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DRAGOll QUES'r VIII: JOURNEY OF THE CURSED KING Finally, another worthwhile fantasy
GREG S: Tllo role-playing game genre has been searching so hard for a new identity Ille past few years that the tracfrtional, straightforward RPG Is almost an endangered species. The days of linear SIOf)l lines, simple experience systems, and traditlol\81 l\Jrn-based battles are fading fast. So it's weird that Dragan OuC$f V/l/;ublisher Square Enix's major game this season-is actually a throwback to those sim pier times.
Don't be disappointed, though. While It's not terribly innovative, 008offers a traditional RPG e(peri· ence that gets all the fundamentals absolutely right. It's proof that per11aps the old-school RPG design philosophy tnat eve~one'S trying so hard to leave behind isn't really so broken after all.
Everything about Dragon Quest Vflf is polished, from the traditional tum-based battles lo the skill system that's deep enough to allow decent character customization while still beirig accessible. The random battles in each new area are char nging at first, so each Skirmish isn't just a two-minute exer·
154 • ELECTRONIC GAMING •IOffTHLY. WV/IV. I UP.com
else in pressing the X button. With its solid gamepfay and epic quest, 008
saves the RPG genre this holiday season ... and helps numb the sting of Final Fantasy Xlf's seemingly endless development cycle and Zelda's new 2006 release date.
USTIN: While many role-playing games pay homage to tradition, Dragon OUcst maintains tradition and basically pays homage to itself-not that it doesn't deserve a few props. In addition to fol· lowing its classic RPG formula almost lo the letter, including text message play-by-play as you slay monsters in turn-based battles, 008 offers a beau· tifully realized world for your exploration. You won't find much off the beaten path other than wonderful scenery, but seeing eve~ Individual tree In a spraWling forest provides a great sense of scale.
It's s1111 far too old-tashiooed to call a must-play, but Dragon Quest VIII will definitely satisfy Cllliosity or nostalgia. Anyone new to the series can sample
the l>iggest name in Japanese APGs wrapped in a beautiful prese11tatlon, wtlile series fans know just what they're In for.
OFRCIAL PS MAG-SCOOTER: 008 is so freaking big that it's almost like the daooy RPG Ian's answer to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. And it's proof that taking an old·sohool gaming fonmula and glv· ing it a dazzllng face-lift can actually work. 008 may play like it's 1995 (well-refined 1995, but still 1995), but it's also easily one of 2005's best-look· ing PS2 games. On top of 60-ptus hours of quest· Ing, you also get neat side quests like casino gam· bling, monster training, and item aeation (via the alchemy pol). Even the game's very, very British voices are a hoot.
llewer RPG fans may complain about its constant tum-based battles and stow-paced reveling, but no matter how you feel about th11 gameplay, Dragon Quest VIII will certainly be the longest RPG in your collection. *
Publ isher: Square Erlx Developer: Square Elllx/Level 5 Plai-ers: 1 ESRB:Teen
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