As my earlier loot list indicated, kVn has acquired quite a few more games to waste hours on. In the past I have tried to focus on just one (for instance, recently completing the excellent Nippon Ichi game Phantom Brave). For now, though, I am juggling between Dragon Quest 8, .hack//Quarantine, Phoenix Wright, Mario Kart DS, and Animal Crossing: Wild World. Each of these games are quite excellent in their own right (although to be honest I am more into the .hack series for the story than for the gameplay). I plan on writing impressions as I feel like it ^_^Dragon Quest 8 (PS2)
Formerly known as "Dragon Warrior" in the US, Squenix has decided to use the Japanese title at last. It never really concerned me, but always seemed like an odd change to make. Of course, quite a few liberties were taken in the original NES translation of Dragon Quest, that I guess the change is not too surprising.
Unlike what we see in the included FFXII demo, Dragon Quest 8 sticks to its roots. If you have played past games in the series, you know what you are getting. If you like those games, then DQ8 is a real treat - it puts a lot of polish and production values on the traditional DQ formula. The cell shading is perfect for the series, and well done (funny, all the people that screamed "Celda" and wouldn't play wind waker because of the "cartoon" graphics - which perfectly fit the Zelda world, if you look at the art several past iterations - seem to be quiet about DQ going cell shaded ...). Combined with the fluid animations, the game is a real treat to watch.
Dragon Warrior was the first console RPG, hell, first electronic RPG I played, and so has always had a nostalgic spot for me. When I think of the essence of how I like console RPGs to play, I think of the NES Dragon Warrior and the NES Final Fantasy. The Final Fantasy series has strayed far from its roots - I certainly have enjoyed even the more recent ones, though - whereas Dragon Quest still offers old-school RPG goodness.
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