Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride DS
User Score
8.2 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 37 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 37
  3. Negative: 3 out of 37

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  1. 6xdandangp
    Dec 29, 2012
    10
    By far one of the best games of the system, Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride is an example of a JRPG done right. I have nothing bad to say about this game, all of my expectations have been met and exceeded.
  2. Alex524
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    a game that took a classic and added on few things and made it better. the squel to DQ IV: chapters of the chosen, it takes place a significant time after the previous game but makes refernces and shares a dungeon. the addons are game changing, making it easier to progress in the story and adding a new possible party member. the story is 99% the same. there is a mode for wireless communication but it is local and is basically useless. the story and characters are well done, there is a feature to rotate the camera, and a board game type mini game that gave me much needed armor and weapons. this game is on the list of top ten games I have ever played and I don't see it leaving that list anytime soon.… Expand
  3. gaiages
    Oct 12, 2010
    9
    Dragon Quest V is simply a great game. I can't really compare this DS version to any of its previous versions, but it's clear that the US certainly got a great remake. The story is surprisingly deep, and the mish-mash of 2D sprites and 3D rendered areas look pretty good. Going through the life of the main character really gives a feeling for him, and makes the events that happen have just that much more of an effect, in my opinion. The battle system is straight old-school RPG, so if you're looking for something new and inventive, you won't find it here. It can also be difficult, especially in earlier parts when you don't have static party members. Overall, though, it's a great experience, and a definite recommendation for any RPG fan.… Expand
  4. Jackson
    Oct 8, 2010
    9
    Dragon Quest 5. Simply beautiful. If this is not the best RPG on the DS , I dont know what is. It's far better than Chrono Trigger(which is horrendously overrated). This is how much I ove the game. I borrowed it from a friend , took me over a month to beat. And I'm still going to purchase it. Excellent game.
  5. WallidK
    Mar 31, 2009
    9
    WOW. This game is a lot of fun. I played a fan translation of this game awhile back, and despite its archaic look, it was a lot of fun. Now, 17 years later, this game has been improved on so much that it feels fresh again. There's a casino, new monsters to catch, and even a new bride to choose from! The only problem I had with this game is that most battles require little to no strategy and you just need to click "Attack" a lot of the time. besides that, if you liked DQIV or RPGs in general, I suggest that you pick this one up.… Expand
  6. Matthew
    Feb 23, 2009
    8
    Quite an impressive remake of an already great game from the SNES era. Simple yet deep gameplay abound, if a little bit on the old school side (not that ; as expected of the granddaddy of Jrpgs. The only real drawback is the localization, which changes the original names of characters to suit a certain pun, to reference something or someone, or, in quite a few cases, no reason whatsoever. This of course is small compared to the script itself, which is just littered with butchered English that substitutes for accents were the game actually using voice acting, which it and almost all other games of the series do not have (VIII being the exception only due to the localization it received when being brought overseas, and even then it only had European accents, unlike V's ridiculous attempt at a Mexican, Hick, and even, for god only knows reasons, a Ned Flanders accent). This doesn't just make the lines harder to read than necessary and making the game harder to access for newer gamers, it also takes any seriousness from the games scenes away due to the needless attempt to bring humor to the game and makes what should be a simple sentence that can be read in a few seconds a chore, not to mention that it resulted in changing certain characters personalities for little to no reason (besides, last I checked people with natural accents don't spell the way they speak). Despite the rather glaring flaws in the localization, the game is still really good. Next time, however, I hope that Square Enix's US localization team realizes that needless changes to the games script can be more harmful to the overall product than they realize and look unprofessional at the same time. Also, they should keep in mind that a good localization is to be simple, accurate, and have little changed.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
84 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 46 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 46
  3. Negative: 0 out of 46
  1. n-Revolution Magazine UK
    70
    Great for those who haven't played the original, not so thrilling for those who have. [Issue#26, p.81]
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  2. 3DJuegos
    89
    If you have a Nintendo DS and you love the RPG genre, Dragon Quest V is nowadays one the best options to enjoy the classic gameplay of an epic adventure with a retro taste.
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  3. IGN
    89
    Dragon Quest V is a must-play RPG, pure and simple. By extension, that means that Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride is also a must-play RPG, though I can’t help but wish we were getting it sooner than 17 years late, and with a bit more fanfare and polish.
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