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Kalia
Eager Tradesman
Joined: 07 Jan 2005
Posts: 30
Location: Arizona |
| Dragon Quest 8 (PS2) Review @ The Game Chair |
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A new and very positive review (4 out of 4) of Dragon Quest 8 has popped up at The Game Chair. <blockquote><em>I wish I could adequately describe how much I enjoyed Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King. I really wish there were a lot more games of this quality out today. Actually, it’s probably a good thing there’s not, or else I’d never get anything done. My only wish is that there had been random save points out in the field, but it was such a minor note compared to the whole of this extraordinary experience, I can’t complain much. I really can’t say enough good things about this installment of Dragon Quest. It was a simply stunning experience, and one I’m looking forward to playing again in the future.</em></blockquote> You can read the rest of this glowing review at <a href="http://www.thegamechair.com/?p=290" target="_blank">The Game Chair</a>. |
Tue Dec 06, 2005 3:29 pm |
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TheMadGamer
High Emperor
Joined: 03 May 2002
Posts: 487
Location: Southern California |
quote:
The emphasis was firmly on exploring the game world and battling evil, not sitting through long cut scene after long cut scene...
I found this particular comment true with many of the recent Japanese style console RPGs released in the last few years. The cut-scenes are so ridiculously long that you think you're watching a cartoon instead of playing a game.
Picked up Tales of Symphonia and the introductory cut-scene is over twenty minutes... is it a game? is it a cartoon?
Cut scenes are nice, but so much production emphasis seems to go into showing off the lateset hip anime artists' work rather than into the meaty stuff like oh I dunno, exploring a fully fleshed out game world.
Admittedly, I'm not a huge huge fan of Japanese style RPGs over western style ones, but I have kept my finger on the pulse of certain Japanese style RPGs such as Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and a couple of others.
... on a side note... anyone know when Japanese RPG makers are going to drop the random-monster-out-of-knowhere encounters? God I've always hated that aspect of Japanese style RPGs. You're wondering the country side. There's nothing around. BAM you're in combat. Just lame.
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The Poster Previously Known As NeptiOfPovar |
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Tue Dec 06, 2005 3:33 pm |
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Maggie@TGC
Village Dweller
Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Posts: 3
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I'm the author of the review posted & just wanted to note one thing -
Our site does a unique style of review called a "Progressive Review," so the entry linked to is actually my third rating of Dragon Quest VIII. We do at least three ratings of a game (hopefully towards the beginning, middle, and end) in order to provide a more complete picture of our gaming experience and impressions of the game. Previous ratings are linked to, as well as previous scores given, so you can see at a glance if opinions on the game have changed.
I really enjoy some of the games with sweeping epic story lines (and that usually means long cut scene after long cut scene), but I loved the Dragon Quest approach, as well. This is moving towards the type of game I would love to see - shorter RPGs that still have compelling stories. Novellas over novels, if you will.
TheMadGamer, some games have axed the random encounter aspect (the Xenosaga series comes to mind), and the next Final Fantasy will have no random encounters. The FFXII demo came packaged with Dragon Quest & they have made some pretty radical changes to the entirety of the battle system (no random encounters, more of an action-style as opposed to turn based, etc.). I did a write up of my impressions of the demo, also over on TGC. They've also gotten rid of the "break" screen, so you flow seamlessly from wandering around to combat. You could see the enemies in the Xenosaga games, but you were still taken out of the actual game world & put into "combat mode." |
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Tue Dec 06, 2005 4:53 pm |
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TheMadGamer
High Emperor
Joined: 03 May 2002
Posts: 487
Location: Southern California |
quote:
Originally posted by Maggie@TGC
TheMadGamer, some games have axed the random encounter aspect (the Xenosaga series comes to mind), and the next Final Fantasy will have no random encounters. The FFXII demo came packaged with Dragon Quest & they have made some pretty radical changes to the entirety of the battle system (no random encounters, more of an action-style as opposed to turn based, etc.).
I did pick up a copy of DQ8 and I do have the demo of FFXII. But I haven't been able to check it out yet but now that you point that out I will double my efforts to play the demo.
I'm really just a marginal fan of Japanese style RPGs but back in the days of the NES and SNES a few Japanese style RPGs sorta grew on me (Dragon Quest obviously is one) and I followed them over the years.
It's good to hear that the random encounter design prevalent in many Japanese style RPGs is perhaps on the decline. I always found that to be such a blatantly artificial way to inflate the time-to-finish rarting of a game. Not only that, but like a commercial break during a good movie, they just interrupt the adventure too frequently.
By the way, you wrote a great review I really enjoyed reading it... thanks!
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The Poster Previously Known As NeptiOfPovar |
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Tue Dec 06, 2005 5:24 pm |
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Maggie@TGC
Village Dweller
Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Posts: 3
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Thanks for the kind words - I was really delighted with Dragon Quest & I think that came through pretty well! I've been recommending it to everyone who will sit still long enough for me to tell them about it.
Do play through the FFXII demo - if you like action-style game play more than turn based, you should be pleased. I was worried because I really detested the battle system of Star Ocean 3 & didn't like the one for Radiata Stories much better, and it sounded like FF would be moving more towards that. But it's really one of the more sophisticated action-style systems I've played, very intuitive & easy to get a grip on - I really enjoyed it, and I'm a total stick in the mud when it comes to my RPGs & generally don't like combat systems that are more action oriented.
You will have to sit through a movie-style trailer.  But they don't do any story in the actual demo portions of the game, it's really just showing off the new combat system. |
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Tue Dec 06, 2005 9:24 pm |
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Kalia
Eager Tradesman
Joined: 07 Jan 2005
Posts: 30
Location: Arizona |
quote:
Originally posted by Maggie@TGC
I'm the author of the review posted & just wanted to note one thing -
Our site does a unique style of review called a "Progressive Review," so the entry linked to is actually my third rating of Dragon Quest VIII. We do at least three ratings of a game (hopefully towards the beginning, middle, and end) in order to provide a more complete picture of our gaming experience and impressions of the game.
I'm really glad you came over and posted this. As I read your review this morning, I was REALLY impressed with this "progressive" style of review. I think it's a wonderful way to give readers an overall picture of the game that doesn't rely on one's memory of the early game (or on poorly and sloppily written notes, LOL!). And let's face it: Some games truly ARE epic and take more than a few hours to play through so it's a fair idea to rate the experience over time. 
Thanks, Maggie, for stopping by and offering some additional insight.
Kal |
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Tue Dec 06, 2005 11:32 pm |
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Maggie@TGC
Village Dweller
Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Posts: 3
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Thanks for the compliments, it's very exciting to be part of such a unique idea. Thanks for linking to us - I think this is one of my best ratings to date!
I like the fact that many of our reviews get to the heart of some of those subtle issues - does gameplay hold up over time? Are you as addicted in the middle/end as you were in the beginning? Do those minor issues that are just mild irritations in the beginning turn into big issues a few hours in? It's nice to have a long-term perspective on how games hold up, I think.
Anyway, thanks again - I hadn't been over here before, but I've been paging through the site this afternoon. Seems like a great resource & I'll be back! |
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Tue Dec 06, 2005 11:49 pm |
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niteshade
Keeper of the Gates
Joined: 09 Jul 2005
Posts: 100
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Endless random encounters drive me nuts too, however there is one positive thing I can say about the ones in dragonquest is that they are not completely trivial like in most games. Trying to survive all the encounters in good enough condition to do whatever needs to be done at your destination can be a real challenge sometimes. Even still, this game is a bit of a throwback as far as random fights are concerned.
Japanese console RPGS have evolved quite a bit since the old days. I'd say that this genre has evolved and improved their design philosophies far more then the genre of western PC RPGs. There is yet to be a Japanese version of Planescape Torment or anything like that, but they have come very close. |
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Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:28 pm |
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