Dragon Quest X [All In One Package]

If you are an import player, unless you will be offline only, this is what you want. It contains both the core game and the expansion pack. If you want all the game has to offer, purchase this. But do keep in mind that the game is in Japanese and you'll need some outside help if you aren't fluent in Japanese. Additionally as of November 26th, 2014, the game is still IP blocked. You will need a VPN if you don't live in Japan. And Square-Enix won't accept foreign credit cards for the monthly fee, you'll need a work-around for that as well. Do your homework before you buy. You can't simply install and be good to go. It takes some work and research to get past the IP blocking and foreign credit card blocking.

I've been a long-time fan of Dragon Quest, and loved the direction Dragon Quest IX went with the changes to the formula, but still having the core game play intact. I had seen many comparisons made between IX and X, and despite the fact that I was as skeptical as anyone else about making Dragon Quest into an MMO, after watching lots of gameplay footage, I was sold on the overall execution.
Most importantly, it still feels like Dragon Quest. I'm amazed how well they were able to take the Dragon Quest concept, and apply it to an MMO environment. It truly is a unique experience. It most certainly is not a game for everyone, but to those who are fans of DQ, it is most definitely worth a shot. The short offline campaign gives you a great taste of the way the system works, and the main online campaign opens a giant, immersive, beautiful world to explore. It truly presents a great balance of a familiar, yet fresh Dragon Quest experience.
This version of the game, the "All In One Package" for PC, contains both the original Dragon Quest X, and it's expansion on a single disc, with registration keys for both games, which includes a free 20 day online play period for new players. As has been stated by many reviews here, there are some things players should be aware of before buying, including the region-lock, registration process, etc. If you're interested in playing, do some research before buying.
All in all, this is a unique, and fantastic game, and a great addition to the Dragon Quest series.

I'm writing this review to confirm that the all-in-one pack contains both the original and the expansion , and that free trial users will need to install the expansion from the disc even if you've already been playing online. This pack does *not* give you access to the game across all formats, as some websites have incorrectly reported.

As of Sept 1st 2014, the game is still IP blocked.

The game itself has a charming story (assuming you can read it) and is a great balance between old and new style MMO-ing - not as punishing or time consuming as FFXI, not as modern as FFXIV, WoW, etc.