After getting halfway through Dragon Quest V, I am now starting to feel OLD.
Yes, old. I've played through Nino's (my DQ5 hero's name, btw) entire life! First playing as chibi Nino -- at 8 years old? What 8-year-old kid goes traveling around the world, fighting monsters???
Anyway, so 10 years pass, Nino becomes a fine young man and goes off adventuring again. He can recruit monsters this time around, so yay! I love collecting, and bestiaries are cool. There seems to be a fair number of "unrecruitable" monsters, however.
Then comes the funny part -- choosing Nino's bride! Argh, I would have wanted to be able to change the names of the bride candidates, you know (so I can use my name, nyahahahah~). So, the story changes a bit depending on which girl you choose to marry, although there isn't anything major. I chose to go with Bianca, the step-cousin, for the sake of continuity. She's both fighter and magic user, though I think she doesn't really get that powerful in both. Nera, on the other hand, is a pure mage, and Debora is a strong fighter with support spells. (I will have to replay the game for the other brides~)
And then, more adventuring with wife and monsters in tow. Wife gets pregnant, gives birth to twins (a boy and a girl, who I get to name, yay~) gets kidnapped by monsters, is rescued by Nino, and then both get turned to stone.
*sigh*Nino the Statue gets auctioned off. 8 years pass. (Tell me that doesn't make you feel old!)
Nino gets rescued by Uncle and kids, and is presently off questing with the twins (& faithful monsters) to find beloved wife and mother.
*phew*Looks like Nino's son is the "legendary Hero" everyone's been waiting for, but he's still 8 years old. 25 hours on the game clock, and still a long way to go.
If I'd been playing the original SNES version and not on the DS, it'd be months before I finish this. FF3 was a breeze compared to this.
But it's fun and very addicting~