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If I had to sum up Dragon Quest VIII in two words, I'd probably go with "deliciously retro." Granted, that's my take on it, and there are more than enough people out there who don't seem to share my appreciation for the game's stubborn adherence to the same classic RPG formula it's been drawing on since its inception back on the NES. I can respect that, but I can also respect the desire to offer safe and familiar territory in an age when most games are either a "me too" cash run or the latest attempt at the next big thing.
Yes, there's something to be said for a series that continues to redefine itself with every new installment. Final Fantasy is a good example of this. No two games are exactly alike, yet they share enough common qualities to be instantly recognizable and playable to longtime fans. Dragon Quest, however, goes in a decidedly different direction, choosing to keep itself on an established track that has allowed it to do quite well over the last two decades.
See, the brilliance of this eighth installment is that it offers all you'd expect from an RPG - the long and involved quest, likable characters, tons of weapons and spells – without having to learn complex button combinations and gameplay sequences or forcing you to sit through dreadfully long cut scenes. In a nutshell, Dragon Quest VIII is an RPG without all the work. The quick, intuitive interface and simple combat menu is easy enough for anyone to grasp instantly, and newcomers to the series won't feel lost at all. It's kind of like those diet pills (you know, the ones that promise you'll lose a hundred pounds just by sitting on your ass), except that this one actually yields results.
Bigger, Badder, Better
You have the benefit of a massive and epic adventure, which is easily around a hundred hours, that has you running, riding, sailing, and flying to all four corners of the globe. And what a massive globe it is. Every conceivable nook and cranny has been opened to you, and the sheer size and scope of it all provides for an almost lethal dose of that biggest of RPG drugs: exploration. Folks, you can literally spend hours on end just wandering around, searching for treasure chests or taking on the infamous monsters in traditional turn-based battles for their extra experience and special coins. Even cooler, you'll be able to form a team of these creatures after a certain point in the game and pit them against others in the Monster Arena in ranked combat. Victory offers everything from weapons and equipment not available anywhere else to the ability to use your teams in battles during the main quest.
And you'll appreciate all the extra help you can get. The hunt for the evil jester Dhoulmagus is a long one, and unlike many of Square/Enix's other offerings, there isn't a huge cast of playable characters to aid you. The basic four-person party you form a few hours in is the one you'll finish with, so it's important to keep them prepared and ready for combat. For this reason, DQVII has forgone any class or job structure and has instead concentrated on a simple skill system. Each character earns skill points with every new level, and you choose from four areas for distribution: three weapons and one unique attribute. Reaching certain skill levels in each area opens up new spells and special attacks, which are indispensable in battle. Since the characters aren't classified into the traditional "warrior, healer, magic user" molds; this makes for some interesting combinations. Add healing spells to a certain character or focus on honing his/her skills with a particular weapon; it's all up to you.
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