Dragon Quest VIII

Classic RPG on Steroids!

Instantly familiar to veterans of the Japanese RPG genre, Dragon Quest VIII is more of an ultimate refinement of this style of game than it is a groundbreaking redefinition. Yuji Horii (Dragon Quest creator and father of the classic Chrono Trigger) employs all of the timeless RPG cliches into a celebration of the old school, story-driven fantasy/opera.

A Princess Needs Saving?
We pick up the story with our protagonist, last defender of the kingdom of Trodia cursed by foul magics that have twisted its inhabitants (including the king and princess) and covered the castle with thorny vines. Clues abound as the story unfolds in the traditional RPG manner: talking to everyone in town until the location of the next dungeon/cave/temple/castle emerges. This, of course, is followed by a great deal of jogging and fighting random encounters against incredibly bizzarre monsters, all lovingly rendered in vivid 3D. Granted, there's not much that's new in terms of plot or even game mechanics, but that doesn't mean that Dragon Quest VIII is completely devoid of suprises.

What a Surprise!
Clever touches pepper this title, and a profound love for the genre is evident in every zany frame of attack animation and prejudiced-against-goblins townsperson. There is even a charming mini-game wherein players must control the protagonist's pet, a pint-sized mouse named Munchie (it's almost too cute to handle). Granted, the underlying structure of DQ8 is totally derivative and younger gamers may find the pacing too slow, but those with an appreciation of its style will rejoice in what is essentially the culmination of kooky Japanese RPGs.

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