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[Sir_Crocodile]

Metro Gamecentral gave it 7/10:

http://metro.co.uk/2016/09/15/drago...rgotten-past-review-its-a-long-story-6130411/

In Short: An excellent remake of a game that represents one of the logical extremes of Japanese role-players, and yet remains surprisingly endearing despite its flaws.

Pros: A huge story, with a near endless range of quests and challenges. No random battles and faster intro. Greatly improved graphics and a generally good script.

Cons: Most quests go on far too long, and the game as a whole is just too big to be practical for many players. Simplistic and overly easy combat. Repeating character models annoy.

Going to pick up my copy at lunch hopefully.

 

[Jobbs]

Man it looks so good. :O

I need this but Amazon is backordered and I don't want to pay $40

 

[Cikay]

I cannot wait to receive my copy and give up my social life.

Maybe it's better that XV has been delayed.

 

[aravuus]

Meh. Downloading. Shame about the clunky/slow menus, one of my biggest pet peeves in JRPGs, but otherwise most of the mentioned cons aren't really cons to me, so I'm pretty excited to jump in in like 2 hours cause my god downloading stuff on a 3DS is slow

 

[zbarron]

In case it wasn't confirmed before it seems this game uses 2x1SSAA when the 3D is off like Ocarina of Time 3D.

Top is 3D on, bottom is 3D off. Easiest place to see is the aliasing on the border between the floor and wall on the left side of the screen. (Image blown up to 200% to be able to see it on a monitor like you can on the 3DS.)

 

[Deleted member 20920]

Meh. Downloading. Shame about the clunky/slow menus, one of my biggest pet peeves in JRPGs, but otherwise most of the mentioned cons aren't really cons to me, so I'm pretty excited to jump in in like 2 hours cause my god downloading stuff on a 3DS is slow

The menus are not that bad. Saving doesn't take longer than what some console gamestake anyway. And loading is pretty nonexistent.

 

[TirMcGrey]

Going to have to try this out, it's been forever since played a DQ game and other than VIII and I, I'm pretty unfamiliar with it.

 

[ShadowElliot]

My copy is out for delivery! Can't wait to get it!

 

[Scrawnton]

Woke up an hour early today before work to sit down and play. I got about 50 minutes into the game. Obviously not to my first battle, but I like how the story starts so far. My only complaint about the game is that it seems zoomed in a little too much, but I'll get used to it. I feel a little claustrophobic in some parts.

The quality of the music is top notch. I'm not worried about MIDI at all anymore because it sounds fantastic.


Biggest disappointment is the free "bonus" theme the download version came with. It doesn't even play special music, just the regular launch 3ds UI music.

 

[Terrorblot]

Picking this up on my way home from work! Can't wait!

 

[mieumieu]

In case it wasn't confirmed before it seems this game uses 2x1SSAA when the 3D is off like Ocarina of Time 3D.

Top is 3D on, bottom is 3D off. Easiest place to see is the aliasing on the border between the floor and wall on the left side of the screen. (Image blown up to 200% to be able to see it on a monitor like you can on the 3DS.)

Yes I have noticed that because I always love to turn 3D on and off all the time. The game looks quite nice except for pop-in and occasional unfiltered textures like tree trunk.

 

[PSFan]

Metro Gamecentral gave it 7/10:

http://metro.co.uk/2016/09/15/drago...rgotten-past-review-its-a-long-story-6130411/

In Short: An excellent remake of a game that represents one of the logical extremes of Japanese role-players, and yet remains surprisingly endearing despite its flaws.

Pros: A huge story, with a near endless range of quests and challenges. No random battles and faster intro. Greatly improved graphics and a generally good script.

Cons: Most quests go on far too long, and the game as a whole is just too big to be practical for many players. Simplistic and overly easy combat. Repeating character models annoy.

Going to pick up my copy at lunch hopefully.

How is no random battles and faster intro a Pro? For me those are actually cons.

 

[Elaugaufein]

Post Game question:

Spoiler

Is it true there's Internet tablets only available after clearing the game ? If yes, how long does this take to clear ?

 

[Hobbun]

How is no random battles and faster intro a Pro? For me those are actually cons.

A lot of people do not like random battles. For me, I don’t care either way. I don’t consider having/not having random battles a Pro or Con.

As for the faster intro, I agree with you there. I was just fine with the longer intro, it helped build the story of the game and had a mini-dungeon. I would have preferred they did not trim it down. But it isn’t preventing me from purchasing the game.

 

[Parshias7]

My copy just shipped from Amazon. Its late because I ordered it months ago on a card that ended up getting canceled. At least I'm not waiting until next week like a couple of people in my situation are. It still need to finish AA6 so I guess I don't mind the extra wait.

Looking forward to playing through the game. I remember renting this game years ago from Blockbuster I think. I don't believe I ever made it out of the opening, I got stuck very early in and gave up.

 

[Krammy]

How is no random battles and faster intro a Pro? For me those are actually cons.

Although I prefer random battles as well, we're definitely in the minority. The intro was a big complaint if I remember correctly, and even though I enjoyed my time with it, I definitely remember thinking "Where are the battles?", so I'm sure a lot of people wanted that to be shortened.

 

[Ozium]

just got back from Target! gonna eat muh subway breakfast sandwich and play

what are so good about random battles compared to visible enemies?

 

[Karu]

How is no random battles and faster intro a Pro? For me those are actually cons.

Random battle suck major ass. so glad it's out.

 

[Elaugaufein]

A lot of people do not like random battles. For me, I don’t care either way. I don’t consider having/not having random battles a Pro or Con.

As for the faster intro, I agree with you there. I was just fine with the longer intro, it helped build the story of the game and had a mini-dungeon. I would have preferred they did not trim it down. But it isn’t preventing me from purchasing the game.

I've never played the original but the cut down intro still feels awkward to me (random stuff just happens at times), reading the original intro makes a lot of it make more sense. Even then even the new intro is still too long (the puzzles might have actually helped a bit since wandering around a small area for 2 hours is tedious).

just got back from Target! gonna eat muh subway breakfast sandwich and play

what are so good about random battles compared to visible enemies?

Grinding us way easier and you don't have to play tag with enemies for two.

I'm neutral overall on that though, both have pros and cons.

 

[mieumieu]

Although I prefer random battles as well, we're definitely in the minority. The intro was a big complaint if I remember correctly, and even though I enjoyed my time with it, I definitely remember thinking "Where are the battles?", so I'm sure a lot of people wanted that to be shortened.

As long as there are whistle for calling monsters, lacking random battles is totally fine. Are there?

 

[RPG_Fanatic]

Today is the day. My work day can't end soon enough.

 

[Arkeband]

Grinding us way easier and you don't have to play tag with enemies for two.

I'm neutral overall on that though, both have pros and cons.

Yeah, but there's less need to grind in this version since the battles seem to be ridiculously easy (so far), they lowered job battle requirements and it seems like leveling has been sped up as well.

 

[Ozium]

Grinding us way easier and you don't have to play tag with enemies for two.

I'm neutral overall on that though, both have pros and cons.

I mean.. it's a DQ game, grinding is never necessary... if you just want to grind "for fun" you can still do that with enemies appearing

shrug

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

How is no random battles and faster intro a Pro? For me those are actually cons.

Well, I haven't played the remake yet (just bought it at lunch a few mins ago), but I remember back when the PSX version came out the length of the intro was a big gripe. I know someone who played through the intro, died in their first fight, and didn't have a save (it may have been that you couldn't save up to that point which would be even worse, but I haven't played the game in years so I don't recall), so just gave up on the game.

No random battles is absolutely a pro for me. Ever since games like Mystic Quest Legend and Chrono Trigger had visible enemies I've wanted it for all JRPGs.

 

[mattiewheels]

This talk about the streamlined puzzle dungeon at the beginning makes me think that I didn't feel done with that place after not really doing much in there. Does it get revisited, or did they really just gut it?

 

[Elaugaufein]

Well, I haven't played the remake yet (just bought it at lunch a few mins ago), but I remember back when the PSX version came out the length of the intro was a big gripe. I know someone who played through the intro, died in their first fight, and didn't have a save (it may have been that you couldn't save up to that point which would be even worse, but I haven't played the game in years so I don't recall), so just gave up on the game.

No random battles is absolutely a pro for me. Ever since games like Mystic Quest Legend and Chrono Trigger had visible enemies I've wanted it for all JRPGs.

Nah, you can save but Church saving isn't exactly intuitive and its not available the first time you go to a church so it'd be easy to miss for someone unfamiliar with the system who didn't read the manual.

 

[Arkeband]

I mean.. it's a DQ game, grinding is never necessary... if you just want to grind "for fun" you can still do that with enemies appearing

shrug

In 6, 7, 8, and 9 you are required to grind in some capacity to level jobs, if only for the postgame (and I guess in this one, for grottos)

 

[Aeana]

Well, I haven't played the remake yet (just bought it at lunch a few mins ago), but I remember back when the PSX version came out the length of the intro was a big gripe. I know someone who played through the intro, died in their first fight, and didn't have a save (it may have been that you couldn't save up to that point which would be even worse, but I haven't played the game in years so I don't recall), so just gave up on the game.

No random battles is absolutely a pro for me. Ever since games like Mystic Quest Legend and Chrono Trigger had visible enemies I've wanted it for all JRPGs.

I see this complaint about dying a lot and it seems to expose a lot of ignorance, because death in DQ games only results in losing half of your non-banked gold, not any of your progress. So not saving would not have been an issue at all at that point in the game.

 

[Tiu Neo]

Finally got it. Can't wait to arrive home and play. Love DQ games, but never played this one and I don't really know a lot about it. Let's see how it goes.

 

[Aeana]

I'm in the same boat right now and exactly where you are (took me 6h40m though because I didn't know what to do and ran around aimlessly once or twice). It's charming and the music is great but the fighting system especially is incredibly dull and boring so far.

Also: That font and those menus D: Oh my god. This has one of the worst-looking, most clumsy, unintuitive menu structures I have ever seen in a JRPG, especially one that was released as late as 2012. That type of stuff is exactly what a Remake should clean up imo :/

Ugly is of course subjective, but the menu system is very efficient. It has an intelligent cursor memory system that makes managing items and such a breeze, where your cursor position is saved independently for each major menu part. That said, it seems to have some slowdown in the translated version which wasn't present in the Japanese version, and I'm not sure what's up with that.

 

[Arkeband]

Ugly is of course subjective, but the menu system is very efficient. It has an intelligent cursor memory system that makes managing items and such a breeze, where your cursor position is saved independently for each major menu part. That said, it seems to have some slowdown in the translated version which wasn't present in the Japanese version, and I'm not sure what's up with that.

There also seems to be some stuttering when attacks are landing too...

 

[aravuus]

Hmm, there's definitely something weird going on with the menus. Like they run in 10fps or something, clear delay between input and action and so on. I'll probably get used to it, but menus are such a weird thing to screw up.

e: heh, thought I was making an observation and now I see people talking about the same exact thing right above me. Wonder how the localization folks managed to fuck it up.

Either way, I'm about an hour in and goddamn the game is cozy as hell. The Pilchard Bay song is also fucking amazing.

 

[Velcro Fly]

Got work today and a prior engagement of sorts tonight but I'm sure tomorrow and Sunday I"ll be playing this all day on my days off. I have waited so long and now I will just wait for the mail delivery and to be done at work by 3.

 

[Skittzo0413]

Well, I haven't played the remake yet (just bought it at lunch a few mins ago), but I remember back when the PSX version came out the length of the intro was a big gripe. I know someone who played through the intro, died in their first fight, and didn't have a save (it may have been that you couldn't save up to that point which would be even worse, but I haven't played the game in years so I don't recall), so just gave up on the game.

No random battles is absolutely a pro for me. Ever since games like Mystic Quest Legend and Chrono Trigger had visible enemies I've wanted it for all JRPGs.

You don't lose any progress (besides half of your gold on hand) when you die, so that's a very odd reason to give up the game...

Maybe he didn't die, but the power went out or the game crashed or something? I recall that being a concern of mine at times back in the PS1 version.

 

[Scrawnton]

When it comes to dragon quest, I can take it or leave it when it comes to random encounters. I enjoyed the one dragon quest game I did play so far with on screen enemies and I look forward to battling in both this remake and 8 without the battles being random.

 

[Omegasquash]

Got in some play time last night after the kiddos went to sleep. Have a meeting today that's pretty important, so I turned in a little earlier than I usually do, but I did manage to slog through the first chunk of the game...the hour or so prior to the game REALLY starting.

I'm looking forward to playing more tonight. I feel like they've done a great job with this. Could be nostalgia, but we'll see. It's getting completed, either way.

 

[Tanston]

Got this in the mail really want to dive in but I'm in the middle of a DQ 5 play through as well as playing Ni No Kuni. So I should probably wait but it's tough. Luckily DQ 5 is one of the shorter games in the series.

 

[Hobbun]

I've never played the original but the cut down intro still feels awkward to me (random stuff just happens at times), reading the original intro makes a lot of it make more sense. Even then even the new intro is still too long (the puzzles might have actually helped a bit since wandering around a small area for 2 hours is tedious).

So to clarify, even though the new intro feels more awkward on story and dialogue, it still feels too long?

I don’t know, I have no issues not having combat for a few hours, especially as it helps build the story of the game. I’m not in a rush getting out and getting into combat.

But I’ve noticed this in more recent years (10 or so) in gaming, where people prefer a faster pace and to grab their attention, not as patient. “Turn-based is too slow”, “random battles are irritating as I take 5 steps and I am attacked”, “Cut-scenes are too long/why is there no skip button?” etc. It's like no one has any patience anymore.

I wouldn’t care normally, but I think it has led to less RPGs that I prefer (like turn-based), so it is a bit sad to see.

But that discussion is for another thread. I am really excited for DQ VII.

 

[thelatestmodel]

Will definitely pick this up from the eshop later. It'll be amazing to have this and VIII on one handheld.

 

[MatrixMan.EXE]

My copy arrived, but I'm currently making my way through Tokyo Mirage Sessions. I don't want to start DQVII until I'm done...but at the same time, I do.

 

[Vetro]

Damn.

I have the urgent feeling to rebuy myself a 3DS....

 

[Rizzi]

45 minutes until I can finally buy the game.
No preload is kind of annoying.

 

[Karu]

So to clarify, even though the new intro feels more awkward on story and dialogue, it still feels too long?

Of the two hours til the first battle only ten minutes or so felt slow and boring as you have to do a fetch quest

Spoiler

Getting the four armor pieces - and then pushing those tedious buttons on the ground each time, ugh

. But again, that's like ten minutes and not much of a problem I thought.

 

[Teriyaki Blues]

Random battles are still in while using the Ship. I thought it might be that way, it was a good comprise in IX, but in this game...

I'm actually fighting more now than in the PS version because of the suicidal idiocy of monsters. In IX, if you were above a certain threshold, monsters would get out of your way. Not so in the remake of VII so far. Good luck getting your bearings on any map while a wave of mobs zerg rushes your face. I can't believe I'm saying this, but random battles were less frequent than these Simple Encounters are.

Money hasn't yet been an object, which I'm frankly not used to in DQ games. I can buy everything (and run out of cash there of course), go to the dungeon, finish the vignette, and then be able to buy everything again when I pop into the next town. It feels weird, but maybe this issue will self correct as I get further into the game?

Menus, especially in combat, feel really laggy. I wonder if they'll push a patch for that at all, the game is apparently selling well.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

I see this complaint about dying a lot and it seems to expose a lot of ignorance, because death in DQ games only results in losing half of your non-banked gold, not any of your progress. So not saving would not have been an issue at all at that point in the game.

You don't lose any progress (besides half of your gold on hand) when you die, so that's a very odd reason to give up the game...

Maybe he didn't die, but the power went out or the game crashed or something? I recall that being a concern of mine at times back in the PS1 version.

Huh. I'm curious now, gonna have to dust off my psx copy and test.

 

[Xaero Gravity]

Woke up an hour early today before work to sit down and play. I got about 50 minutes into the game. Obviously not to my first battle, but I like how the story starts so far. My only complaint about the game is that it seems zoomed in a little too much, but I'll get used to it. I feel a little claustrophobic in some parts.

The quality of the music is top notch. I'm not worried about MIDI at all anymore because it sounds fantastic.


Biggest disappointment is the free "bonus" theme the download version came with. It doesn't even play special music, just the regular launch 3ds UI music.

That theme is fucking awful. I was hoping for a catchy DQ theme song to play in the background

 

[PSFan]

Well, I haven't played the remake yet (just bought it at lunch a few mins ago), but I remember back when the PSX version came out the length of the intro was a big gripe. I know someone who played through the intro, died in their first fight, and didn't have a save (it may have been that you couldn't save up to that point which would be even worse, but I haven't played the game in years so I don't recall), so just gave up on the game.

No random battles is absolutely a pro for me. Ever since games like Mystic Quest Legend and Chrono Trigger had visible enemies I've wanted it for all JRPGs.

If I remember correctly, the first battle was with a slime or two. I can't imagine anyone ever getting defeated by slimes.

I find random battles to be a challenge in games like DQ. I find it adds to the immersion when you are out of healing items and MP and you desperately need to get to a town before getting attacked again.

Granted there have been some games that really go overboard with the random battle encounter rates, but the DQ games were never a part of those.

 

[Arkeband]

I'm actually fighting more now than in the PS version because of the suicidal idiocy of monsters. In IX, if you were above a certain threshold, monsters would get out of your way. Not so in the remake of VII so far. Good luck getting your bearings on any map while a wave of mobs zerg rushes your face. I can't believe I'm saying this, but random battles were less frequent than these Simple Encounters are.

To me this is fine because I'm used to sprinkling holy water around my feet when using boats in every other DQ.

If anyone else has a free 3DS theme to give away, btw, I'll take one, I've never had a special 3DS theme before. :Q

 

[Elaugaufein]

So to clarify, even though the new intro feels more awkward on story and dialogue, it still feels too long?

I don’t know, I have no issues not having combat for a few hours, especially as it helps build the story of the game. I’m not in a rush getting out and getting into combat.

But I’ve noticed this in more recent years (10 or so) in gaming, where people prefer a faster pace and to grab their attention, not as patient. “Turn-based is too slow”, “random battles are irritating as I take 5 steps and I am attacked”, “Cut-scenes are too long/why is there no skip button?” etc. It's like no one has any patience anymore.

I wouldn’t care normally, but I think it has led to less RPGs that I prefer (like turn-based), so it is a bit sad to see.

But that discussion is for another thread. I am really excited for DQ VII.

Yes, admittedly I'm particularly sensitive to this because I'm not actually planning on playing this right now, just want to make sure I have Streetpass etc going for when I do start playing. Hiding the Streetpass/Spotpass/DLC stuff hours into the game is one of the most annoying things I've found about 3DS games.

And a cut down intro feeling awkward doesn't mean it isn't too long (it may mean the original script though more coherent was very poorly paced) . To put this in perspective I could have watched a feature length film before I got to the actual gameplay of this game or 2 episodes of an hour long drama (either of which would have had significantly more happen). That's one of the reasons I said puzzles may have actually helped, because it would have given me some actual meaningful interaction beyond walking around and mashing buttons at everyone / everything.

And I'm apparently still another few hours away from the Streetpass / Spotpass / Internet unlock (just finished up the Crabble rouser bit).

 

[Ohnonono]

Hopefully my local gamestop will have a copy this morning. I don't wanna have to go hunting.