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66 of 71 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the Greatest Reborn in the Same Shell, November 25, 2005
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
Dragon Quest (previously known as Dragon Warrior in the US) has always been one of those games that I had to have. When I was a kid, I got the first through a subscription to a magazine, and I was in love ever since. Though as basic as a game can get, there was something addicting about the monotonous walking, fighting, and leveling up. In two, three, and four (four in particular), they attempted to bring more detail to the story lines, and succeeded just enough not to ruin the normal, DW game play that RPG lovers have come to love. Then, we missed five and six, and had to wait for the ugliest PlayStation game ever released in Dragon Quest VII. It was fun, but it seemed dated from the release; the graphics were only barely better than the old Super Nintendo.
Then, Enix, the long-time publisher of Dragon Warrior, merged with Square, and thus Dragon Quest VIII was born. I worried, at first. Was Square going to dilute it with all those Final Fantasy cut-scenes, or were they going to take away the simple battle system that's in every DW game?
The answer: NO. Everything is there that was in every other Dragon Quest game; dungeons, constant fighting and leveling up, struggling to buy all the new items, seeking out all those rare items, getting lost more often than not, a simple, point-a-to-point-b story, and that same battle system. It's all here, but with one major edition: extraordinary graphics. Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball creator, and long time designer for Dragon Quest) was able to fully show his skill in this game.
This game is excellent to play, as well. Not only for its nostalgia, but for the actual game play. It's still addictive, but even more so since the world itself is now rendered in 3D and huge, making it a lot to explore, and exploring it is worth it as it has numerous things for you to find all over the land-map. Finding these things are important, because they've added a new feature called the Alchemy Pot which requires you to use two or three items to make one are item. Also, its fun meeting some of the new characters, and hearing the interesting ways they are voiced.
For anyone old enough to remember the first Dragon Warrior, and for anyone who actually understood it, I recommend this game. I also recommend this for anyone who loves RPGs but hasn't yet experienced one of the genre's roots. Dragon Quest VIII is a great edition to the Dragon Quest library, and an instant classic.
ADDED NOTE: I've just recently finished this game, and I must now say that my impressions were vastly ignorant. This game, from start to finish, is pure excitement, never diluted by long, dramatic cut-scenes, with an emphasis on the game play. The ending, without spoiling, was surprisingly interactive and incomplete, though I have had a chance to complete it. It also isn't nearly as serious as those other RPG endings. It allows you to laugh at the characters despite enduring the nearly seventy hours of game play and storytelling involving the end of a world. And the replay-ability is decent, with an entire extra quest and area to explore after saving your game following the credits. Now, I'd recommend this game because it is clearly the top choice in its genre (RPG). It's a great prologue to the up-coming Final Fantasy XII or Kingdom Hearts 2.
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94 of 109 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I'm impressed!, November 17, 2005
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
Many of the RPG's I know have suffered immensely in their transition from 2-D to 3-D (the "Suikoden" series immediately comes to mind, as well as "Breath of Fire"). The colors become washed out, the gameplay becomes much more boring, and in many ways, they just plain svck...
Enter "Dragon Quest VIII" from Enix, the 6th game of the series to be released over here. I have only played for a couple of days, but I must confess that I am quite pleased at the result of adding a new dimension to the gameplay.
For starters, the environment (including the "overworld" is now fully interactive. There are set roads the player may travel, but one may also branch off of these roads to find new caves, treasure chests and secrets galore. Hence, it trumps FFX in this regard (although the playable demo of FFXII included in the game already has me salivating!). Furthermore, some walls contain secret passages, etc., and in general the game offers full movement in the world and secrets which are only made possible in the 3-D setting.
As for the gameplay (and here may be a bit of fanboy-itis, I'll admit), the game is much more fun than its predecessor. Gone is the cumbersome class system of DWVII (which I personally liked, but many hated), and in its place is a very easy to learn skill system. Each party member has five skills which they can raise any way they like. Skill points are awarded at level ups, and as skills gain more points (and the point distribution is entirely up to the player), the party member will gain battle spells and "traits", which are essentially bonuses to attack, defense, etc. The game is quite linear at the front, but I know of a few sidequests later in the game which will give the player more freedom to choose his path.
As for the graphics, well, they don't stand up next to the might of the FFXII demo packaged alongside, but the cel-shading seems perfect to bring out the charm of Akira Toriyama's character and monster designs. However, I am surprised that the female character can manage to keep her incredibly-revealing top on!
In any case, this is a worthy addition to the "Dragon Warrior" legacy, and a fine game in its own right. And I particularly like the translators' decision to use British persons for the voices of the characters - it just comes off better, it seems to me...
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!, November 16, 2005
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
Dragon Quest VIII not only marks the first Dragon Quest game on the PS2 (in the states they were previously known as Dragon Warrior) but also marks the first fully three-dimensional one in the series, and I must say it looks aboslutely stunning! Former fans and new fans can rejoice at the sheer brilliance of Dragon Quest VIII!
An evil wizard named Dhoulmagus has gotten hold of a legendary scepter and has placed a curse on the castle which he got it from. He has turned the King into a frog, and the Princess into a horse. You, a lonely knight, are one of few to survive the attack. Now you and a set of friends, King Trote and Yagnus, will set off on a quest to find this evil wizard and break the spell.
In addition, you'll meet up with two other characters named Jessica and Angelo, who will join you in your quest. There aren't a whole lot of characters in Dragon Quest VIII, but at least each one is unique. Each character also has their own strengths in battle that'll prove useful to you either way.
Battling is a simple turn-based battle system. You select commands and then watch your characters tear the enemy to shreds. The battles occur at random, but they don't pop up too often, and they're often fun. Battles are also quick. You can select attacks and use magic spells. Some spells attack the enemy, some raise stats. No different than your usual turn based RPG.
In addition to the battle system, you've also got skill points. You gain skill points by gaining levels. Each character has four weapon skills you can spend skill points on. Weapons like your swords, axes... so on and so forth. Each character also has something unique for them that you can spend ability points on. The more you spend, the better the skill.
Battling is now always easy, though. Most Dragon Quest veterans know this. When you could be thrust into a battle with eight enemies (and there are only four of you) things can get hectic with enemies constantly healing each other, calling for back up, and even reviving dead allies! This seems annoying, but it makes for a much more unique RPG. One where you don't have to hold down the attack button. You can't just go into a battle thinking that attacking is all you'll do. Battling in Dragon Quest VIII actually calls for strategy.
If you lose a battle, though, have no fear. Unlike most RPGs, Dragon Quest doesn't have the dreaded "Game Over" screen. You simply are reverted back to the church where you last saved. You lose half your money, a small price to pay in the long run (or a hefty price, depending on how you look at it).
If you do find yourself getting into lots of trouble, you'll more than likely be well prepared for the worst. You learn a spell that helps you escape from dungeons fairly early in the game, and most of your healing assets don't cost too much money. The game is a challenge, but not impossible.
The graphics of this game are absolutely spectacular! Fans of Dragon Ball Z or Chrono Trigger will be happy to know Akira Toriyama was brought on board to shape the world in which you're playing. The character movements are smooth, the frame rate is consistent. And if you're an old school gamer, the enemy designs haven't changed much. I think some will appreciate that. If you're not an old school gamer, fear not; the monsters aren't the same old cardboard cutouts they used to be, either. I can't express enough how gorgeous these in-battle graphics are! They're fast, and you'll be instantly stunned by it's beauty.
The music is just as stunning as the visuals! From the music made in dungeons and the overworld map to the voice acting. It all shines with nothing but sheer brilliance.
The game is long, and full of side quests as well. You'll easily be playing for more than fifty hours. The only downside to how long it'll take you is the same one that plagues most Dragon Quest games. You'll probably spend a lot of that time leveling up.
Overall, Dragon Quest VIII is worth your hard-earned cash. Fixing the problems that once plagued the series, it deserves your gratitude. An engaging tale, gorgeous graphics and sound, great characters--what's not to like? Grab it, you won't be sorry.
The Good
+An Engaging Storyline
+GORGEOUS GRAPHICS
+Excellent Voice Acting
+Excellent Sound
+Battling is fun, fast, and simple
+Wonderful character development
+It includes a demo of Final Fantasy XII!
The Bad
-Random Battles Are Tough
-Some may feel there are not enough characters
-The game is long, but most of it you'll no doubt spend leveling up.
I assure you those small qualms won't turn you away from this instant classic.
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