11/27/05 >> Dragon Quest VIII (PlayStation 2)
Genre: RPG
For anyone new to the series and/or this game specifically, a brief note: When referring to the game or series, either of the following are appropriate: Dragon Quest or DQ [insert number after]. Also, note that the software developer Level 5 actually developed the game; Enix [Square-Enix] only publishes it.
Ages before Squaresoft made graphics the central focus of the gaming industry, and before its Final Fantasy series ushered the term “RPG” into households worldwide, a somewhat timid company had all the focus. Well, in Japan anyway. Enix’s Dragon Quest series (known outside of Japan as Dragon Warrior) is almost 20 years old, and no doubt exists as a fond recollection for any “original” RPG fan, weaned on the genre back in the days of the MSX or Famicom. While the series is so popular in Japan that laws exist to prohibit DQ releases during the week, it never managed to attain the same level of saliency as say, Final Fantasy, in the outside world. Cite cultural differences, personal opinions, or gameplay “antiquity”, but it only applies to the past, folks. Dragon Quest VIII is, in all regards, a whole new ball game so check your baggage at the counter and please step forward.
The Calm before the Storm
Before I even begin the review most proper, let me first calm some nerves. To say the very least, there are a great number of skeptics, DQ fans of a long standing history, who are no doubt writing this game off as a bastardization of the series, providing for them the exact “reason” why Enix’s merger with image-obsessed Squaresoft was a colossal mistake. Well, stop the fretting: not only is DQ8 a worthy follow up to the semi-realized DQ7, but it’s quite possibly the most proficient and competent example of “gaming modernization” I’ve *ever* seen before. If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably agree that while modern Legend of Zelda, Castlevania, or Mario games may still be good, they are undoubtedly and inherently different from their two dimensional brethren; arguably, until DQ8, no 2-D series has made a successful translation to 3-D in terms of recapturing the feel of the original format.
It’s impossible to describe in words, but every single moment of playtime in DQ8 feels natural, feels as if you’re still playing the same old game. I’m not sure how many are familiar with the two anime series which Enix and Bandai created to cash in on the franchise back in the early 1990’s. Remember thinking how cool it would have been had DQ3 or DQ4 actually been able to recreate the magic of the TV shows, how awesome it would have been to control Abel and Moko Moko, or Dai and his friends? In truth, the only way to describe DQ8 is as if you *ARE* playing those cartoons. As if they suddenly came to life and you had a front row seat to the action. There are just *so* many moments when you, especially long term series fans, will actually just stop playing and marvel at what an experience this game is.
1, 2, 3, 4…Tell the People What She Wore
For the typical Japanese gamer, flashy and spectacular graphics are a perk, but not a priority. When Enix released the PSOne RPG, Dragon Quest VII, said country’s gamers (and gaming press) relished and praised it to no end, but the “low quality” visuals just could not match wits with the likes of the Final Fantasies, or the PS2 games which were then also available and hence the rest of the world turned a blind eye to it.
Finally ushering out the “old school” trend entirely, Enix opted for a brilliantly realized, 3-D cell shaded, fantasy world, and unlike the (Japan only) Dragon Quest V remake, this one goes the whole gambit, reflecting a concise effort to not only create a game engine, but to fully utilize it as well. With this comes added ‘character’; anyone familiar with [game artist] Akira Toyriama’s work knows that he pays close attention to detail and thankfully, something can finally do his work the justice it deserve: When monsters attack, it’s not simply a quick animation, it’s a full blown animated attack *at you* (more on this later). Grass sways, animals emote, people blink, birds and butterflies soar among the locations…this is quite possibly the most realistic Toryiama world ever portrayed, and seems to be the game that Enix always wanted to make but could not because of technological restraints. The use of cell shading makes things seem even more stylized, preventing the game from having a “realistic” feel that other series tend to opt for, and instead creating a living cartoon.
At the same time, however, actual realism does play a part: for example, when you purchase a new weapon, your appearance changes to reflect it. When you’re low on life, your party members actually start to scowl, reflecting their damaged health. When looking through a bookshelf, your hero actually fingers the selection and pulls out the book! When wandering through dungeons, your hero actually carries a torch to light the way! Trivial details perhaps, but it goes a long way when push comes to shove; no one can claim Enix didn’t try to make the game all it could be.
Magic’s In the Makeup
As if the huge advancement in graphics was not enough, the environments themselves are absolutely massive, so large in fact that I actually pondered how it was a game this big could fit on a single DVD. Perhaps the easiest method of comparison is to liken DQ8’s locales to those of Final Fantasy XI; while not quite as big per se, rest assured you won’t be walking from coast-to-coast in a matter of seconds. The first area alone is so incredibly large, that you could actually walk around for twenty minutes straight and still have more to see. Gone are the “expandable” dungeons, instead replaced with sprawling caverns of a seemingly endless nature. Those expecting the enclosed Yellow Brick Road popularized by the “Linear Tunnel” Final Fantasy X employed will be quite pleased to know that the end result not only breaks free of that restraint, but practically from the confined landscapes of the DQ series itself.
And on that note, it’s worth pointing out that, for me at least, this is very much the game I thought FFX would be: a massive, somewhat open-ended world that offers freedom to explore, but at the same time essential stops to keep ties with a more linear storyline. You could spend hours exploring every nook and cranny of the overworld map, for example, just for fun. Aside from the Wild Arms series (more on this later), I can’t think of another RPG that offered such an enormous amount of exploration for the player to engage in. Final Fantasy X sure didn’t have it, Xenosaga didn’t, not even Enix’s Star Ocean 3. I’ve never been able to determine why developers back down when it comes to making a large world to explore, but the term ‘laziness’ always comes to mind. Why bother making all that extra content when you don’t have to? Thankfully, the creators of DQ8 took the time and it pays off.
You Got Your Problems? I Got My…Gameplay
Graphics aside, it’s time to get down to the actual selling points of the DQ series, specifically the battles: first person perspective that makes use of multi-character tactics, magic spells, and a menagerie of monsters. Suffice to say, DQ8 keeps it all in toe, and brings some new content as well. Starting a fight is the same as always: wander around the various maps until a monster randomly attacks you. The first thing players will notice is that there is nothing to notice, at least not anything new. Battles open with the tired-and-true first person perspective “overview” of the battle, namely the player stats window on top, the monster(s) lined up in the middle, and the various command window prompt/options displayed on the bottom. What to do before the fighting ensues…reform the party? Change tactics? Run? Alter equipment? Most likely “Fight”, which opens up the next command prompt; do you want to Attack using your equipped weapon? Cast a magic spell? Use a learned skill? Opt for an item? Parry instead? Like I said, nothing new here.
That is, until you finish the “manual labour”. Whereas past DQ games simply removed the bottom command window and replaced it with an in-battle dialogue box while the action remains in first person, DQ8 breaks the mould. For starters, the perspective shifts to a third person vantage point, and you literally watch as player characters and monsters have it out. It’s similar to any other RPG, really, but for this series it’s a significant difference, but let’s explore things further as there is more to note. Taking a cue out of the modern Final Fantasy series, the “active” battle screen (i.e. that where the characters actually carry out your commands) removes all windows entirely, though fans disappointed to hear this can find solace in that text sentences “subtitle” the action…as do “damage balloons” bearing word of the attack (hey, non-readers need things too!). It’s a natural progression that doesn’t seem at all forced, and Enix’s willingness to feature a dynamic battle system would offer the more antiquated-fan support in knowing that, had it been possible decades ago, we would have seen it then.
But it doesn’t stop there! New to the DQ series is the idea of individualized skill upgrades. Upon gaining the necessary experience to Level Up, players are (in addition to stat bonuses) given the opportunity to increase the character’s proficiency level at using their various weapons. The hero, for example, can use his points to gain new skills with a sword or boomerang. His hirsute and hefty companion, Yungus, on the other hand, deals in weapons of power such as clubs and axes. Amass enough skill points and viola!, your character learns a new skill or ability to use with that weapon class. Shrine of Dharma it is not, but at the same time, there is still a substantial level of customization at the player’s disposal. What is particularly interesting, though, is that characters who typically would not gain Magic Points (MP) now do, as using the weapon skills make use of this parameter.
All said and done, battles are just as fun as they ever were, with an even higher level of interest arising out of the dynamic nature they embody. Don’t let the looks fool you: this is still the same DQ series which delivers substantial challenges, and hence extensive leveling up and strategizing will be in order should you hope to fell the team of rank and offensive villains who would seek to bring evil to the world. I’ve gotten waylaid on a number of occasions, and by monsters which by all means looked harmless; rest assured this isn’t a cake walk…even if some monsters may resemble that comment.
Monster Mash
Making a return from past games, the Monster Raising system is once again present to the excitement of all would-be Pokemon fans. Random battles will end with a monster opting to ‘defect’ to your side, and should you choose to offer it a place, the Slime (or Drake, or whatever) can form a monster party of its very own. Monster battles, however, allow no player interaction whatsoever; in a way it’s similar to the Arena Fights from previous games, or the battles present in the Dragon Quest Monsters games for the Gameboy consoles. Nonetheless, driven gamers will have even more incentive for marathon DQ playing sessions, as you can be sure there are tons of elusive monsters to be tamed.
Additionally, amid the menagerie of animals that wander the overworld map, there is the occasional monster visible as well. Get close enough and a battle begins, though watch out because some of them offer a challenge far beyond your character’s current experience level.
Finally, while not a traditional “monster” per se; your hero has a pet rodent who, similar to the small animals employed in the Wild Arms series, has more uses than meets the eye. For example, early on in the game, a wealthy family’s maid will ask you to get a letter back for her; however it’s not exactly accessible…for a human. A mouse scurries into a hole and suddenly it becomes clear: get *your* mouse-like comrade to fetch it! And sure enough, just seconds later (after getting those pesky barrels out of the way!) you’re controlling the rambunctious rodent, scurrying down stairs and up broomsticks to retrieve the missing epistle. Here once again, the sheer realization of DQ8’s world comes to light: it may be easy for the mouse to scurry down a flight of stairs, but how can he climb back up when they are four times his size? Of course, walk up the “ramp” created by the house’s architecture on the side! (Consider it to be a rodent’s version of a wheel-chair accessible location). What more, the tiny friend even has a rolling attack of his very own should the situation call for it! All in all, kudos to Enix for actually making *use* of the hero’s small companion in this game; we all know how DQ7’s green gecko (who even made the box art!) was just an intro-movie tid-bit.
Silent Night…
…and day, really. Those fearing that the “Final Fantasy” graphical and battle overhaul may spell disaster for the other aspects of the game need not worry about teen melodrama or angst, (though lost memories may be on target). DQ8’s main character has no name, nor does he have a personality. In a sense, you’re the hero just as you’ve been for the past 7 games as well. Similarly, the day/night system used from DQ3 and on returns again, however in DQ8 you can actually sit and watch as the moon goes down and the sun comes, up. Also worth noting is that time still marches on even while in villages. Those unfamiliar with DQ should note that time plays a big part of the game: some villagers will only open their doors at night, for example, or some events can only take place during the day.
And as if that wasn’t enough, the issue of time itself is a much more realistic venture. Instead of the rather instant “Day/Night” phenomenon used in DQV-VII, DQ8 offers a Majora’s Mask-esque take on the idea: you can actually watch as the sun sets and the moon rises, all the while noticing how the sky does so as well. Dusk, dawn, twilight…it’s all here and perhaps even more impressively, in battles as well. The dealing with an actively functioning world definitely paints the finishing touches on the already life-like world.
Back on the Chain Gang
And now we come to the remainder of the gameplay discussion, specifically the game; fighting and scenery might be nice, but it’s all just trappings for a tech demo unless there’s something under the hood. Unlike other RPGs, the DQ series tends to regulate the overall plot to a somewhat lesser extent, and the individual “side quests” to a greater one. To put it a different way, there is always an overall conquest that forms (which always follows the cliché of saving the world, I mean what else IS there?) but the adventure is very much about the machinations and suffering of the microcosm. Stolen relic? Get it back. Locked tower? Get the key. It meshes rather well for a game that caters more to the good ol’ days of RPGs rather than the over-blown modern ones; things are kept simple, but there is always a larger goal in sight.
But it doesn’t stop there; taking a cue from Namco’s “Tales of” franchise, or even Enix’s own Star Ocean series, DQ8 implements a cooking side-game. About 5-6 hours into the adventure, one of the more…shall we say, eccentric, members of your party will unveil his latest and greatest discovery: a magical cooking pot. This pot allows you to take items from your inventory and mix them together to create supped up versions of items you already have, or brand new ones entirely. Recopies are gleamed from books and the likes, and within no time you’ll be creating your own culinary masterpieces. Definitely a new take for the DQ series, but interestingly enough, it fits quite well.
As does the “ Camp Screen” introduced, as well. At any time during the journey, the player can push the “Select” button and open up the camp menu. A detailed listing of statistics will appear (time spent playing the game, distance walked, monsters encountered, etc.) as well as the options to cook, check the bestiary, etc. It should be noted that this screen does not replace the traditional “Command Menu” options, rather it’s coupled with it and both exist in harmony.
Long Train Running
The interesting thing with the DQ series, which perhaps all long-time fans will agree to, is that musically they all sound the same. It’s neither good nor bad, it just is. Just as how the music of DQ7 could fit into any of the previous games, so too does this apply to DQ8. Town music sounds like town music, battle music sounds like battle music, overworld music sounds like overworld music. If nothing else, composer Koichi Sugiyama most definitely performs with consistency, something that most certainly does not hold true for his Square-counterpart, Nobuo Uematsu. Sugiyama has a knack for making music, and it sounds all the better via the use of modern audio capabilities and recording tools. From the classic series theme that opens the game all the way to the enchanting tune that plays as the credits role, this is a Dragon Quest game.
Personally, I see the music as reminiscent of the tunes heard in Dragon Quest VI, and that’s just fine as far as I’m concerned. The overworld map is brilliantly composed, and fosters a sense of wonder and high-adventure to explore with that surpasses any game in recent memory. It’s not the best music ever, per se (I’d hand that to the World of Balance in Final Fantasy VI), but it sure as heck is catchy and well orchestrated. Dungeon music is excellent, tower music excellent, even the battle music is especially good…perhaps the most impressive thing of all with DQ music is that you never get sick of it.
Retro-Active
Keeping strong ties to the past seems to be Enix’s credo with DQ8’s sound department, because aside from the well-placed orchestral pieces that compose the game’s score, there are a limitless number of “old school” sound effects and touches that are also returning. Just as how the modern Legend of Zelda games opt to retain the chimes and noises from days gone by, so too does DQ8: entering caves or going down stairs? Same “stepping” noise greets you. Using a Chimera’s Wing to warp home? Same noise. Heck, even battles use the same sound effects. It’s a nice touch of nostalgia for a game series that finally opted to break out of its quaint shell.
Also worth mentioning, the game makes absolutely no use of voice, other than the odd noise of two a wandering animal emits or the almost “Peanuts"-esque jabbering noise from time to time. While this will no doubt come as a disappointment to those who preferred the hour-long jabbering fests present in Final Fantasy X or Xenosaga, it accomplishes two things in the process:
1. By regulating dialogue to ‘back-burner’ status, this allows for the same ‘ol DQ to shine through, but still allows for player-induced talk. Case in point: aside from the scripted events where your part converses automatically, at any given time you can, from the main command window, opt to speak with those party members traveling with you to seek out advice or witty banter.
2. The game would almost seem out of place with spoken dialogue: the hero’s mute status (to the player, mind you, not to everyone else) could cause problems, as would the potential for two-bit hack "talent" used to voice the characters. While I have great confidence the Japanese version would be voiced to perfection, it's a gamble for English: would it be a Kingdom Hearts, a Brave Fencer Musashi, or a Final Fantasy X or X-2? No worries this way.
Biting The Hand That Feeds
While it’s customary to detail any shortcomings in a proper review, the interesting thing about Dragon Quest VIII is that they basically amount to nit-picking. The game is, for all intensive purposes, the same game that players fell in love with decades ago. What exactly *can* be at fault when nothing changes save for a graphical update? Anyone expecting a cartoon-ish take at Final Fantasy will no doubt find disappointment, but with a pedigree as extensive as the DQ series enjoys, it seems just plain foolish to pick up this game with no knowledge of what is in store. Still though, there are some minor blemishes:
The first quibble stems from the presentation which I’ve previously praised to no end. While it's absolutely fantastic, I can’t help but feel a constant sense of “been there, done that”, namely because I have. Sony's Wild Arms Advanced 3rd, for example, provides for a markedly similar style in terms of presentation. Even the characters look as if they could fit into said game. Whether this is good or bad may not matter, per se, but personally I feel the game lacks some of the impact it would have had it released some years ago. This is very much an issue you can only understand by playing the game, as it never even dawned upon me while watching any of the preview trailers and videos.
Another complaint is that the environments are a bit too large, and a bit too sparse. The game is, as mentioned earlier, almost Final Fantasy XI-like in its massive locations that put other games to shame. But that said, there isn’t much to see or do in these environments. Granted everything looks fantastic, but there is no camera option or HDD support to store images. It comes off quite similar to Level 5’s first gaming venture, Sony’s Dark Cloud; anyone familiar with said title will no doubt recall the massive dungeons that went on forever, but offered little actual content to interact with. To me, this was the ideal benefit of PlayOnline/HDD support: why not have a mini game, or at least a feature, centered on taking photographs? Level 5 already proved this worked with Dark Chronicle (AKA Dark Cloud 2), though in said game perhaps the issue became just plain annoyance with the strict reliance on it. I’d have loved to snap pictures of the beautiful scenery in DQ8 and then mail it to myself or friends via PlayOnline, and this seems like a wasted opportunity.
One could certainly call my a blasphemer for this comment, but I’d prefer the death of random battles, if for nothing else that the placing of monsters in real time would at least make the environments of a more diverse and interesting value. If so much of the game already resembles a MMORPG, why not just go all out and implement re-spawning monsters; after all, aren’t random encounters basically just that? In a world as fantastically realized and incredibly detailed as that of DQ8, why on earth did Enix demand the inclusion of random battles? Haven’t games like Chrono Trigger/Cross, Xenosaga, Baten Kaitos, and even Lunar and Lufia showed just how intelligently on-screen encounters can play out?
Equally noticeable are loading times. While not exactly appalling, there is a distinct lag between, say, a battle victory and the overworld map. But not from a battle victory to a dungeon map, something that makes the overall issue that much more noticeable. It’s something HDD support would have solved instantly. Trust me here, fans want the best playing experience possible when it comes to our DQ games, and judging by the 9,240 yen price tag attached to this game, I’d say we are entitled to it. And while on the subject of missing support, where is the Progressive Scan option?
Culture War
I have a strong feeling that, upon the advent of DQ8 into the world market (i.e. after it releases OUTside of Japan), there will be two groups of fans: those newly converted via visual stimulus-just as with Final Fantasy-and those who adamantly defended this series from day one; who “knew” it was great even without fancy graphics. Rest assured that, from this sharp difference, there will erupt a second coming of the “Final Fantasy fanboy wars”, the likes of which still go on today despite the seventh installment’s place in the distant past. Indeed from this moment on, the Dragon Quest series no longer has any of the shackles attached to it: no direct competition from Square, no misgivings about the graphics, and there is an obvious adherence to that which works. The game is neither a revolutionary martyr, nor is it a feeble attempt to preserve an era long-since past.
End Of The Line
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Dragon Quest VIII stems from its actual creator: Level 5. A company which came out of nowhere developed two mediocre games for Sony (Dark Cloud and Dark Chronicle) and then went to work on Dragon Quest VIII along with an as-of-yet unannounced future project. The sheer brilliance and intelligence which Level 5 exhibited in the machinations of DQ8 stand as a testament to their ability, both present and future, and is a clear indication that there is no end in sight in terms of the future of quality RPGs. One thing is clear, though: be it Level 5 or a completely different team, suffice to say that whatever team Enix hires to create the inevitable Dragon Quest 9, I have no doubt that it too will stand as a testament of gaming perfection.
All in all, the only “new” thing to discover in Dragon Quest VIII is what a superb series Enix established long ago; a series that so many opted to miss out on. Whatever the case may be, just consider this a great time to catch up on a game series you may-or may not-be familiar with.
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Game Score: 9.3
Reviewed By: Ashley Winchester
