My goodness, I really do spend a good chunk of free time actually playing these games. Maybe cause I knew this would be a long one? In any case, here's one of the better Dragon Quests, and despite many things remaining more or less the same the subtle differences make things a bit better. Psyche ups, alchemy pot, an expansive 3D world map that feels never-ending as you wander it for days. All this while keeping true to form. Whereas Final Fantasy does loads of changes that detract from classic formulas, the Dragon Quest formula remains throughout each successive game.
In the case of VIII, I gotta say the overall feel is quite classic for a Playstation 2 RPG. Only four party members, standard skills and magic, standardized enemy patterns, the usual medieval cliches in place. Arguably I do complain about some gameplay nuances, such as semi-randomized speed values or the alchemy pot taking FOREVER for it to finish on that item that I look up to get great weapons and armor. Hey speaking of which, scouring the area for recipes and such is quite a drag too. Good thing Zoom spells and Holy Protection are available early. The day/night mechanic returns as well for some interesting variation.
Plot-wise, the whole thing boils down to "don't touch that freaking scepter" since an evil being empowers you if you touch it. To think that even a dog would become possessed at one point is just, wow. I may not get into the post-game stuff, much like other Dragon Quest games, because overall, their longevity leaves me exhausted. But this is another Dragon Quest game that thankfully doesn't disappoint. The series really does get better. Given that this is a more 3D game, the Akira Toriyama style of graphics really prevails in each character model too.
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