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They're pretty solid imo. The highest tier monsters require some impossible to intuit bullshit to acquire, but for the whole normal game and most of the post game you can generally figure out the monster fusing rules for making some pretty cool critters. The main problem both games have is that the taming mechanic revolves around your attack power, so you're heavily incentivized to use only that kind of monster as your top tier ace. Which is a shame, because there are also some pretty cool mechanics for passing along various spell sets and the monsters have lots of neat little quirks to them in regards to resistances and unique benefits. Also, the AI is generally very dumb about using the correct spells during combat, which makes this problem worse, because the fighter types can get bonus attacks when you set everyone to autopilot later on.
Am I the only fag one who is excited for Dragon Quest Builders? Of course I'm looking forward to 11, but the traditional JRPG thing isn't really my thing anymore. But I still like the Toriyama character designs, the light hearted charm of the series, and I did enjoy a fair bit of Minecraft.
Yeah, it looks pretty cool. So does the remake of 7. I don't have whatever consoles they're coming out on, but I might get them eventually because they both look like things I'd enjoy.
They're pretty solid imo. The highest tier monsters require some impossible to intuit bullshit to acquire, but for the whole normal game and most of the post game you can generally figure out the monster fusing rules for making some pretty cool critters. The main problem both games have is that the taming mechanic revolves around your attack power, so you're heavily incentivized to use only that kind of monster as your top tier ace. Which is a shame, because there are also some pretty cool mechanics for passing along various spell sets and the monsters have lots of neat little quirks to them in regards to resistances and unique benefits. Also, the AI is generally very dumb about using the correct spells during combat, which makes this problem worse, because the fighter types can get bonus attacks when you set everyone to autopilot later on.
Most of those issues were "quirks" of the original so at least I'll know what to expect, I guess. If they're solid then maybe I'll just get both. Thanks!
I have no clue. I hope it makes it considering that DQH1 sold like shit. (Prices were slashed quickly.) On the other hand, it is a PS4 game with online co-op. Maybe they don't send it out to die this time around.
Well, Temco still releases a lot of Dynasty Warriors games and other spinoffs so that wasnt probably very expensive for Square. Now we just need to wait, if it will be localized then it will probably get pc port. Quality of that port is another thing...
the best dq, dq7, is also the longest. much longer game than dq8 (and much better). unfortunately the upcoming DS remake of dq7 is going to be very bad for a long list of reasons but they mainly boil down to decline:
- they cut down the skills and dumbed down the job system which is the biggest crime possible against dq7 as it features hands down the best implementation of the dq class system in the entire series.
- they cut out huge chunks of content and story.
- paradoxically they added a post-game whose content actually goes against the game's main narrative.
- they reduced the enemy stats across the board.
- they inflated shop-keepers' inventories with more powerful items to beat the new, weaker monsters even faster.
- addition of the item bag which eliminates the need for player management of resources: something which all DQ games are built around. to be fair to the dq7-remake though, ALL of the dq-remakes are guilty of this sin.
Yeah DQ8s story was only like 30 hours, 40 if you fucked around. 7 was the 100 hour epic.
Those cons for the remake of 7 are pretty bad, but the item bag was in the original. I rename it "shit" whenever I play, because for some reason they let you rename it like your characters.
So I gave DQ V a shot recently because aweigh rated it so highly in the topic and while I enjoyed it, I didn't think it was that fantastic. The story was kind of dumb and I kept progressing after I
got my children in the party
thinking it would lead to something bigger and better,
another generation down the road or the main character dying and his son taking over
. As I got further in the game, I realized neither of these things would happen and from this point on, it would just be killing the big bad guy and I was let down, because the game's gimmick was cool. I couldn't play anymore because it all felt shallow.
I also gave DQ IX a shot and quit the moment I got to the Alltrades Abbey and realized that changing classes would send me back to level 1 with nothing but skill points transferred. What a horrible class system. What I love about VII is the depth of the class system, the strategy in building up your characters and mastering complementary classes to make specialized characters. In IX, your characters are their class and nothing else. It's really disappointing.
VII really is where it's at. The class system is one of the best of all time, but as I'm playing through it again, I'm picking up so much stuff I missed as a kid. I'm still at the very beginning, but I just saved the fire town, Engow. In the past, Engow is a pious village devoted to its frightening but protective Fire God that lives in a volcano. Despite the desert heat, they honor the Fire God with four large braziers and hold an annual festival dedicated to him. The mayor welcomes you as honored guests to the festival and has you lead the procession. After you defeat the big bad guy and save them from destruction, they continue to worship the Fire God. They are a pious and welcoming people.
In the present, the people of Engow have forgotten the purpose of the braziers and no longer hold the festival. A man remarks on his cruddy job of guarding the volcano, a priest says that nobody worships the Fire God anymore. They've built a hot spring in the village and instead of showing the hospitality that the mayor of the past showed, the mayor of the present asks you to tell other villages about their hot spring. They've replaced their culture with commercialism.
This is a game about decadence, cultural and moral decline, and Engow is just a single example. You go back in time and rescue villages, but the security and comfort your actions provide cause future generations to refocus their efforts on the acquisition of wealth. In every scenario, the people of the present forget the meaning and history of their cultural symbols and replace them with casinos and hot springs and bars. It's not even that they don't remember their history, which is inevitable, but that they actively disdain it; the people of Engow mock the Fire God and the braziers. It's really sad.
That's why it's such a good game, because there's this acerbic poignancy to visiting towns in the present. The people are safe, but at what cost?
I can't find my favorite song though, A Safe Haven. Hope it's still in the game. It's so melancholy and they always play it in places these sad, long-forgotten ruins like Sim's Town and the Mech Base.
What's the consensus on the original 3? I want to play 3, but I've heard that I'd appreciate it more if I played 1 and 2 first, which I know little about. I've heard nothing but bad things about 2, but they were pretty nonspecific so I don't actually know what's about about it. What are the best versions of these games to play?
I enjoyed 1 a lot. Played the SNES remake iirc; the endgame grind is a bit brutal in the NES version. It's a pretty awesome game at any rate, feels pretty open for it's time, exploring tends to net you some pretty nice rewards.
The second game I tried to get into but ended up encountering a game ending glitch and hadn't made backup savestates. Seemed like it had potential aside from that though, I just went too far off the rails it seems.
eric__s If you like exploration-based puzzles then you'll love Dragon Quest 2, the research part is just awesome. I've played the NES version but I've no idea if it's better or not.
It's been so long since I played them, but I only remember good things of 2 - that it added more party characters and improved combat and gave you a much larger game map as well. I do clearly remember it having a huge difficulty spike towards the end but that was more an annoying timesink for grinding than anything else. If my childhood self worked past it I can't imagine it was too unfair.
the best dq, dq7, is also the longest. much longer game than dq8 (and much better). unfortunately the upcoming DS remake of dq7 is going to be very bad for a long list of reasons but they mainly boil down to decline:
- they cut down the skills and dumbed down the job system which is the biggest crime possible against dq7 as it features hands down the best implementation of the dq class system in the entire series.
- they cut out huge chunks of content and story.
- paradoxically they added a post-game whose content actually goes against the game's main narrative.
- they reduced the enemy stats across the board.
- they inflated shop-keepers' inventories with more powerful items to beat the new, weaker monsters even faster.
- addition of the item bag which eliminates the need for player management of resources: something which all DQ games are built around. to be fair to the dq7-remake though, ALL of the dq-remakes are guilty of this sin.
Maybe the Japanese version differed, but Dragon Warrior 7 always had the item bag in the NA version for PSX. The item bag is the least of my concerns. The specifics of the changes are disheartening, to say the least.
They actually removed the introductory dungeon where you have to solve the puzzles in order to access your first pedestal. THAT bothers me. Why cut down on the dungeon that adds to the mystery and loneliness of a game that makes sure to remind you that ONLY your Kingdom exists? If you're going to cut down on bloat, cut out the bullshit with delivering a FishSub to your dad, or rooting out stowaway Maribel and dealing with your deadbeat Uncle.
Not sure if it's true, but I also read they removed the jigsaw puzzle aspect of each pedestal.
I hear they even added an NPC that explanations the pedestal mechanic to you, tells you where to go next, and where to find the next shard if you happened to miss some. I know this should be a real plus for the game, but the mystery of it all is what made the original so much fun. I could just be a curmudgeon now.
They removed the whole "Maribel is maturing as a Cleric!" part of classes. RIP in peace Sword Dance. The absolute fucking WORST change in the class system is that skills are now fucking exclusive to each class like in DQIX. If you want a skill to be usable in any class, it has to be learnable while in a monster heart. Because a game that already had lots of grinding gets to have EVEN MORE mindless grinding because fuck you. This type of change in remakes is becoming WAY too prevalent. Tactics Ogre did this same type of shit with their crafting and class systems. Claim to balance it, but just break it further by making it full of mindless grinding and save scumming, instead of rewarding people for their smart gameplay choices.
Thanks for the post, made me research the exact differences between versions. Improved graphics will be nice, but it really sounds like they neutered the original and made it less of an unraveling mystery and more into just a generic video game that bludgeons you with explanations till you're blue in the face. Don't think I can bring myself to buy this and ruin the memories I have of playing this as a 10 year old.
What's the consensus on the original 3? I want to play 3, but I've heard that I'd appreciate it more if I played 1 and 2 first, which I know little about. I've heard nothing but bad things about 2, but they were pretty nonspecific so I don't actually know what's about about it. What are the best versions of these games to play?
DQ3 - Still an amazing game <3 GBC version has the most content, but the SNES version is worth playing too.
DQ2 is a below average JRPG with a paper thin story, some really cryptic parts and a lot of grindig. It's not a terrible game, but it hasn't aged well. I think the GBC version fixed some of it's issues.
DQ1 is really short, you can finish it in less than 10 hours. IMO it's worth playing for its historical value and influence alone. I recommend the GBC version for consistency's sake.
