is the Sega Dreamcast worth it for VNs?

so I've been a big tech collector since I was 10 and a few years ago I got into the VN community.  I really want to play some more niche Japanese VNs and I found a ton for the Sega Dreamcast!  I would love to add one to my collection but they can get pretty pricey so I want to make sure of a few things before I start saving to purchase one.

1. Is it region locked?  If so, how easy is it for it to be unlocked?

2. Does it break really easily?  If so, how often and what parts?

3. How easy is it to replace the parts if they break?

4. Is it worth it or should I just emulate?

thanks for answering!

FYI: I currently own a 3ds,psp,and ps3 slim