A veteran knight, a precocious princess, an ambitious merchant, grieving sisters... Though the lives of these brave souls could not be more different, they are nonetheless alike in destiny, for they - like you - have been chosen. Guide them on their personal journeys and set out together on a quest that will decide the fate of the world...

Dragon Quest: The Chapters of The Chosen is a remake of the fourth game in the Dragon Quest series. Set over five distinct chapters, focusing on the stories of a disparate band of heroes, players traverse land, sea and sky on an epic quest to defeat a great evil. Along the way, players meet and befriend a colourful cast of characters designed by world-famous comic book artist Akira Toriyama (creator of the Dragon Ball series). In addition, renowned composer and conductor Koichi Sugiyama contributes anew musical score to help immerse the gamer into the Dragon Quest world.

The game has been launched on various consoles since it was first introduced to the Japanese market in 1990. This was followed, in 1992, by the release of a North American version The game was later redesigned and launched on the PlayStation for the American market, and now at long last it makes its way to Europe redesigned for the Nintendo DS.

The graphics are of the old school RPG style - Zelda fans will feel right at home - and sees the player taking on a pretty engaging collection of adventures spread over five chapters:

Chapter 1: Ragnor McRyan and the Case of the Missing Children - In the far away kingdom of Burland, the Royal Knight Ragnar McRyan is ordered by the King to investigate kidnappings that had been troubling the kingdom. Playing as McRyan you must scout around the kingdom discovering clues as to who, or what, is behind these kidnappings.

Chapter 2: Alena and the Journey to the Tourney - Alena, precocious Tsarevna of Zamoksva, is a curious child whose skill in combat see her branded as a tomboy. She is forever causing trouble for her father, the Tsar, and his retainers. But one day, she finally managed to escape the confines of the castle...

Chapter 3: Torneko and the Extravagant Excavation - Torneko Taloon was an apprentice merchant who was blessed with a lovely wife and son. He passed his days in peaceful obscurity - until he decided to set off and fulfil his dream of becoming the greatest merchant in the world...

Chapter 4: Meena and Maya and the Mahabala Mystery - Maya, a beautiful dancer, and Meena, her fortune-teller sister, set out on their travels to exact revenge on the murderer of their father, a world-renowned alchemist who was killed several years earlier.

Chapter 5: The Chosen - You live in a small village that stands quietly in the deepest corner of the mountains. You live with doting parents, and pass endless happy days with your best friend Eliza. But one day everything changes, and your fate is altered forever...

There's plenty here to keep fans of old school RPGs happy for ages. Certainly a game I'd recommend picking up.

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Nick Smithson