"A simplistic yet enjoyable experience as a heroic slime"

When I first heard about Dragon Quest coming to the DS, I assumed that Enix would hand over an either great or terrible game with nothing in between. However, after completing the game, I've been surprised to see that the game is somewhat disappointing while maintaining a great deal of fun at the same time. Here's how the game breaks down.

Story: 5/10
For being a Dragon Quest game based around a bunch of slimes, the plot's decent. You play as (insert name here), a male slime who is on a quest to save his village members from the evil Plob who are bent on world domination. There's nothing groundbreaking about the plot but nothing to really gripe about because the very title of the game suggests that slimes play an important role in the overall feel, game play, and story of the game itself.

Game play: 8/10
The game play is quite fun. You play as a slime going through the levels throughout the entire game, and are able to fight enemies in a Zelda-like setting (though the puzzles are ridiculously easy and tedious). The game consists of a few levels that are similar to each other in which you collect items to be used in your tank battles. These items can later be combined to turn into stronger items that will help you build HP for your tank, and will aid in your weaponry against the Plob and other foes. Tank battles are fairly fun, but early and even late battles can be almost impossible to lose (unless you just sit there and allow the enemies to crush you). The low difficulty level keeps this game from truly shining, despite the ability to customize your tank's weaponry and HP.

Graphics: 7/10
Nothing stands out. The character and background models are a bit lower in quality when compared to Advanced Wars (which for the most part looked like a slightly better GBA version of the original). Good but nothing will amaze you.

Sound: 8/10
Good remixes of the original Dragon Quest music is used. The noises/sound effects are nostalgiac, and lend to the games' fun game play and feel. No complaints here.

Overall: 7/10
This is the shortest Dragon Quest game I've ever played, and I've played a few Dragon Quests in my day (DQ I, II, III, IV, VII, and VIII). The game is way too short and easy-- the last fight is practically a given, as are all tank battles. Gamers can beat this game in 8 (yes, eight) hours. Though there are extra things to do after beating the main quest, these things are only beneficial to those who plan on playing multiplayer tank quests. The simplicity of the game allows for one to breeze through, but also allows for a great deal of customization that would definitely be appreciated if it were necessary to master during in-game battles.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 10/09/06