Ragnar McRyan, known in Japan as Ryan (Japanese: ライアン, Hepburn: Raian) is a character in the 1990 video game Dragon Quest IV.
He has received generally positive reception, with critics noting how he represented an old-fashioned, uncomplicated type of hero that they felt is absent in newer games.
He meets a Cureslime named Healie who aspires to become a human, joining Ragnar in helping rescue the kidnapped children.
In the PlayStation remake of Dragon Quest IV, a brief prologue starring the Hero that takes place before Ragnar's chapter is added.
[7] RPGFan staff agreed with Ragnar being a solid introduction for players new to RPGs, feeling that his chapter represented an approximation of the first Dragon Quest game in terms of its mechanics.
[9] Eurogamer writer Simon Parkin felt that Dragon Quest IV was a "breath of fresh air," attributing this to Ragnar's character design and personality.
They also felt that the story structure of Dragon Quest IV helped facilitate a chapter starring a character like Ragnar.
[10] RPGamer writer Philip Bloom begrudged the lack of "old fashioned heroes" in newer games, choosing to highlight Ragnar as an example of this.