Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors for Wii Reviews by Gamers

Admittedly, when I first saw this game, I was a bit apprehensive about how it would turn out. On the one hand, using the Wii Remote as a sword has been what people have wanted since the system was first announced. On the other, other games using that function were generally less than impressive, due to clumsy interface. However, the battles in DQS are actually where the game shines- it just seems to be lacking in it's one and only other feature, the town.

The game is a hybrid of classic RPG and a more modern First Person Slasher style play. When entering one of several stages in the game, your character (and in some cases, paired up with a partner) will be placed onto a set path, which you navigate, occasionally running into battles with classic Dragon Quest monsters, such as slimes.

Rather than using standard turn based menu combat, DQS utilizes a real time swordplay element, in which you set a focal point on the screen to help guide your blade, and then you begin to slash and thrust at your enemies. At the same time, you can switch from your sword to your shield in order to block oncoming enemy attacks. Battle also makes players develop a sense of timing, as many attacks from enemies can be reflected back at them, and some enemies are only vulnerable for a set amount of time after performing an action. The boss battles are where the battle system truly shines, as there's much more strategy involved than in normal battles.

Aside from fighting, though, there isn't all that much to do. There is a tempering system, in which item you collect in the stages can be used to create stronger weapons to fight with, and a little mini-game stand, but I didn't enjoy the mini-games, and not everyone will want to temper blades. Beyond those two, there's basic merchants and a save point. That's all there is.

Really, though, if the battles sound appealing to you, the town will hardly be bothersome. I highly recommend this game- I was surprised by the quality, and you may be too!

And I can say that this is more interesting than some of the other, more in depth games.

This is NOT like the other Dragon Quests/Warriors that we have all come to know and love, this is a little different and the controls are a bit awkward.

Gameplay is pretty basic, use the directional pad to move and turn, press the B button to run and the A button to interact with people and search areas. It is pretty simple to search and interact as the red arrow pops over their heads or over the items that you can investigate. It is pretty much on a rail for battles, though through the town and castle it is open for free movement.

Battles are resolved with the flicks and thrusts of the Wiimote. It takes a little getting used to and I have to admit that even after a few hours, there are times that I am just sort of swinging as wild as I can in some places. Blocking attacks is controlled with the B button which brings up your shield. The nice feature about this is that the shield degrades if it is hit on the edges, so it really forces you to be a bit more precise with your blocks.

Story is engaging but not "original" in any means. Sure, the characters might be a little stale as well, but they are voiced well and the actors have certainly given these characters some... well, character. The plot has some depth to it as well, but there is a lot of reading involved so if you don't like text, then this isn't for you either.

Mini-games are another interesting event as they certainly use the Wiimote well. They did a great job here, even if some of them are a bit... interesting. Nothing like playing mini-games with a hulking warrior in drag...

All in all, this is a fun game for the Wii. If you aren't into this sort of thing then I STRONGLY advise you to stay away because you will not enjoy it. If you enjoy this sort of thing then don't hesitate to get your hands on this and give it a go!