Dragon Quest VIII - Why is it So Good?

[Grazza]

Whoo hoo! Well done Patch!

 

The air was black and blue after I'd finished punching it!

 

A lovely turn of phrase! I loved reading your progress and your review, and your captions were hilarious. Sounds like that boss you were having trouble with really was just a blip, as you played brilliantly (going by the battle record and final boss).

 

Thanks so much for going to all the effort, with the screenshots as well. As I'm the one who "bigged this up", I really hope you thought it was worth playing.

 

(Hope you enjoy it too, Epic fail.)

 

Great going with the completion, Patch. What kind of stuff is there to go back for in the post game?

 

Incredibly well-balanced post-game bosses. They are about as difficult as RPG battles can be whilst still being fair.

[Patch]

Whoo hoo! Well done Patch!

 

A lovely turn of phrase! I loved reading your progress and your review, and your captions were hilarious. Sounds like that boss you were having trouble with really was just a blip, as you played brilliantly (going by the battle record and final boss).

 

Thanks Grazza! It was the Sage's Stone that turned it all around. I'm sure I read its description when I acquired it, but I failed to twig just how useful it would be! With that, I was able to keep my party alive when Angelo was in trouble.

 

Thanks so much for going to all the effort, with the screenshots as well. As I'm the one who "bigged this up", I really hope you thought it was worth playing.

 

This is the first time I have recorded game progress on a message board with this much detail and I hope the screenshots helped to liven it up a bit (they were fun to do and the game provided many humorous moments to capture). I was playing this and Chrono Trigger at the same time (not literally of course!) and I don't have much spare time as it is, so the updates weren't as frequent as I'd have liked, but I got there in the end. It was definitely worth playing and if I had more spare time, I would definitely continue playing.

 

Incredibly well-balanced post-game bosses. They are about as difficult as RPG battles can be whilst still being fair.

 

Intriguing. Out of interest, how many more hours do you think I'd have to play to get to the next ending?

[Grazza]

Intriguing. Out of interest, how many more hours do you think I'd have to play to get to the next ending?

 

A lot, to be honest. This is what there is:

 

* A "passageway" dungeon without a boss

* A village

* Another "passageway"/bit of overworld

* 7 difficult bosses

 

 

You'd probably want to level up to something like Level 60 (maybe 65) by the time you'd finished.

[Patch]

A lot, to be honest. This is what there is:

 

* A "passageway" dungeon without a boss

* A village

* Another "passageway"/bit of overworld

* 7 difficult bosses

 

 

You'd probably want to level up to something like Level 60 (maybe 65) by the time you'd finished.

 

Wow. I'm on level 45 and it now takes ages to level up. I suppose the metal slimes are the way forward. Is this how you have been levelling up?

 

I've been reading the beginning of this thread before I hijacked it (sorry). Did you complete all the post-game items you mentioned just now? Have you completed the Dragovian Trials? I invested most of my experience points in the boomerang, so there's no way I could get the spear skill to the level you mentioned at the beginning. So I'd have to get to level 65 from what you've said!

[Grazza]

Wow. I'm on level 45 and it now takes ages to level up. I suppose the metal slimes are the way forward. Is this how you have been levelling up?

 

Yeah, there is a reasonable supply of Liquid Metal Slimes and Metal King Slimes in the post game areas. However, half the time I just used the EXP from the battles (again, it's reasonably generous).

 

I've been reading the beginning of this thread before I hijacked it (sorry). Did you complete all the post-game items you mentioned just now? Have you completed the Dragovian Trials? I invested most of my experience points in the boomerang, so there's no way I could get the spear skill to the level you mentioned at the beginning. So I'd have to get to level 65 from what you've said!

 

Yes indeed, I have. This is the reason I wanted to make sure you understood the importance of the Spear and Axe skills from the beginning. I actually went back and played it a 2nd time just to prepare for the post-game content. I might even play it a 3rd time!

[Patch]

Yes indeed, I have. This is the reason I wanted to make sure you understood the importance of the Spear and Axe skills from the beginning. I actually went back and played it a 2nd time just to prepare for the post-game content. I might even play it a 3rd time!

 

I remember you saying about the Axe and Spear skills. Based on past RPGs, I didn't think I'd be going back to the game to do extra stuff, unless it was the best RPG I'd ever played, so I felt I needed to boost the weapon I use 99% of the time (the boomerang).

 

Having said that, I did boost spears and axes along the way too, so it may still be possible to get those to the necessary level. I'd need to do some calculating!

[killer kirby]

I remember you saying about the Axe and Spear skills. Based on past RPGs, I didn't think I'd be going back to the game to do extra stuff, unless it was the best RPG I'd ever played, so I felt I needed to boost the weapon I use 99% of the time (the boomerang).

 

Having said that, I did boost spears and axes along the way too, so it may still be possible to get those to the necessary level. I'd need to do some calculating!

 

One of the main things about Dragon Quest, is the knowledge of not focusing on one skill the whole way through.

 

The start of the game, hero should always have a boomerang.

When you have all the characters focus on spear so you can get multi-thrust.

Then use sword once you find out about the truth of the...

scepter

 

 

This is one reason I love Dragon Quest is the whole fact that Dragon Quest 1 was the only game out of the series I ever really had to grind (Maybe a bit in II as well).

 

It's only hard if you just use attack all the time

[Grazza]

Having said that, I did boost spears and axes along the way too, so it may still be possible to get those to the necessary level. I'd need to do some calculating!

 

Some of the enemies in the post-game area drop seeds of skill, so you might be able to do it. You only need:

 

Spears - 59 (ideally 77)

Axes - 66 (ideally 82)

 

Just having those two will help you defeat Metal King Slimes. I would max out Jessica's Staff too if you can, plus a certain amount in Fisticuffs can help Jessica and Angelo's Agility and Evasion (if they're not carrying a weapon). Angelo's Staff skills can be useful, and 90 in Hero's Courage can help with MP consumption.

 

By the way, when you meet a Metal King Slime, I would have Hero do Lightning Thrust, Yangus do Executioner, Angelo just a normal "Attack" (ideally with a Falcon Blade), and as for Jessica, I actually prefer to have her cast Accelerate (to give you a chance next round before the Metal King Slime runs off).

[Patch]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I'll try to remember to visit this thread if I carry on playing!

[Sheikah]

Angelo just a normal "Attack" (ideally with a Falcon Blade)

Surely not Metal Slash?

[Grazza]

Surely not Metal Slash?

 

No, because it only does 1 or 2 damage, and there's no way a Metal King Slime will hang around that long (their HP is something like 18, if I recall correctly). It's a critical hit or nothing, and Angelo's only chance of that is "Attack" (Jessica and Angelo's OHKO moves are magic-based, so don't work on Metal King Slimes).

 

Metal Slash is OK for normal Metal Slimes, but probably not Liquid Metal Slimes and definitely not Metal King Slimes. As far as I'm aware, it never criticals (same goes for Flame Slash, Falcon Slash etc).

[killer kirby]

No, because it only does 1 or 2 damage, and there's no way a Metal King Slime will hang around that long (their HP is something like 18, if I recall correctly). It's a critical hit or nothing, and Angelo's only chance of that is "Attack" (Jessica and Angelo's OHKO moves are magic-based, so don't work on Metal King Slimes).

 

Odd, I made Angelo have Metal Slash and it did me wonders in fighting the tougher metal slimes. I guess I have better luck then you

 

Also having him have it may help even if you are fighting 1 simple metal slime, every bit of exp counts in this game and metal slimes still have decent exp on them.

[Grazza]

Odd, I made Angelo have Metal Slash and it did me wonders in fighting the tougher metal slimes. I guess I have better luck then you

 

Metal Slash is a good skill, but I'm trying to help Patch defeat the Metal King Slimes in the post-game. A Metal King Slime has a minimum 16 HP, and the most Metal Slash can do is 2 damage, therefore you'd need it to stick around for 8 turns (4 if both Hero and Angelo use it) without it fleeing, which is a lot to ask for an MKS.

 

All this talk has made me realise how addicted I am to this game. I want to play it a 3rd time! There's just something about it that does it for me that other RPGs don't. If Level 5 did a Dragon Quest MMO on the HD consoles, I'd be very tempted to join in...

[Sheikah]

No, because it only does 1 or 2 damage, and there's no way a Metal King Slime will hang around that long (their HP is something like 18, if I recall correctly). It's a critical hit or nothing, and Angelo's only chance of that is "Attack" (Jessica and Angelo's OHKO moves are magic-based, so don't work on Metal King Slimes).

 

Metal Slash is OK for normal Metal Slimes, but probably not Liquid Metal Slimes and definitely not Metal King Slimes. As far as I'm aware, it never criticals (same goes for Flame Slash, Falcon Slash etc).

 

Isn't it quite rare to critical though? Sometimes I'd come across 2 MKS/LMS and one would, on occasion, stick around, and doing 4 damage could help.

 

Or maybe I'm thinking of LMS. I found them better for levelling anyway.

[killer kirby]

If Level 5 did a Dragon Quest MMO on the HD consoles, I'd be very tempted to join in...

 

Man you're obsessed with everything you love being HD , not that I care, been playing 4 player Dragon Quest IX with mates, and damn is it good, sometimes wonder how it would work an MMO...in the end they would have to make the battle system like they did with the original design of Dragon Quest IX if anything.

 

And with all this talk about level 5...I wonder if they are making Dragon Quest X to be honest, it's up in the air still. Ah well, whatever Yuji Horii decides will be the correct choice

[darksnowman]

I had an urge to play an RPG today- I dunno where it specifically came from. Other than the fact that I'm not really playing one just at the minute, I basically wanted to get stuck into some battling! As you can guess, I popped Dragon Quest VIII into the PStwo disc tray. First time I've had the console on since July last year... and I only got it in June/ July last year!

 

I played for about two and a half hours, and before we all get excited, this isn't a commitment to regularly playing the game, because like I said I just wanted an RPG to play this afternoon. The thing that stood out the most to me was how slow the game is. Its a complete contrast to DQ IV and V which I own on DS. Those two games are lightning fast in battle and very brisk in the in between sections. Its obviously down to the fact that the game world is bigger, its 3D and the battles don't play out in mere seconds like on the DS. Its something I've no doubt it will be easy enough to adapt to given time with the game.

 

Everything else is intact. From the humour, the character and charm to the voice acting (which took me by surprise at first as I'd forgot this one was voiced!). I did the stuff with getting the crystal ball to the fortune teller, then headed off to Alexandria. I got wiped out on the way as I just wasn't paying attention and thats where I left it. I also got wiped out during my first foray out into the fields surrounding Farebury and was actually quite surprised by the difficulty early on. Not that thats a bad thing. By the time I was heading to Alexandria I was falling asleep (no fault of the games, I was lying back while playing) and was just pumping the X button during battles and dozing, lol. I heard Yangus die so I opened my eyes and then Stevo was taken out in the next turn, before I could get the heal spell off. No biggy seeing as you keep your experience but just lose half your cash, which I hadn't amassed a great deal of anyway.

 

Any tips with how to build the characters? So far I've put everything into Stevo's sword stats and Yangus is getting it for clubs/ hammers.

 

 

 

Off the DQ topic, but afterwards I was still in an RPG mood so I stuck FF X in. Back in July I'd made the smallest of starts into it but my memory card wouldn't let me save it. I think that was the last time I played the PStwo til today. I ended up putting about an hour and a half into FF X, enjoying what I saw of it thus far. Good stuff indeed.

[Hero-of-Time]

Mixing Final Fantasy X with Dragon Quest VIII!? KK will not be pleased.

[Grazza]

Any tips with how to build the characters? So far I've put everything into Stevo's sword stats and Yangus is getting it for clubs/ hammers.

 

Spears for Hero, Axes for Yangus. Swords aren't bad either but, trust me on this, if you want to do the post-game content before you reach Level 65, you'll be glad you put 59 (77 for extra strength) into Spears and 66 (82 for extra strength) into Axes.

 

It's a long, intense game, so you have to pay attention. You can't just keep attacking like in IV and V.

[killer kirby]

I played for about two and a half hours, and before we all get excited, this isn't a commitment to regularly playing the game, because like I said I just wanted an RPG to play this afternoon. The thing that stood out the most to me was how slow the game is. Its a complete contrast to DQ IV and V which I own on DS. Those two games are lightning fast in battle and very brisk in the in between sections. Its obviously down to the fact that the game world is bigger, its 3D and the battles don't play out in mere seconds like on the DS. Its something I've no doubt it will be easy enough to adapt to given time with the game.

The game is indeed slow, and thanks to that makes it one of the weaker games of the series (But thats like saying there is a tiny bit of dirt on a piece of gold compared to the rest )

In reality you could complete this game in about 50-60 hours, but because of the slow loading and such it will take you about 70-80 hours to complete (Ain't kidding either) Like I said before, the Jap version is still better for the simple fact it has the old school pop up menu.

 

 

 

and was actually quite surprised by the difficulty early on. Not that thats a bad thing.

Yeah the remakes of all Dragon Quest games are always nerfed and made easier compared to the original, I still have nightmares of the fights I had to go through in DQII, DQVI and DQVII

 

Any tips with how to build the characters? So far I've put everything into Stevo's sword stats and Yangus is getting it for clubs/ hammers.

Focus on Heroes spear until you reach...think it was may rain thrust (I can't remember, will in a couple of weeks )

Once you have that work on the sword.

 

 

 

 

Mixing Final Fantasy X with Dragon Quest VIII!? KK will not be pleased.

 

Na, he is doing something wise, he is drinking some shit (FFX) and then gets rid of the taste by drinking a can of Pepsi (DQVIII)

[Mundi]

Been playing a fair bit recently, plan on finishing it during easter and finally start on Rogue Galaxy.

 

One thing that annoys me a bit is how the game likes to slow you down as much as you can, it´s slow enough as it is and they throw you some boring run back and forward objectives....

Two things I just found annoyingly stupid:

When you go and meet King Emo in Ascantha.

Yeah a real tragedy that your Queen died, but completely halting EVERYTHING in your kingdom for what? 5 years, Bullshit.

 

And the town mourns all the time with him and cheers up as soon as he cheers up after meeting his dead wife for one last time, double bullshit.

Civil revolts say: "Hi!"

 

Then there was the whole ordeal with Red, "Oh I guess putting off saving the world and stuff is worth it to solve your lovers quarrel"

Hey red here is a solution, you give me back my horse and carriage and I won´t leave you impaled on your front yard!

Cor Blimey!

 

 

Not that any of that was any boring to play, just ticked me off a bit.

 

Also one thing, what the hell is the deal with Jessica, current armour I have equipped on here is a dancers outfit, a garter (underwear) in the accessory slot and running around killing monsters with finger kisses.

 

That really is....something

 

Right now I recently:

 

and just arrived at Baccarat and hopefully meeting that manly man that is the Casino owner.

[Grazza]

Two things I just found annoyingly stupid:

[spoiler=]

When you go and meet King Emo in Ascantha.

Yeah a real tragedy that your Queen died, but completely halting EVERYTHING in your kingdom for what? 5 years, Bullshit.

 

And the town mourns all the time with him and cheers up as soon as he cheers up after meeting his dead wife for one last time, double bullshit.

Civil revolts say: "Hi!"

 

LOL! Very funny, but I didn't think there was anything strange about it really. I took the citizens to really admire the king and were waiting for him to cheer up. They weren't so much depressed themselves, as stopping themselves from being overtly cheerful.

 

Then there was the whole ordeal with Red, "Oh I guess putting off saving the world and stuff is worth it to solve your lovers quarrel"

Hey red here is a solution, you give me back my horse and carriage and I won´t leave you impaled on your front yard!

Cor Blimey!

 

Haha, good stuff!

 

[Hero-of-Time]

I've been itching to play another Dragon Quest for a while now, and seeing as DQVI is still no where to be seen, it looked like it would be a while before I was once agian fighting off Slimes.

 

I was tempted to play Dragon Quest Swords but the last time I tried I just didn't get into the game due to the dodgy motion controls. I will play it some day but today isn't that day.

 

Anyways, I was cleaning out my wardrobes last night and noticed my PS2 games all piled up at the back. I got rid of my PS2 ages ago but I still kept all of the games. I was looking through them when I noticed this!

 

 

I looked on amazon this morning and found that it's been nearly 2 years since I bought it! I still had it in it's original factory seal. So, after 2 years of sitting in my wardrobe, waiting, watching as I played other games and passed it by, it's now Dragon Quest VIII's time to shine!

 

I went to my nephews first thing today and nicked his PS2. I'm off to play a game that I have criminally overlooked. I just hope Grazza can forgive me...

 

*Casts Open spell*

 

 

[darksnowman]

Nice one, H-o-T! Its been so long since I played DQ VIII now that I will probably restart it when I eventually get round to it again.

 

I was tempted to play Dragon Quest Swords but the last time I tried I just didn't get into the game due to the dodgy motion controls. I will play it some day but today isn't that day.

 

They aren't dodgy just... rigid. You have to hold the Wii remote so that its always pointing at the TV and with the buttons to the top at all times, then it will read your slashes perfectly.

[drahkon]

I looked on amazon this morning and found that it's been nearly 2 years since I bought it! I still had it in it's original factory seal. So, after 2 years of sitting in my wardrobe, waiting, watching as I played other games and passed it by, it's now Dragon Quest VIII's time to shine!

 

I hope DQ VIII forgives you...I really do.

[Grazza]

I just hope you enjoy it, Hero of Time, I really do!

 

Personally, I quite liked Dragon Quest Swords, even the motion control. You just have to hold the remote horizontally all the time. I eventually made most of the swords and beat the post-game bosses (but not the really hard versions). Obviously it's not a patch on VIII though!