Dragon Quest IX is around the corner and I simply cannot wait. While I like the bigger emphasis on story and characters that came with the past four games, I'm more a fan of the mechanics than anything else. Everything I've heard about the game from the random dungeons to the job system entice me more than I ever thought possible.
To psyche myself up for the game, I've picked up three games hoping to get myself in the proper mood: Dragon Warrior, Dragon Quest IV DS and Dragon Quest VIII. I've already finished and enjoyed Dragon Warrior despite how grindy it was, I'm nearly done with IV and I honestly don't have any intention of beating VIII before IX comes out. I've thoroughly enjoyed my experience thus far and feel properly psyched at this point.
One thing I have noticed in playing through the series is how religion seems to play into these worlds. The people of Dragon Quest seem to be very pious, yet few seem to really commit to their faith. Throughout most of these games, you can find priests spread out through the pubs enjoying a good brew, flirting with various women or even abstaining from their duties to pursue earthly joys. My favorite example of this is actually from VIII in the city of Baccarat where you see an elderly father enticed by a bunnygirl show. I can't remember the quote off memory, but it's something along the line of "Forgive me Goddess, I should be watching the church." Ultimately, these figures of religion are painted in a very fallible light that I doubt you'd see from Western media outside satire and parody. These people are just that, people. They have their flaws, their desires and their goals and they aren't held down by their goddess-given duties. Even with all their negative flaws out on display, they aren't seen as a jab on religion, but more as a commentary on the humanity of the purveyors of our faith. It's something that I find somewhat fascinating and hope to see more of in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment