Two kinds of heat are featured this month, the first from dragons and the second from indie band Arcade Fire. While Dragon Quest is well-established, Arcade Fire has just been "discovered" by conventional media, though their first album was released in 2003. Both are sure to be popular with teens looking to kick back and enjoy the last few weeks of summer.
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies (Nintendo) Dragon Quest is one of the longest-running role-playing games out there and stays true to the classic sword and sorcery games of the past. Sentinels of the Starry Skies (IX) is a game of epic proportions in which the heavens have been protected and are being kept in balance by angelic beings called Celestians.
A catastrophic disturbance has disrupted the essence of the heavens and now players find themselves as celestial angels sent to the mortal world. Their task is to figure out what went wrong and to find seven mystical "fyggs" (fruits that have the power to make the dreams of those who eat them come true) that have fallen into human hands. There are also a number of side quests that extend the game and lead to some worthwhile rewards. Plus, there are treasure maps to be collected and used to find rare items and enemies that are separate from the original quest. The game has a multiplayer feature that allows three friends to work with you and help with tasks. Overall, Sentinels of the Starry Skies is a great DS game that will offer hours and hours of fun and adventure. For Nintendo DS. Rated E for everyone, but suitable for ages 10 up.–James M., grade 8, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School
The Suburbs, Arcade Fire (Merge Records) Arcade Fire continues to reinvent itself with every album. The group's latest release explores what the suburbs are supposed to be like—but for Arcade Fire, safe, peaceful, and family-oriented is not really the status quo. The first half of the album is slow and kind of bland with the lyrics of "Ready to Start" setting the mood. On the rest of the album, front man Win Butler's haunted singing really makes things work, and his lyrics are full of metaphors and self-styled messages that say exactly what he wants to say. Couple this with a variety of acoustic sounds and The Suburbs has a lot going on—maybe even a little too much. Tracks to check out include "Half Light 2," "Empty Room," "Modern Man" and my favorite, "Month of May."–Will P., grade 9, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School
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