This oft-overlooked SNES classic feels antiquated next to modern RPG's, but it is a worthwhile re-release regardless.
Downgraded from the Japan-exclusive PS2 remake it may be, Hand of the Heavenly Bride looks and sounds decent on the DS. The adorable art style is evident in the game's pretty sprites, and the fully rotatable camera is a handy tool to use in the game's rather crude 3D environments. Battles look very nice, with plenty of cute enemies, pretty backgrounds and smooth animations to keep things lively. It is a very modest production and a far cry from other role-playing games on the system, but it is a well done presentation regardless. Similarly, the soundtrack is a collection of typical Dragon Quest tunes -- charming.
Despite the cute n' cuddly exterior, the game's plot is as mature and captivating as the best of video game stories. It is the story of a man, the tale of a hero's life that spans decades; trials, tribulations and everything in between.
Dragon Quest V opens with the protagonist's mysterious origins, and from there works its way to his childhood. Travelling with his father across the world in search of his mother, he gets caught in a battle of good vs. evil which directly affects the rest of his life.
It is difficult to explain Dragon Quest V's narrative without spoiling it, as the game wastes no time on events that are not monumental. Even the exposition feels like another game's climax, with powerful plot points thrown at the player in the first 2-3 hours. It feels great to play a role-playing game that keeps its story deep enough to be interesting, yet never too complicated that the player cannot come back a week later and be confused.
Ironically, the game's climax (and perhaps the best part of the game) is the one area of Dragon Quest V that can be revealed without being considered a spoiler. The player chooses his wife (there are three options; each of which has their own distinct battle class, personality and dialogue), and depending on their choice, can really spark the player's interest in the game. The concept of choosing a bride is not as new or original as it was 15 years ago, but Dragon Quest V's potential wives are lovely and plot points take full advantage of it.
Of course, this remake retains SNES RPG staples such as the mute protagonist and antiquated method of storytelling. All text related to the story appears on a box on the lower half of the touch screen, where the story of the hero's life is told through hundreds of small letters at a time. The small text can be a bit hard on the eyes, and it would have been nice to have had a cleaner or better-looking interface.
Regardless of Dragon Quest V's arguably poor presentation of its narrative, it is indeed a great story. Thanks to the negligence of niceties and main character development, Dragon Quest V's 20+ hour long story feels like a breeze. The hero's hardships and joys can be felt by the player as his or her own, as there is just something magical about a character who is created by your own imagination.
Progressing the plot can occasionally be a pain, as it requires the player to talk to the right person in town (sometimes that means talk to everyone), which is a rather dull affair, but it never gets intolerable or mundane enough to hurt the narrative much.
If only the rest of the game were as timeless as the plot, Dragon Quest V would be a true gem. As it is, there are better first-person role-playing games on-the-go.
All of Dragon Quest V's characters are pre-customized, and while they are well designed and fairly balanced, the lack of customization options is a bit of a disappointment in a role-playing game. Adventuring past thousands of monsters is generally easier than one would expect, and while environmental puzzles are fun to solve, they are also not very complicated. These factors make the game accessible, though they also mean the amount of strategy required is underwhelming.
Dragon Quest V was the first in the series to utilize a monster collecting system, and while it is not nearly as pertinent as it is in other games (Pokemon, Shin Megami Tensei, etc.) it is a nice addition to a battle system in desperate need of originality. After defeating monsters your enemies may ask to join your group at level one; slowly they can become as powerful as the main protagonists.
With that said, the game's battle system is not particularly challenging, original or interesting. It is never below standard, but that is only because it IS the standard. The above average level design, well designed characters and monster taming system make it good enough to ensure players who dig first-person role-playing games will have fun battling, but it never truly overachieves.
An issue that rears its ugly head consistently is the inconvenient interface, particularly the save system. Players can only save in towns and quick save on the overworld; taking into account the frequent random battles and lengthy dungeons, some players will find saving a rarity, which goes against the point of playing on-the-go.
Reviving and curing allies of certain status effects can also be annoying, as this can only be done at churches in towns and only one at a time. This means that if the player's party is wiped out against a particularly nasty boss, they have to go through the unnecessarily long and mundane process of reviving each and every character that died fighting the enemy.
As a 15-year-old game, Dragon Quest V is a gem, but as a seventh generation title it is merely a tasty snack before Dragon Quest IX makes its way to Western shores. A blip on the radar of portable role-playing games, this re-release will not change the way anyone thinks of the genre or franchise, but it is a surprisingly decent representation of the series at its prime on the SNES.