Square Enix's Level 5-developed Dragon Quest IX: Hoshizora no mamori Hito won't be an action RPG after all. During the game's official announcement in December 2006, series mastermind Yuuji Horii had stated his intention to steer the series into a new direction, by turning the newest installment into a DS-based action RPG. According to a recent JUMP article however, the changes won't be as radical as previously declared. In fact, the good old command-based system will return in Dragon Quest IX. Similarly, the cooperative online mode will also feature a battle system with traditional command input.

Dragon Quest IX: Hoshizora no mamori Hito will be available in Japan sometime later this year.

• Anime, Geemu Nandemo Jouhou Yoseatsume