Dragon Quest VIII: The Journey of the Cursed King Review

By Simon Parkin Published 22 December, 2005

The most beautiful world in a game.

Version tested: PlayStation 2

Over the hill, across the bridge, through the valley and under the shade of an old oak tree, a brilliant white flower sways gently on the virtual breeze.

Once upon a laptop a group of bleary-eyed programmers and artists huddled round, like seers gazing into a liquid-crystal ball, and imagined this future. They deliberated how best to cut the curve of this flower’s stem, heatedly debated what quantities of which colourful hues to inject into its delicate petals. They considered what its blossom would contribute to their world.

A gust of wind cuts the silence with the rasping trebles of leaf-rustle and the near inaudible bass of a cloud’s-breath. The flower’s face dips in reverence, or... was that humble thanks? Either way, as you free your gaze from such microcosmic detail and pan eyes around the surrounding scenery, the flower becomes just one exclamation mark in a spiky sea of blooming punctuation. Ten thousand blades of cel-shaded grass entwine roots with those of virtual trees and polygonal plants; all brethren born from the same pea-green firmament that stretches and rolls for bright, glorious miles off into the watery arms of a blue, blue tide.

Twin hawks slice the warm air above the heads of your band of ragtag travellers as you step out from the first town. Your dragon-eye-ballz, torn from Akira Toriyama’s sketchpad page into peering existence, follow the birds’ chalk-scrawled trail lines. The timpani tumbles, cymbals crash and trumpets trump:

Dragon Quest VIII is begun - the most beautiful world in a game.

Let’s tangent: Imagine, for a moment, that Final Fantasy 7 never happened. The steam-punk grime and poverty chic of Midgar left forgotten as a smudged pencil sketch on a long-discarded drawing pad; the world none the wiser to Sephiroth’s warmth-defying gaze, Aeris’s genre-defying demise and Cloud’s physics-defying swordplay; the future of so many second-rate rip-offs and derivative Blade Runner wannabe RPGs wiped out in one deft flick of the historical plume.

'Dragon Quest VIII: The Journey of the Cursed King' Screenshot 1

There is no world map to traverse as in Dragon Quests of old. Rather, you can pick out a speck in the distance and work your way towards it step by step.

Imagine instead that the most magnificent, beautifully crafted and charming instalment of Japan’s premier orthodox RPG series came to the western world in 1997. Imagine that, although the knights-and-castles setting had been seen in many niche videogames before, it was now made famous and celebrated by this game’s glorious execution. That, instead of innovator Squaresoft, it was refiner Enix that made the videogame world fall in love with the Japanese RPG and set the course of videogame adventuring history.

But that didn’t happen.

This did: the cold castle walls and fairytale romance of the 16 bit SNES RPG pantheon was swept aside in one final fantasy and the fairytale RPG lineage broken off and largely discarded in favour of angst-pouting Japanese teenage protagonists, nu-metal guitars and storylines built from sixth-form metaphysical nonsense.

So Dragon Quest VIII arrives with us as a game from an alternate reality: a multi-million-dollar update for a style of game we left behind a decade ago. It’s not wholly belonging to this world but still, it’s instantly recognisable for, behind the visual form and function skilfully and loving created by Level 5’s master craftsmen, Dragon Quest VIII’s core is as old as videogame time itself.

There is no vast cast of characters to pick up on your journey a la Chrono Cross: just four team members from press-start to denouement. Likewise, no active battle system a la Final Fantasy forces you to negotiate menus at breakneck speed to gain advantage over enemy AI. Rather, lazily tapping the X button with some simple strategising will get you through most fights. There’s none of the FMV-driven narrative show of a Xenosaga. Instead, scenes play out delightfully using the game’s native engine, and only highlight the action sparingly.

'Dragon Quest VIII: The Journey of the Cursed King' Screenshot 3

The random encounter rate is low enough to allow decent exploration without rude battle interruption every two steps.

Here, there is no Nippon Ichi-esque complex forking character development for you to take your team members off into customised hinterlands: rather, a few simple choices at each level-up point dictate which weapon they excel at quickest. Nor is there any clever item-manipulation mechanic so beloved of titles such as Atelier Iris. Rather you have one alchemy pot into which you can throw two items at a time: if you get lucky five minutes later a new one pops out.

But, although you could describe these binary choices as simple, it’s not the kind of dull-brained, slack-jawed simplicity of an idiot. Rather it’s a refined, unfussy, streamlined, effective, efficient simplicity; a marvel of slight technical balancing and faultlessly chiselled difficulty curves. This is a game which has been play-tested to death, any extraneous gameplay and awkward pacing lopped off until all that is left is polished, sleek, glinting gameplay to slip inside the polished, sleek, glinting gameworld the designers created. They faced the devil in the detail and won calloused-hands-down.

The love and care in the minutiae is staggering and layered twice over: firstly by the original programmers and secondly by the localisation team which brought the game over to the west, and generously added in a host of features not in the original. Firstly, rather than hiring cheap, failing American soap actors to voice the cast of characters populating this world, accents are startlingly European: bright, lively and intelligent - each perfectly matched to the charming dialogue translation. As such, conversations sounds like a mash up of Monty Python and The Princess Bride: fantasy farce driving the cute narrative in the ideal aural vehicle.

Likewise, the soundtrack, stuffed full of midi keyboards and Casio-horn stabs in the original Japanese version has been wholesale rerecorded by a full orchestra for the west and the swimming audio ambience this provides to each step of your adventure is magical.

'Dragon Quest VIII: The Journey of the Cursed King' Screenshot 2

These additions contribute to a freshness that is in almost direct contrast to what you might expect from the rusty mechanics, random battles and awkwardly placed, infuriating save points. Ironically, the innovation comes from its refinement: no-one has successfully attempted to update the fairytale rescue-the-princess RPG for a long, long time.

So, the most beautiful world in a game? Perhaps. To look at it’s cohesive, well-formed, has some of the best, most inventive enemy designs ever conceived, and the shimmering draw distance constantly beckons you into it’s hazy good-looking promise.

The most beautiful game in the world? Well now, that’s a bold question. True beauty is more than skin deep and so to answer that question requires a whole different set of eyes to perceive and critique. Dragon Quest VIII is full of contradictions and you, eye of the beholder, could see either depending on the way its light catches in your mind: it’s elegant but simple, tired but fresh, grinding but impelling, derivative but engrossing, silly but serious, gentle but bitchy, easy going but tough-as-nails.

But perhaps the biggest juxtaposition of all is that there’s a studied depth in its shallowness that you’ll either fall in love with or ignore completely every time you catch the curve of that little white flower.

9 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Simon.

About Simon Parkin

Simon Parkin is an author and journalist on video games. A regular contributor to Eurogamer since 2005, his work has also appeared in Edge, The Telegraph, Gamasutra and Boing Boing.

Read more articles from Simon by visiting the Simon Parkin archive page.

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Comments (84) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • feinry #1 6 years ago

    i can't wait to play this one
    i'm not a big fan of jap RPG, but the charac design convinced me to try

  • Mike69_2004 #2 6 years ago

    soo good they could think of a snappy comment for the review ;)

  • myiagros #3 6 years ago

    probably the best game i have played this year!!

    BLOODY FANTASTIC!!!

  • Hicksy #4 6 years ago

    awwwww I REALLY want this

    Please come quickly Euro release :)

  • karlidog #5 6 years ago

    For me, this was one of those games where you can tell it's really excellent, well-constructed, polished and the rest, but it just doesn't click at all. I really tried to like it, but it bored me to death. It's weird - I'd probably recommend it to someone else, but I couldn't get on with it myself.

    It's very, very pretty, though. Even if Akira Toriyama's characters all look the same.

  • Artemus #6 6 years ago

    Has this been confirmed for a Europe release?

  • Royal Fool #7 6 years ago

    EG in no headline shocker!

  • Blerk #8 6 years ago

    Has this been confirmed for a Europe release?

    Yes, but no date. Knowing Squenix, it'll be fooking ages.

  • Rizo #9 6 years ago

    WTF is this review about?
    The first half tells us nothing about the game. Whats the writer on did he actually know he was meant to be writing a review?

  • Cosmopolitan #10 6 years ago

    Whoa, I'm sold. You know how to write those reviews in'it?
    However, I suggest that we all first wait if the Final Fantasy 10 PAL borderama story repeats itself. It is Square after all.

  • itamae #11 6 years ago

    I absolutely agree with karlidog, the game looks great, sounds great, plays great and generally feels great, but so far (10 hours in) it hasn't really gripped me. I mainly play RPGs for their characters and story, and in that respect the game is firmly stuck in decades-old conventions. To my shame I have to admit that I prefer the angst-ridden Final Fantasies to this game :-/

  • Artemus #12 6 years ago

    Yes, but no date. Knowing Squenix, it'll be fooking ages.

    2027 looking likely then.

  • akellard #13 6 years ago

    Impressive review: a convincing lead up to a 9/10 score! I'm definitely excited about this release. Hopefully we'll get some FFXII demo loving with it, too.

  • Rizo #14 6 years ago

    oi Simon Parkin this isn't a lifestyle magazine next time write a full review of the game. Not waffle on about a whole bunch of other stuff before hand.

    Has eurogamer got in extra staff whilst all the proper reviewers go on holiday?

  • tengu #15 6 years ago

    This game is certainly an absolutely stunning piece of work, but the characters and story are pretty flat compared to the likes of FFX or other RPG epics. It takes little away from the enjoyment imo, but it doesn't spur you on for those ten hour marathons like some other RPGs inspire, if you see what I mean.

  • Danj #16 6 years ago

    So what happened to the PAL release? At one point, Squenix Europe were doing a survey about how they were bringing DQ8 to Europe and would we like to see other DQ games and stuff, and there was a listing for it on various gaming retailers sites like Simply Games, but now it's nowhere to be found, and even the survey page disappeared.

  • Daryoon #17 6 years ago

    ...Why exactly was Aerith's death "genre defying"?

  • Stickman #18 6 years ago

    I love the way everyone's ignoring Rizo! :D

  • knif3r #19 6 years ago

    This looks mint - wouldn't say it's "beautiful" though - I reserve that word for Shadow of Colossus and Okami

  • drumbaby #20 6 years ago

    "I love the way everyone's ignoring Rizo! :D "

    Who he?

  • rolika #21 6 years ago

    on uk.playstation.com dq8 is listed for the 1st quarter (of 2006 of course)
    can't wait

  • tengu #22 6 years ago

    "There’s none of the FMV-driven narrative show of a Xenosaga. Instead, scenes play out delightfully using the game’s native engine,"

    Uh... Xenosaga 'FMV driven'? I think not.

    Xenosaga 1 had a five minute FMV opening and virtually none in the actual game, Xenosaga 2 had none full stop. They were cut scene heavy, yeah, but they used the in game engine for those cut scenes.

  • gypsumfantastic #23 6 years ago

    RANDOM BATTLES? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

    Random, unavoidable, rude battles automatically deducts 12 from the final score. It's just idiotic.

    Somebody should have a quiet word with Nintendo.

  • Psi #24 6 years ago

    put out a psp port quick!

  • Blerk #25 6 years ago

    Somebody should have a quiet word with Nintendo.

    Uh... why? It's a SquareEnix game for the Playstation 2. :-)

  • Dizzy #26 6 years ago

    The game is kinda boring... not a 9. More like a solid 7 IMHO. Well done game, just doesn't keep you glued to the screen IMHO.

    "Xenosaga 1 had a five minute FMV opening and virtually none in the actual game, Xenosaga 2 had none full stop. They were cut scene heavy, yeah, but they used the in game engine for those cut scenes."

    Dude... that's the same. Obviously EG means FMV/CGI/... whatever... you know NON gameplay moments.
    Edited by 2 at 22/12/05 @ 14:46

  • Stoned_Immaculate #27 6 years ago

    so the game looks good huh, is my wise comment

    will probably get it

  • N-Al #28 6 years ago

    "WTF is this review about?
    The first half tells us nothing about the game. Whats the writer on did he actually know he was meant to be writing a review?"

    It's not a review, it's poetry! ;-)
    Edited by 1 at 22/12/05 @ 15:07

  • space_ace #29 6 years ago

    flower power!

  • afray #30 6 years ago

    "...beckons you into it’s hazy good-looking..."

    "Its," not "it's." As in "his" or "her," there's no apostrophe for ownership.

    I'd apologise at this point, but it's my last day in work and I have nothing to do. :-)

  • Sko #31 6 years ago

    All those words and no mention of the story? God, I hate New Game Journalism...

  • Feanor #32 6 years ago

    It does seem to suck pretty hard, this NGJ. Thankfully it's only British reviewers who seem to be afflicted with it.

  • itamae #33 6 years ago

    "All those words and no mention of the story? God, I hate New Game Journalism..."

    Er, the story's in the title. There's a cursed king, and he's on a journey. And the game has an obligatory bad-ass villain of course, who will be the final boss (sophisticated guess, that). That's all. ;-)

  • mrxbox #34 6 years ago

    i must admit, i can't read that review without imagining alan partridge reading it aloud.

    awful review for a great game.

  • Hicksy #35 6 years ago

    "Be an earth child, form a circle before we all go under" - 9/10 :D

  • ProfessorLesser #36 6 years ago

    Oh shit.

    /orders

  • Scientist #37 6 years ago

    "All those words and no mention of the story?"

    It's Dragon Quest 8! What do you think it might be about?


    Surely EG is a site for people who know a fair bit about games, or do we all want Official Magazine style reviews which regurgitate PR materials sent out by publishers, throw in the odd criticism and then give a high score regardless?

    A review is whatever the journalist wants it to be. Otherwise they might as well work in PR.




  • tengu #38 6 years ago

    WHAT?! Isn't a review supposed to be various buzz words and phrases mixed in with box blurbs?

  • Sko #39 6 years ago

    "A review is whatever the journalist wants it to be. Otherwise they might as well work in PR."

    I expect a reviewer to tell me about the game. Otherwise, they might as well be writing a blog.

    If the review already expects us to know all about the game, what the hell do we need the reviewer for? Whether he likes it? Who really cares - without game information, he's diminished his own worth to no better than a coin toss.

  • Aretak #40 6 years ago

    Extremely amateurish review there in my opinion. Would be more at home on GameFAQs reader reviews section than a professional offering.
    Edited by 1 at 22/12/05 @ 16:36

  • Scientist #41 6 years ago

    "Whether he likes it?"

    Yes that is pretty much the point of a review, not game information.


    Edited by 1 at 22/12/05 @ 16:58

  • azurelas_2 #42 6 years ago

    I must admit I'm tempted...
    But the only RPG I'm really waiting for is Rogue Galaxy (check it out on ps2.ign.com) they really seem extatic about it, but I hope somebody realizes that random battles suck big-time and that RG doesn't have any

  • ave #43 6 years ago

    Pretty useless review, you could cut it down to 2 paragraphs and still include all the information.

  • Sko #44 6 years ago

    Wow, all those people saying the scores should be dropped don't realise that the score is the only thing that matters, eh? *sigh*

  • Tuppy #45 6 years ago

    No way. Simon Parkin. As in, the lead-singer of Kindle?

  • media_junkie #46 6 years ago

    Ive been playing this and to be honest it isnt that great. Yes, the graphics, character design, environtments, music and animation are all outstanding, the best Ive seen of any RPG apart from Wind Waker. But rfundementally there isnt anything here in terms of gameplay which couldn't be done on a NES, its still basically a random turn based RPG just like any other. Also the story is (so far) really slow, you never get the feeling youre on an epic quest.

    If you like turn based Jap RPGs then youll like this, everyone else stay clear.

  • tengu #47 6 years ago

    "Dude... that's the same. Obviously EG means FMV/CGI/... whatever... you know NON gameplay moments."

    No, it made mention of the fact the cutscenes used the game's 'native engine' rather than 'FMV', implying Xenosaga didn't do this, which it did. That was my point.

  • Prox #48 6 years ago

    Seriously, this review didn't cover the game very well. There are mentions of what the gameplay isn't like, but little for what it is. What about the structure? What does the player spend most of their time doing?
    { Am i going to want to buy this game? }

    more info please.
    Edited by 1 at 22/12/05 @ 18:10

  • Scimarad #49 6 years ago

    "I absolutely agree with karlidog, the game looks great, sounds great, plays great and generally feels great, but so far (10 hours in) it hasn't really gripped me. I mainly play RPGs for their characters and story, and in that respect the game is firmly stuck in decades-old conventions. To my shame I have to admit that I prefer the angst-ridden Final Fantasies to this game :-/"

    "This game is certainly an absolutely stunning piece of work, but the characters and story are pretty flat compared to the likes of FFX or other RPG epics. It takes little away from the enjoyment imo, but it doesn't spur you on for those ten hour marathons like some other RPGs inspire, if you see what I mean."

    -

    I'm extremely glad to hear someone else say this as I was starting to feel like some kind of leper for not falling in love with this game - Or rather falling in love with it and then losing interest rapidly...

    For me it's a 7 at best and I absolutely love most JRPGs.
    Edited by 1 at 22/12/05 @ 18:52

  • elliotreed #50 6 years ago

    This review is really rather well written! Just registered because I wanted to point that out.

  • Sorb #51 6 years ago

    Somebody please try to make a proper review. A reader review perhaps?

  • madcrazy #52 6 years ago

    A beautiful well-written review, I guess the people that are saying the review is rubbish just don't read enough or something... beautiful. This game should be great!

  • smelly #53 6 years ago

    Hmmm...

    Good review! Sounds Top! Cant wait to play it!

    But, I cant help but feel... Hey.. its not nintenod, there's no mario, it must therefor suck, etc etc, etc

    (erm - humour - please see mario and luigi thread for more info)

  • Scimarad #54 6 years ago

    It's odd that you compare SoA to this as SoA is one of my favourite RPGs ever and full of the sort of stuff that DQ seems to be lacking.

    IMHO, of course.

  • PinkSpider #55 6 years ago

    Excellent. People who read sites then criticise them are stupid. Read or dont... etc.

    Also I want this game. Like now.

    Also depressingly after using the Internet for 10 years EG is the only game site I will use. - Saying that adblock is required.

  • vane101 #56 6 years ago

    Well if the story is weak compared to Final Fantasy X, then it must be truly dreadful as FFX's plot is pretty poor to be honest.

  • kentmonkey #57 6 years ago

    "Excellent. People who read sites then criticise them are stupid. Read or dont... etc."

    Nobody criticised the site, just the review. There is a difference and they do appreciate feedback. Seems like a marmite review to me, fairly 50/50 comments, it's fair for people to leave feedback. Speaking your mind doesn't make you stupid, writing stuff like "th15 r3v13w suxxors" however is.

  • Sko #58 6 years ago

    "People who read sites then criticise them are stupid. Read or dont... etc. "

    It's the review some people have an issue with, not the site. I would have thought a fekkin' super-genius like you would have realised that though.

  • admir #59 6 years ago

    i have that game and its good, dont know what people are bitching about. and the FF12 demo that came with DQ8 rocks. if you like RPG you should go for DQ8 its a 8.5/10 from me.

    I want them to remake chrono cross (psone game) and vagrant story (psone game) people who like to play RPG's should play these 2 games.
    Edited by 1 at 23/12/05 @ 00:25

  • tengu #60 6 years ago

    "It's the review some people have an issue with, not the site"

    I would say "Haven't been here the last few months, have you?" but your user ID suggests you've been here longer than any of us :)

    "Well if the story is weak compared to Final Fantasy X, then it must be truly dreadful as FFX's plot is pretty poor to be honest."

    I'd sure like to see you do better. Or even point me at an RPG story that's been better this generation.

  • PearOfAnguish #61 6 years ago

    What a complete load of bollocks. This man should be banned from ever going near a keyboard again.

  • Sko #62 6 years ago

    "I would say "Haven't been here the last few months, have you?" but your user ID suggests you've been here longer than any of us :) "

    Oh aye, I realise there are some people who view EG as some kind of borg collective rather than a bunch of individuals with their own quirks and personalities. I just assumed Pinkspider was referring to this particular comment thread and had not simply picked a random moment to remark on the foibles of some of the EG readership.

    Anyhoo...

    *goes back to making a bad job of wrapping presents*

  • Nikanoru #63 6 years ago

    Hmm, I have never been able to stand playing any of the previous Dragon Warrior/Quest games for any long stretch of time. They bore the hell out of me, I hate the way the battles are set up, I hate the dungeons, I hate that daft looking slime, etc.

    Will I like DQ8?



    Or even point me at an RPG story that's been better this generation.

    Depends what you're looking for. I suppose you could technically look at the plot of FFX and say it's more "clever" or something, but it certainly didn't do anything for me. A storyline is more than just a description of the premise.

  • itamae #64 6 years ago

    "Hmm, I have never been able to stand playing any of the previous Dragon Warrior/Quest games for any long stretch of time. They bore the hell out of me, I hate the way the battles are set up, I hate the dungeons, I hate that daft looking slime, etc.

    Will I like DQ8?"

    Definitely not, at least as far as I can tell. DQ8 is an extremely traditional game, especially in terms of dungeon design, monsters and battle system. It might well be the best old-school RPG, but it is an old-school RPG, and I'm having having problems with that, too.


    "I'd sure like to see you do better. Or even point me at an RPG story that's been better this generation."

    Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga is infinitely better as regards the story. I know it's a matter of taste, but the moral questions raised in DDS really make you think, as opposed to FFX's shallow plot. It's a shame that the experience was somewhat ruined by the sequel, they should have stopped after the first game.

  • Scimarad #65 6 years ago

    Much as I love Digital Devil Saga and prefer it to the sequel I can't see how it could ruin the first one. I have some issues with the way some of the characters were acting but TBH the story pretty much fits in with the hints you get in the first game. Just as a matter of interest, what would you have prefered for the sequel in terms of story/development? Shove some spoiler warnings on it, obviously:-)
    Edited by 1 at 23/12/05 @ 08:17

  • itamae #66 6 years ago

    Actually, I would have preferred if there hadn't been a sequel.



    ***Digital Devil Saga Spoiler***

    Just remove the Cyber Shaman stuff from the first game and you've got the perfect plot in my opinion. A rather abstract story about the never-ending struggle for survival in an alien world reigned by Karma and basic instincts. Beautiful!

  • Scimarad #67 6 years ago

    But that would be soooooooooo depressing:-)

    For it to be an endless struggle all their emerging personality and emotions would be for nothing...
    Edited by 1 at 23/12/05 @ 09:12

  • smelly #68 6 years ago

    i'm interested, out of the people saying this review is wrong, and that the game is crap. Have they actually PLAYED the game, or just going on what other reviewers think?

  • jimmyjimbob #69 6 years ago

    Almost at the end of this now, and I must say it is one of the best PS2 RPG's I've played for years. I only got 1/2 way through Star Ocean 3 before I started getting bored senseless, but so far Dragon Quest VIII has kept me pretty much engrossed

    Think I've put in about 35hrs so far, and I've still got to win the monster arena, search for some secrets (just got the ability to fly!) and of course, kill the big baddie.

    Proper old school RPG'ing at it's best. Highly recommended!

  • Nikanoru #70 6 years ago

    Definitely not, at least as far as I can tell. DQ8 is an extremely traditional game, especially in terms of dungeon design, monsters and battle system. It might well be the best old-school RPG, but it is an old-school RPG, and I'm having having problems with that, too.

    Well, it's not that I can't stand traditional RPG's. Breath of Fire 2 is one of my favourite games (perhaps it's the nostalgia) and more recently I vastly enjoyed Skies of Arcadia, and you could say battle- and dungeon-wise it retains much of that oldschool tedium.

    I guess it's just something specific in the old DQ games that irks me. Maybe it's because I felt that you were just playing some number crunching game where the storyline was very detatched from the game itself, sort of like most PC RPG's actually. If DQ8 is more involved in that aspect, I might like it. The way a game's world is constructed, and pictured, is also very important to me, so if that aspect is as well done as the reviewer says...

    But then there's still that slime. And those bats. Ugh.

  • tengu #71 6 years ago

    "Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga is infinitely better as regards the story."

    Can't say if you're right as I haven't played that one yet, but I found FFX to have the most well developed cast of characters I've seen in an RPG this gen, and the story was okay, nicely done, if a bit cliched. I haven't played another RPG since where I've actually cared about what happens to the characters as much.

  • karlidog #72 6 years ago

    Smelly - I own it, and have played a fair bit of it. But I'm certainly not saying it isn't any good, or that the review's wrong - I just sort of didn't get on with it.

    Honestly, having skimmed back through the comments, nobody's saying it's crap. People are certainly saying they didn't enjoy it as much as the reviewer, and some people really didn't like the review text (which is, in a way, a pretty legitimate complaint - some of EG's reviews have been a bit conceptual lately, which is perfectly fine, but possibly shouldn't be presented as the authoritative word on a game with a score stuck on the end), but I think you're mischaracterising the negative feedback about the game and the review, and lumping both together.
    Edited by 1 at 23/12/05 @ 12:21

  • Lagto_Soa #73 6 years ago

    What a complete load of bollocks. This man should be banned from ever going near a keyboard again.

    Seems a wee bit harsh. Personally I thought it was pretty well-written (certainly compared to the likes of IGN, though I realise that's damning with faint praise as IGN reviews are written by untrained, limbless monkeys), but ended abruptly just as I was expecting it to actually, you know, tell me about the game. All this "if you read this site you should already know what the game's about" bollocks just doesn't hold any water with me. At least a cursory summary of plot and mechanics has been a review staple since I were a young 'un. It's only polite.

  • Presskohle #74 6 years ago

    "There is no world map to traverse as in Dragon Quests of old. Rather, you can pick out a speck in the distance and work your way towards it step by step." -first screenshot, subtitle

    how long did the reviewer play the game? You get a world map later in the game.

  • ekko #75 6 years ago

    I've clocked in 32 hours into this and I'm no longer enjoying it. I'm not a hardcore RPG player but I've completed my fair share of titles, but I don't think I can handle it as raw and as shallow as Dragon Quest.

    The game is very well produced though - the voice acting is refreshingly British - I can just about stand the mockney accents above the usual Californian surfer boy twang and the enemy characters are kooky and interesting. The game is also well scored but nothing truely magical.

    The world itself is interesting and well made, some of the more impressive PS2 graphics on display, however with the random battles it becomes a chore to explore it.

    I'll finish it - I think (and hope) I'm near the end, but the game has just thrown in sharp leveling up spike which means the next few hours will be spent grinding. Sigh.

    (As for the review, too much NGJ not enough stuff)

  • dryden555 #76 6 years ago

    I've played 12 hours and character development is surprisingly "fixed" as you level up. You pick the weapon each character will use -- that's really your only major choice. After that your weapon skills happen automatically in a preprogrammed order as you put more points into the character's weapon ability. Blah.

    Even worse, character attribute points like strength and agility are completely chosen for you. Magic abilities are also given to you as you level automatically.

    Who actually likes this rigidity in an RPG?

    Nice graphics but I'm underwhelmed with character development.

    Old-school RPG's are about choices that a player can make.

  • drasfs #77 6 years ago

    Finally we get some decent Japanese RPG. The last one was FF9. I didn't like the all too sweet atmosphere that FF10 radiated, and sure suikoden 3-4 and star ocean and all that other bullshit was quite playable, but only mediocre at best.

  • #78 6 years ago

    Grrrrr this review tells me nothing about the game :/

    Nicely written though

    \o/

  • Jonsend #79 6 years ago

    I've played about 20 hrs of the US version (I think it's the same, it has European voices + ochestra etc.). It really is charming. One thing that I really like is that all of the random enemies are well thought out and genuinely appealing, but I won't spoil them for you.

  • toy_brain #80 6 years ago

    Played the PAL version for a bit yesterday.
    Decent enough conversion. FMV is a tad juddery but its not used much, otherwise its smooth, fullscreen (and wisescreen too) and free of any jaggies (or whatever you call that wierd effect that happens when you upscale an NTSC image to PAL).
    No 60hz option but thats the norm with lagescale RPG's on PS2 I guess.

    Looking forward to spending some more time on it later today....

  • darkphoenix #81 6 years ago

    I am near completion of US version ( at least I think I am... ), with 60+ hours of gameplay.
    As someone posted already, DQVIII it's a marvel to look at, only losing to Zelda:Wind Waker in presentation and graphical conception of the world and characters.
    Voice acting is well done, one of the finest ever.
    The OST isn't that special, one or two memorable themes, the rest is forgetable but never annoying.
    The combat/menu system is completely old-school, but also very well done, since you don't get that sense of heaviness over complicated, omnipresent in other JRPGs.
    In DQVIII, everything flows like a sweet river on a nice country landscape.

    The main problem of this game is the non-epic story that lacks a lot, and never really gets you.
    I am still waiting for it to blossom, but it's getting late with 60 hours already....

    Overall speaking, I'd give this an 8/10.
    A shame that the brilliant technical aspects of the game, don't meet a worthy plot.
    Very pretty in the outside, but somewhat shallow.
    Edited by 1 at 14/04/06 @ 13:17

  • fawe3 #82 6 years ago

    I agree that this review is badly written. I wouldnt have anything to say against it if it was around some well known game series like Footy Manager, Fifa, Halo even Final Fantasy, everyone knows what the game is about and there is no need expaling what the game is or how its played and those kind of reviews actualy works great there. But author wrote this review in a way like everyone knows everything about this series. And I dont think that is the case with this us imported japan series, that most of the people here havn't even heard about.

    Now, why should I buy this game? I know absolutly nothing about how its played, nothing about quests, nothing about story, nothing. I only know its traditional Japan rpg. And I seriousy dont have an idea how should a traditional Japan rpg look like. Should I buy it only becouse it got 9/10 and I like rpgs? I dont think so, I'll have to go and try to find a decent forum about this game or find a review that at least tells what this series is about.

    Heck, with so high score, he should at least explain why this game deserves to be so good in his opinion.

  • dudefella #83 6 years ago

    Yeah the review is pretty mediocre. All they say about the battle system (which is the most important gameplay aspect in an RPG!!) is "Rather, lazily tapping the X button with some simple strategising will get you through most fights." So why then, we are left to wonder, does this game get a 9/10?

  • lemonfist #84 6 years ago

    I hope Tom will do a review of the PAL version.

  • otto #85 6 years ago

    I appreciate what the reviewer was looking to do but I don't think it came off. Anyhoo, he did succeed in making me very interested indeed in this game, which for some bizarre reason was completely off my radar, even though JRPGs are the only games I play nowadays, apart from puzzlers on the DS. The rave review on the BBC site of all places made me think I'd better check EG opinion. Looks like I'll be getting this tomorrow, though where I'll find the time for 100 hours of gameplay I don't know...

  • otto #86 6 years ago

    Actually, good point about the battle system, I read the comment to mean that it's your standard turn-based system. It is, right?

  • dudefella #87 6 years ago

    yup, it's about as standard as it gets, simple turn-based, no ATB affairs or anything like that. It's pretty good though, and indeed very challenging.