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If all the treasure hunting weren't enough, Level 5 has added something I wish more RPGs would: the ability to craft your own equipment. Using the aptly named Alchemy Pot, you can combine up to three ingredients to create items that are neither sold nor found in dungeons. This is especially important, as many of the more powerful weapons and armor are the direct result of several stages of alchemy. I found this to be both innovative and entertaining, and was very convenient for even the most basic of RPG requirements: support items. It was a nice change to be able to craft my own healing items at my leisure, rather than have to trek back to town and buy them.
The characters themselves are just as interesting. During the course of the adventures, each one's back story is revealed up until the point when you initially meet them. Through great voice work (I simply love Yangus!) and the smart use of cut scenes, you're drawn into the personal plights of each one, and grow to see them as more than merely another sword in combat.
Growing Pains
Even all this wonderment has its flaws. For starters, the main character is the strong and silent type, something that sticks out in a game when even the NPCs are developed and have their own personalities. This is one cliché that just hasn't aged well, and needs to go. The others in the group speak to each other, make jokes, and gradually develop the bonds of trust and friendship; yet the hero himself never says a word.
There are a few other stalwarts of the golden age of RPGs that show up in Dragon Quest, and I admit, they should be put out to pasture already. The random battles are the biggest offender, and while they're not bad enough to cause frustration, they can easily become annoying. Thankfully, you do develop a method to reduce the encounter rate with weaker monsters, but you'll be counting steps up until the end of the game. A few other minor complaints, like having to heal and save in separate places, are to be found, but your experience and enjoyment won't suffer because of them. One thing that did particularly annoy me was the inability to scroll the world map. You're only allowed to look in detail at your immediate area, which was a pain.
One of the Last Greats of This Generation
If you can look past these minor problems, Dragon Quest VII will most certainly entertain you for many hours. Considering that this is the first of the franchise to go fully 3D (as well as retain the series' rightful name), I'm a bit more forgiving than usual. The game's size and huge array of equipment and items compliment a great story and lovable characters. Make no mistake friends; this is about as developed and tweaked as the classic RPG formula of old can possibly get while maintaining a sense of newness and originality. Games of this caliber are few and far between, and RPG fans owes it to themselves to experience the old school wonder that is Dragon Quest VIII.
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