Dragon Knight 4
{{short description|1994 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Dragon Knight 4
|image = PC-98 Dragon Knight 4 cover art.jpg
|developer = ELF Corporation{{efn|Ported to Super Famicom and PlayStation by Banpresto, PC-FX by NEC Avenue}}
|publisher = ELF Corporation{{efn|MS-DOS version was published by Game Box, Super Famicom and PlayStation versions were published by Banpresto, and PC-FX version was published by NEC Interchannel}}
|producer = Masato Hiruta
|designer = Masato Hiruta
|programmer = Atsushi Kanao
|artist = Masaki Takei
|composer = Masaki Sugō
Tsuyoshi Fukutomi
Yōichi Shimizu
|series = Dragon Knight
|platforms = PC-98, X68000, FM Towns, MS-DOS, Super Famicom, PlayStation, PC-FX, Microsoft Windows
|released = {{collapsible list|title={{nobold|February 25, 1994}}|PC-98{{vgrelease|JP|February 25, 1994{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/popcom-1994-02/page/114/mode/1up|title=ドラゴンナイト4|magazine={{ill|Popcom (magazine)|lt=Popcom|ja|ポプコム}}|volume=12|issue=2|publisher=Shogakukan|date=February 1994|page=114|language=ja}}}} X68000{{vgrelease|JP|March 31, 1994{{cite book|last=Maeda|first=Hiroyuki|chapter=X68000 Game Software All Catalogue|title=X68000パーフェクトカタログ|series=Perfect Catalogue|publisher={{ill|G-Walk (publisher)|lt=G-Walk|ja|ジーウォーク}}|date=October 27, 2020|pages=44–189|language=ja|isbn=978-4867171011}}}} FM Towns{{vgrelease|JP|April 28, 1994{{cite web|url=https://www.suruga-ya.jp/product/detail/127000017|title=FMT CDソフト ドラゴンナイト4|website=Suruga-ya.jp|access-date=2024-03-06|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240306030043/https://www.suruga-ya.jp/product/detail/127000017|archive-date=2024-03-06|url-status=live}}}} DOS{{vgrelease|TW|April 10, 1996{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/swm-199-6/%E8%BB%9F%E9%AB%94%E4%B8%96%E7%95%8C%20-%20%E7%AC%AC086%E6%9C%9F%5B1996-05%5D/page/65/mode/1up|title=3月16日 ~ 4月1日 — 龍騎士IV|magazine={{ill|Soft World Magazine Monthly|lt=Soft World Magazine Monthly|zh|軟體世界}}|issue=86|publisher=Soft-World|date=May 1996|pages=62–65|language=zh}}|KOR|October 1997{{cite magazine|url=https://www.gamemeca.com/magazine/view.php?mgz=gamechamp&ym=1997_11_1&p=3|title=News - Korea Infos: 엘프 (elf); New Soft: 드래곤 나이트 4 (Dragon Nibht 4)|magazine=Game Power|issue=44|publisher=Jeu Media|date=November 1997|pages=3, 33|language=ko}}}} Super Famicom{{vgrelease|JP|December 27, 1996{{cite book|chapter=スーパーファミコン|title=懐かしスーパーファミコンパーフェクトガイド|volume=2|series=Perfect Guide|publisher=Magazine Box|date=September 2016|pages=120–128|language=ja|isbn=9784866400082}}}} PlayStation{{vgrelease|JP|February 7, 1997{{cite web|url=https://www.jp.playstation.com/software/title/slps00664.html|title=ドラゴンナイト4|work=PlayStation Official Site Software Catalog|publisher=Sony Interactive Entertainment|date=2008|access-date=2024-03-05|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806214038/https://www.jp.playstation.com/software/title/slps00664.html|archive-date=2020-08-06|url-status=dead}}}} PC-FX{{vgrelease|JP|March 28, 1997{{cite magazine|url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=28438&redirect=no|title=ドラゴンナイト4 [PC-FX]|magazine=Famitsu|publisher=Kadokawa Game Linkage|date=2019|access-date=2024-03-06|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227104200/https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=28438&redirect=no|archive-date=2019-12-27|url-status=live}}}} Windows{{vgrelease|JP|June 29, 2007{{cite web|url=https://erogamescape.dyndns.org/~ap2/ero/toukei_kaiseki/game.php?game=8651|title=ドラゴンナイト4 Windows版|publisher=ErogameScape|year=2007|access-date=2024-03-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415221504/https://erogamescape.dyndns.org/~ap2/ero/toukei_kaiseki/game.php?game=8651|archive-date=2008-04-15|url-status=live}}}}}}
|genre = Eroge, tactical role-playing
|modes = Single-player
}}
{{nihongo foot|Dragon Knight 4|ドラゴンナイト4|Doragon Naito Fō|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a role-playing video game developed by ELF Corporation and released only in Japan for several platforms between 1994 and 1997. In 1994, the game first became available for PC MS-DOS, NEC PC-9801 and X68000, with a censored version ported to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1996 and later to the PC-FX, PlayStation and Sega Saturn in 1997. It was also adapted into illustrated novels and an anime miniseries.
Dragon Knight 4 is a continuation of the Dragon Knight series, and a sequel to Knights of Xentar. Dragon Knight 4 has a new protagonist, Kakeru, the son of Takeru from the previous games.
Gameplay
The game features a turn-based battle system, with the player in control of up to eight additional characters. Allies and enemies are both separated into statistically distinct classes: swordsmen, archers and sorcerers, with certain armour and weaponry being appropriate to each.
Plot
The central character of Dragon Knight 4 is Kakeru (カケル) (voiced by Megumi Ogata), the son of Yamato Takeru, the protagonist of the earlier games in the series, and the sorceress Luna. At the outset, the player is informed of the wizard Lushifon's plot to destroy civilization and must guide Kakeru through a number of battles to defeat Lushifon.
Release
The original DOS, FM Towns and PC-98 versions of the game feature erotic scenes. The versions for the SNES, PC-FX and PlayStation published by Banpresto removed these aspects. A Windows remake brought the game into the third dimension and brought back the erotic scenes.{{cite web|last=Seid|first=Kurtis|url=http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=8981194|title=Games that scarred me for life: Dragon Knight 4|work=1Up.com|publisher=UGO Networks, Hearst Corporation|date=February 14, 2009|access-date=2024-03-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604142241/http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=8981194|archive-date=2011-06-04|url-status=dead}}
=Other media=
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2025}}
The original soundtrack Dragon Knight 4 Complete Music File was released by NEC Avenue. Media Works also published a three-volume manga by Togashi in 1997–1999.
Two different illustrated novelization were published. A three-volume novel was written by Rei Marimura, illustrated by Masaki Takei, and released by Wani Books in 1994–1995. The second, two-volume novel was written by Youko Kagura, illustrated also by Masaki Takei, and released by Kill Time Communication in 2007–2008.
A two-volume anime OVA of two episodes each was produced by Dangun Pictures and released by Pink Pineapple in 1998–1999.
Reception
{{Video game reviews
|Fam = (PS) 23/40{{cite magazine|title=NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: ドラゴンナイト4 (PS)|magazine=Famitsu|issue=426|publisher=ASCII Corporation|date=February 14, 1997|language=ja}} ([https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=5610&redirect=no Transcription] by Famitsu.com).
}}
Dragon Knight 4 received average reception from critics who reviewed it as an import title. According to Famitsu, the PlayStation release sold 15,351 copies in its first week on the market.{{cite web|url=https://sites.google.com/site/gamedatalibrary/game-search|title=Game Search|website=Game Data Library|access-date=2024-03-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240307183916/https://sites.google.com/site/gamedatalibrary/game-search|archive-date=2024-03-07|url-status=live}} The PlayStation version sold a total of 22,683 copies during its lifetime in Japan. Japanese video game magazine PCpress reported that the Microsoft Windows release ranked tenth in terms of domestic PC game sales in Japan.{{cite web|url=http://www.pc-press.net/salesrog.html#PC070702|title=セールスランキング|publisher=PCpress|access-date=2024-03-17|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080320025019/http://www.pc-press.net/salesrog.html#PC070702|archive-date=2008-03-20|url-status=dead}}
German publication AnimaniA highlighted the game's atmosphere, appealing character designs, and character development throughout the plot, but found some erotic scenes unpleasant and criticized aspects such as required action commands not being able to be executed in later areas.{{cite magazine|title=Dragon Knight 4|magazine={{ill|AnimaniA|lt=AnimaniA|de|AnimaniA}}|issue=44|publisher=Animagine GmbH|date=February 2002|page=24|language=de}} Retro Gamer named it one of the ten best games for PC-FX, commenting that the game has attractive graphics, a moderately deep and engaging battle system, and a decent storyline.{{cite magazine|title=Perfect 10: PC-FX - Perfect Ten Games|magazine=Retro Gamer|issue=53|publisher=Imagine Publishing|date=July 17, 2008|pages=52–53}} Hardcore Gaming 101{{'}}s Diogo Martins wrote that "Dragon Knight 4 is a great example of an erotic game that is actually good, and one that a lot of SRPG fans would most likely enjoy".{{cite web|last=Martins|first=Diogo|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/dragon-knight-4/|title=Dragon Knight 4|work=Hardcore Gaming 101|date=January 3, 2014|access-date=2024-03-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113000505/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/dragon-knight-4/|archive-date=2019-01-13|url-status=live}}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.elf-game.co.jp/net_shop/soft/special/dra4/dk4_top.html}}{{dead link|date=September 2022}} (Windows)
- {{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/19980701104148/http://www.elf-game.co.jp/lineup/dk4.htm PC9801/X68000/}}{{dead link|date=September 2022}} (FM Towns)
- [http://www.mobygames.com/game/dragon-knight-4 Dragon Knight 4] at MobyGames
- [http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/938965-dragon-knight-4 Dragon Knight 4] at GameFAQs
- {{vndb|498}}
=Anime=
- Official website: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120506035056/http://www.pinkpineapple.co.jp/dk4/d1/dk4-d1.html D-1] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20120506034936/http://www.pinkpineapple.co.jp/dk4/d2/dk4-d2.html D-2]
- {{anime News Network|anime|2854}}
{{ELF}}
Category:ELF Corporation games
Category:Japan-exclusive video games
Category:PlayStation (console) games
Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System games