With it's immersing gameplay, Dragon Quest IX is worth your time and money.
I started playing Dragon Quest IX because I knew it was an excellent game and I was right! From quick navigation to long, in-depth battles, Dragon Quest IX is a game fit to the DS.
I've only just began to play, for the game takes several hours to finish, but the story has been made well. I don't take a particular favoring to the story, however, it is interesting and keeps you exploring the world. There is also a story reminder that tells you where you are in the story and what you have just done when you press the Y button. It really helps when you get caught up doing side-quests or when you start playing again.
The gameplay really sucks you in. I wasn't expecting anything this fast paced. Walking from places doesn't take a million of hours while getting caught in random encounters. You walk at a fairly quick pace and you can avoid the monsters or chose to battle them, since they are now able to be seen on the world. What I like particularly is the fact that you can open cupboards or treasure chests swiftly and start adventuring just one second later. There is no long pause when you get a medical herb from a chest.
While battling, you have a wide range of things to do like most other RPGs. There are the basic Flee, Use item, Attack, Spell, etc. However, the battle scene is quite different. You and your party members run around the place in order to get in positions to attack. Same goes with the monsters. So really, it isn't just two lines; one being your party, and the other being the monsters. It also is fast paced like the traveling, so you can bump into weak monsters and kill it quickly without the grumpy, "ARGH! THIS IS WASTING MY TIME!"
The character creation is broad and wonderful. You are allowed to choose from a varied selection of hair, colour, and eyes. The selection isn't huge, for you may not prefer any of the colours they provide. However, the colours offered are quite nice, and the game isn't all about how you look. You can also customize your party members the same way you customize yourself.
You start off as a minstrel in Dragon Quest IX, but you can change your class not too far into the game. You get to enjoy allocating your skill points into various sections, and equip a broad variety of armor.
With beautiful DS graphics, your character and its armor is full of details, making the game more appealing.
However, with the wonderful graphics, comes a downfall which is a bit of lag. This is not a big problem, though. You will experience minor lag when you connect with a friend. It does not affect gameplay.
Overall, the game is addicting with it's quick paced gameplay and stunning graphics. I enjoy it, and I'm sure many others do too!