The game is excellent. The graphics are really nice. The characters are cel shaded. I don't like the design of the human characters. Many of them are basically copies of the artist's other characters. Every other character is designed well. Amazingly, the voice acting doesn't suck and the dialogue isn't terrible like in FFX. The combat is similar to the previous DQ games. The combat is menu based. The various characters can use special attacks. My favorite being the sexy special attacks.I don't like the tension system and it feels like it's tacked onto the game. The combat never gets boring, and you cannot just keep on pressing attack over and over again. The plot isn't anything new but is told really well. Overall, the game is really fun.

Dragon Quest VIII (previously known as Dragon Warrior in the US) is a great game. From the stunning 3D world to the compelling story plot it is sure to keep everyone hooked. I have played all the Dragon Warrior games and was thrilled to see this one released in the US. The gameplay is balanced so it is easy to understand but challenging to master. There are also lots of side quests, fun games like slot machines, bingo, and roulette, and more to keep you interested. To anyone that has played any of the DW games, you will find the monsters and music familiar, but not boring. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 is because of the slow load times when you go from one area to another. Other than that, this game is worth picking up.