quest IV Event Trailer". IGN . May 7, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  12. ↑ Sato (October 5, 2017). "Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy's New Fortune Street Trailers For Noctis, Lightning, Alena, And Kiryl". Siliconera. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  13. ↑ Hayakawa, Seiichiro (February 11, 2020). "『DQ4』発売から30年、ファミコン時代の終わりと共に　シリーズに新たな方向性". Magmix. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  14. ↑ Parkin, Simon (September 27, 2008). "Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen". Eurogamer . Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  15. 1 2 Shive, Chris (July 21, 2017). "Pocket Power: Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  16. ↑ Tagata, Bergman (December 19, 2018). "ぼくらはドラクエ4でAIを学んだ ボスに効かない即死呪文連発でイライラ". Excite . Retrieved May 10, 2024.
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