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Dragon Warrior VIII Details Revealed

Posted by simoniker on from the barrels-and-dressers-oh-my dept.

Thanks to GamePro for their article discussing new details about Square Enix's long-awaited Dragon Quest VIII, as revealed in a recent issue of Japanese magazine Shonen Jump. According to the article, this latest in the massively selling Dragon Quest/Dragon Warrior series, due for Japanese PS2 in 2004, will have battles "..rendered in full 3D, a marked departure from the static fight screens in the last seven games. Despite this new technology, though, the Dragon Quest-iness of the game will remain untouched - early screenshots show the hero picking up barrels and peering into random dressers for items." Although new in-game shots aren't yet online, the single previously released screenshot is very reminiscent of external developer Level 5's other signature titles such as Dark Cloud 2 and the forthcoming Xbox MMORPG, True Fantasy Live Online.

25 comments

  1. Time to buy a PS2 by Gr33nNight · · Score: 1

    This is the game that will get me to buy a PS2. DQ7 was the one game that got me to buy a PS1. Go figure.

  2. Breaking from tradition by Alaric42 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'll be curious to see if there's a fallout in Japan over the lack of the first-person battle system that's appeared in every other title, given that tradition is pretty much the reason DQ7 appeared as it did, complete with old sound effects and all. Personally, I prefer the old way; the screenshots seem to be showing battle animations that would be quite a bit more lengthy than the ones in previous games, and I've always liked the brisk pace of DQ's battle engine.

  3. Metal Slime is Dodging! by August_zero · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I loved Dragon Warrior 7, I may be the only person in America that loved that game but I did. It's just so ugly, the psuedo-3d engine they used looked far worse than the game would have looked if they had just stuck to a 2d engine. The DW series has never been about eye-candy, I understand this, but still...

    While the Final Fantasys have gotten more about CGI, and intricate stories full of angst ridden characters with goofy clothes and bad hair cuts, DW has stayed closer to its fantasy roots and offered good stories, great gameplay, and an overall deeper experience in each outing.

    I would love for #8 to come state side, hopefully with a prettier outside so more people will look inside.

    --
    On Wall Street they say "buy low, sell high" On the pad we say, "buy high, sell high" Isn't that somehow better?
    1. Re:Metal Slime is Dodging! by Alaric42 · · Score: 2, Informative

      In my experience, the people who disliked DQ7 (except for the complete graphics whores), just didn't get the game while they were playing through it. The way the game's structured, you have to actively put together the storyline--It's not a bunch of fractured mini-stories, but you don't really figure out a lot of the islands' interconnections until late in the game. The people I've pointed that out to have mostly gone and replayed the game and gotten a lot more enjoyment out of it.

      There's also the second issue of DQ being gone from North American shores for so long. Not only did this make it difficult from a marketing standpoint, especially given the meager budget EoA was given, but people seemed to be approaching the game like they would the original Dragon Quest: mindless leveling. The game doesn't require it--it's not that hard to beat the game with the hero only halfway through his first intermediate class--but if you think it does, and spend a ton of time doing that, you'll tend to forget those little interconnections mentioned above, and get tired of the game, which is pretty long by itself even if you don't spend an extra 20 hours walking in circles (or using Whistle if you were smart enough to be a Shepherd. Good ol' Stampede).

    2. Re:Metal Slime is Dodging! by Gr33nNight · · Score: 1

      I loved DW7, the game owned me on so many levels. It was the first RPG where I racked up 120 hours. Man, that game was sooooo long.

    3. Re:Metal Slime is Dodging! by IIRCAFAIKIANAL · · Score: 1

      Heheh, i'm playing DWVII right now... I sure hope we get DW8. I was pissed when we didn't get the remake for DWIV....

      --
      Robots are everywhere, and they eat old people's medicine for fuel.
  4. Medieval by Metroid72 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Do you guys think it's a good idea to keep things medieval as the previous installments?
    Sure it's kool to kill slimes, bables, and dragons, gamble, and get lost in dungeons - The formula works, but..
    Do we really need a new 3D update?
    Maybe combining 3D with a futuristic Toriyama conceived world will give it a new life
    I personally think that DW/DQ is the quintisential RPG, the original DW was challenging, long and the fact that you had to use your imagination made it more enjoyable.
    Who wasn't excited when they were strong enough to face dragonlord? or when you encountered Golem?
    What about in DW2 when you found the Mirror of RA? or in DW3 when you found the old DW1 land and the traditional tune started playing?
    DW has always been technologically less advanced than FF, but IMO, I think it was much better.

    1. Re:Medieval by DrWho520 · · Score: 1

      I played Final Fantasy I before I picked up Dragon Warrior I because I was intimidated by the challenge it presented. I was not prepared to go it alone on a quest. I thought it would be too hard. I was that sucked into the story line and game play by just the pictures I saw in Nintendo Power Magazine.

      When I finally did play, I was glad I had waited. I was completely immersed. I think it was the first person view of the battles. It truly made me feel like I was the one questing to destroy the Dragon Lord. And I found it much more challenging. It one thing to have a White Mage at the bottom of the screen dealing out CURE spells (or was it HEAL?) while your Fighter keeps whailing away with his sword. In Dragon Warrior, you had to do it all yourself. I was scared to cross a bridge (enemies were always stronger across the bridge) and it rocked when I killed my first gold slime. And I was truly frightened when I first came up against the Dragon Lord.

      I beat him on my first try, and I yelled in triumph. There are very few games that can make me do that.

      --
      The cancel button is your friend. Do not hesitate to use it.
    2. Re:Medieval by neostorm · · Score: 1

      It was DW2 that had the original D1 landmass in the world. I think 2 & 3 both did, but 2 you find later in the game with the original music playing when you step on shore. Very nostalgic.

      I would absolutely hate to see this game go "futuristic". That's what Final Fantasy is for. They wen't more and more sci-fi until I coulnd't stand it, only recently breaking off into a truely unique world.
      Phantasy Star is a series you might want to look into, considering that it has pretty much always incorporated futuristic elements into it's world. All are great series, but the last good console RPG series goes sci-fi, then what the hell are the fantasy lovers supposed to play?

    3. Re:Medieval by Metroid72 · · Score: 1

      Neostorm, Are you the same Neostorm that remixed:
      Crystalis 'House Leaves'
      Double Dragon 'Hammers Garage' ?

      If you are, guys, you gotta check outthis guys remixes. http://www.ocremix.org/detailremixer.php?mixerid=2 47

    4. Re:Medieval by extrarice · · Score: 1

      Yeah, all the advancement of old 2-d games to a 3-d environment always makes me nervous:
      Metroid Prime, Rockman 7, etc.

      However, I think that the Enix arm of Squarenix will be able to pull this off. Enix has always produced the highest quality software. DQ7 was delayed a full year because they weren't happy with it. When released, it became the most-selling PSX game in Japan in the platform's history. My Japanese friend is telling me that DQ7 was released on a Wednesday - kids cut school, millions lined up outside of stores to get a copy, and when the stores sold out, those who were able to get a copy were mugged by those who were still waiting in line. It's now a law in Japan that DQ games can only be released on a Sunday or a holiday because of the chaos DQ7's release caused.

      Similarly, I was worried when Square announced FFXI was going to be an online-only adventure. But after playing the US closed and open betas, I'll be waiting in line to get it on release day.

      Squarenix will do DQ8 right.

      --
      "Jesus saves, but everyone else in a 10 foot radius takes full damage from the fireball."
    5. Re:Medieval by PKFC · · Score: 1

      The Dragon Quest game you are talking about that caused all the commotion, was Dragon Quest III. Every game in the series after that had to be released on a weekend or holiday (and they still do).

      Another thing: Dragon Quest VII wasn't just the best selling PlayStation game of all time in Japan, it is the second best selling video game of all time in Japen on ANY platform. I believe the game has sold at least 4.09 million copies. The previous number two game was Tetris for GameBoy at 4.06 million copies. The number one game? Super Mario Bros. for NES. 6.18 million copies. Unless something drastic happens (like say only one game can come out every year), that record will not be beaten any time soon.

      Btw, the website I have listed is strictly a Dragon Quest news site. Hopefully, we will get to go to E3 next year and hopefully I will be able to import the new Dragon Quest game you swing a plastic sword to play. (That is, if I can ever find somewhere to import it)

      I sure wish I had a Japanese friend though... I REALLY want a slime doll.... :P

    6. Re:Medieval by extrarice · · Score: 1

      [quote]
      I sure wish I had a Japanese friend though... I REALLY want a slime doll.... :P
      [/quote]
      I've got a Slime cell-phone strap on my GBA. It has 4 slimes and they can move up and down on the strap :)

      --
      "Jesus saves, but everyone else in a 10 foot radius takes full damage from the fireball."
    7. Re:Medieval by neostorm · · Score: 1

      No, unfortunately not. But I grab OCRemix tracks all the time off there, and I know who you're talking about. That guy is really talented, and OCRemix is a great site.

  5. "Fallout in Japan"? by Rayonic · · Score: 1

    That reminds me, does anyone think an RPG like Fallout would sell in Japan? They don't seem to go for that open-ended stuff, but I could be wrong. Has Fallout, or any similar RPGs, been released in Japan? If so, what kind of reception did they get?

    --
    [PowerPoint] is a tool for capitalist presentation
  6. Dragon Quest VIII Pictures by twootwoot · · Score: 5, Informative

    Hi, I maintain a Dragon Quest-related news website. Yes, this is a plug. But anyways here are some of DQVIII pictures. Gamefront's scanned one of the images. Also the Japanese website, Quiter has posted several images.

    1. Re:Dragon Quest VIII Pictures by Ojuice · · Score: 1

      Very good plug. I shall make you my Nae'blis for this. Also, as soon as we can find a translator, DraQue Star(the site we run) will post what the text says.

    2. Re:Dragon Quest VIII Pictures by August_zero · · Score: 1

      Thank you for the plug, shameless advertising isn't always a bad thing when its for something that is actually useful.

      --
      On Wall Street they say "buy low, sell high" On the pad we say, "buy high, sell high" Isn't that somehow better?
    3. Re:Dragon Quest VIII Pictures by Metroid72 · · Score: 1

      Nice website
      You could use links to the game music...
      How about something funky.. like Overclocked Remix

  7. WTF? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No -1 post? Well i'll be the first!

    Mods! Mod me down! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

  8. Great Gameplay....? by grimani · · Score: 1

    "In short, the treasured Dragon Quest gameplay elements of ...picking up barrels and peeking into all random places for items will not be changed."

    Does that statement bother anyone else?

    Sounds...like...uhm...fun.

    1. Re:Great Gameplay....? by mink · · Score: 1

      The fans will cry out "It's Tradition".
      It could be fun, as long as it's just random stuff and nothing key to the game, then if that isnt for you you can skip it.

      --
      Well I've wrestled with reality for thirty five years doctor, and I'm happy to say I finally won out over it.
    2. Re:Great Gameplay....? by darkmayo · · Score: 1

      Pretty much that entails the simple puzzles that have become a staple in the DQ series as well as searching in jars, cubboards and other areas for Tiny Medals and other items.

      --
      "I am a kernel in the linux army"
  9. Toriyamas Artwork by darkmayo · · Score: 1

    As a big fan of his art I am glad they are going 3-d. The monster and character art for the entire DQ series has always been great. Will the wonderful weapons that Toriyama created be rendered as well.. I would love to see something like the multi-edge sword in 3-d.

    --
    "I am a kernel in the linux army"
  10. Dragon Warrior III, the Challenge by ThereIsNoSporkNeo · · Score: 1

    Did anyone other than me, after defeating DWIII all the way through decide to try it with only one character?

    I made it to the pyramids, but all the paralysis people kept insta-killing me. Either way, it was one of my favorite games of all time.

    --
    With my dying breath, I curse Zoidberg!