Introduction

Welcome back! It's time for another LP.

This time we're going back to Enix's well with:



Dragon Warrior 4 was released in the US back in 1992 with the amazingly vague cover below.



Yeah, I'd want to play that. It was one of the later RPGs released on the NES and featured an unusually complex story for that system and time period.



Japan, naturally, got the game a few years earlier with this gem of a box cover. By now most of you probably know that Akira Toriyama has been responsible for the character and monster artwork in the Dragon Quest/Warrior series. This is more the attitude I'll be taking with the game. Speaking of the series...

Wasn't this game remade a few years back?

Yes, yes it was.



It looked kind of like this, and was the first time I played this game. It was a great deal of fun and made some improvements to the game as a whole.

So why aren't you playing that version?

Because I do my LPs on a 2007 vintage MacBook and to hell with trying to get a DS emulator running on that. Also, the old school version is the manlier option.

What's this game like?

It's a pretty standard Dragon Warrior game. Menu based exploration and combat, lots of grinding, and a large cast of outright weird characters. Probably the biggest change from Dragon Warrior III is that there are doors that just aren't locked and that you don't get to formulate your own party. Instead, the game goes through four short scenarios to introduce you to your party members and a fifth scenario bringing everyone together. At that point you can mix and match your party as you want, including leaving the hero out if you please.

With that in mind...

Our Heroes



I'm expecting one or both of them to start glowing and have their hair turn gold any second. We won't be seeing them for a while but the hero is one of our melee powerhouses, gets some of the best healing magic in the game, and has a few powerful offensive spells as well.



We've got 8 letters, including some punctuation, and a gender to pick out. Most popular and/or most amusing entry gets it. This'll go until Saturday morning.

As I'm not a cruel man, I'll also give you a nibble of the first scenario while waiting.

Table of Contents

Ragnar's Tale

• Update 1: I'd look for a wagon saying "Free Puppies"
• Update 2: Kitty!
• Update 3: ALL the Children, Ragnar.
• Character Profile: Ragnar Ragnarsonsonsonson

Alena's Tale

• Update 4: The Great Escape
• Update 5: Ineffective Threats
• Update 6: Every Daughter's Fondest Dream
• Update 7: Smarter Than You'd Think
• Update 8: Crazy Promises and Ominous Names
• Character Profiles: Alena's Party

Taloon's Tale

• Update 9: An Ordinary Day?
• Update 10: That's Not the Only Reason
• Update 11: Five Days at a Time
• Update 12: Government Contracting
• Character Profile: Torneko Taloon

Nara and Mara's Tale

• Update 13: Vengeance is.. Popular
• Update 14: You Can't Go Home
• Update 15: Goldberg Would be Proud
• Update 16: Vengeance, Half-Assed
• Character Profiles: Nara and Mara

The Chosen Ones

• Update 17: A Hero Is Motivated
• Update 18: The Fifth Journey to Endor
• Update 19: The Greatest Treasure
• Update 20: Furry and Flamers
• Update 21: Business School for Dummies
• Update 22: The Icebox
• Update 23: You Smell Like a Slime
• Update 24: Long Live The King
• Character Profile: The Hero
• Update 25: The Reclaimed Throne
• Update 26: Fool's Quest
• Update 27: Semi-Justly Accused
• Update 28: The Why of Necrosaro
• Update 29: Treasure Hunt
• Update 30: Down by the River
• Update 31: Castle Monstrioso
• Update 32: That Was Easy
• Update 33: Up, Up, and Away
• Update 34: Family Reunion?
• Update 35: To Hell
• Update 36: Break ALL the Barriers
• Update 37: Deus Ex Draconus