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Dragon Quest 7: Fragments of the Forgotten Past |OT| Roman numerals are hard
- Thread starter Aeana
- Start date
Magicpaint
Member
This is precisely why I love the franchise. It's really one of the best cases of less is more. The little island stories pack more nuance and depth than many RPGs that meander forever with inane dialogue. It's just that getting the full picture requires actual agency.
If you can get the PS2 version for cheap go for it. Just also get the 3DS version to support the series, and it has extras!
The battles are insufferably slow iirc, but if you can handle that, I don't see why not.
I'm planning on replaying the PS2 version on an emulator after I finish VII. 2x speed in battles + high res should make exploring quite nice.
PumpkinSpice
Banned
It's worse when trying to do inventory management...
I´m definitely waiting for the 3DS port, the visual downgrade is a minor gripe compared to faster battles, additional characters and portability / sleep mode.
I re-downloaded VIII on Android because I remembered buying it for a few bucks at a sale. "This probably won´t be that bad, it´s turn-based battles and field exploration, this should be servicable!"
...just running around town was infuriating. I could barely enter the pub, with the virtual joystick making me stumble around like an idiot. Trying to manage walking around plus the low framerate made me motionsick for the first time in years.
There´s a reason most modern mobile games have ditched moving a character completely and resorted to menu tapping and auto running.
Was the UI lifted directly from the original version of the game? I wonder why it didn't get overhauled, it definitely feels kind of antiquated.
anyways, I just picked my vocations, how do they affect the kinds of equipment you can use? It seems like the stuff I could equip before choosing jobs are still usable, but I assume each job gives you access to specific types of equipment in addition to the defaults?
anyways, I just picked my vocations, how do they affect the kinds of equipment you can use? It seems like the stuff I could equip before choosing jobs are still usable, but I assume each job gives you access to specific types of equipment in addition to the defaults?
I've only played through the first island but I'm really pleased with how well done the remake is. I was also amazed how much I remembered of the game, having only played maybe ten hours deep back when it launched many years ago. Can't wait to slowly make my way through the rest of it.
Orniletter
Banned
I would wait for the 3D version. Yes, it's another 40 €/$ if you already own the PS2 version, but the 3DS version is just far better. It has more content (playable characters, a dungeon, a long new sidequest), significantly faster load times and quality of life changes like an instant alchemy pot.
The only 2 blemishes on an otherwise far superior version are presentation related (the visuals took a small hit and the OST was changed for a midi version, which works for me, because the previous recording was of really low quality).
And hey, you are supporting dragon quest in the west.
Not at all, the classes don't have any equipment restrictions. Only the characters themselves do.
Has it been confirmed the voice acting is in the western release? That was the single worst thing about the mobile version for me, just not the same without Trode and Yangus voices
OnionPowder
Member
Save file got deleted when I transferred my data to my New 3DS 
I was only like 7 hours in though, so it's not that bad I guess.
Any noticeable upgrades when playing on N3DS vs 3DS? Besides working 3D.
I was only like 7 hours in though, so it's not that bad I guess.
Any noticeable upgrades when playing on N3DS vs 3DS? Besides working 3D.
ah interesting. thanks.
Orniletter
Banned
Usually that brick wall is the final boss or something end game-ish in my experience. And I wouldn't be surprised if some of those were doable as is. There is the occasional tricky boss but most games have that pop up at some point.
Megalosaro
Banned
Monster masher.
Thief + Shephard
Save file got deleted when I transferred my data to my New 3DS
I was only like 7 hours in though, so it's not that bad I guess.
Any noticeable upgrades when playing on N3DS vs 3DS? Besides working 3D.
None. This game was released years before the n3ds was conceived
I think it's best on iPhone honestly. A slightly better framerate and the option of a big screen are the only changes, so ask yourself how you want to play the game if at all, I guess.
Save file got deleted when I transferred my data to my New 3DS
I was only like 7 hours in though, so it's not that bad I guess.
Any noticeable upgrades when playing on N3DS vs 3DS? Besides working 3D.
Oh, shit. I'm getting an N3DS later in October and I've kind of been worrying about transferring data. Did you lose any other data in any other games, and did the transfer seem to go perfectly until you saw that your DQ7 file was gone?
(I'm at 18 hours/just got back my abilities in the prison town, and I REALLY don't want to do that particular part of the game again.)
EDIT: Was your game a physical or digital copy? Mine is physical.
For most battles, the AI is really good, and in some cases better than what you'll come up with as characters focusing on healing can respond immediately after enemy attacks, and those left to attack often seem to know more about enemy weaknesses and immunities than you do.
I leave Maribel on 'don't use magic' apart from boss fights, and she's smart enough to use the salvation staff/stone for healing instead. I leave Ruff on 'show no mercy' and he happily varies between his strongest area or single attacks as appropriate, and his fire item attack against enemies weak to fire. If you haven't tried the AI yet, give it a go, it makes battles so much quicker.
Donniewahlberg
Banned
Damn haha, had no idea i had a heart in my inventory, I headed over to alltrades abbey to swap jobs and came across walking corpse hahah was like wtf!
I have a ps2 copy that I just never got around to play.
I have the iphone version and it's cancer. I'm not playing this.
I was just wondering if 3ds was worth the wait (20177) or if ps2 was worth playing. I might emulate it too if it's better.
Another thing I think makes it stand out is that not everyone is a pretty young adult, concerned with young adult things. There are parents worried about their kids, married couples cooking for each other and moaning about their other half, three generations of a family living in a village, and a mix of children, teenagers, young adults, middle-aged adults and elderly people. Leaders of villages or churches are young and old, male and female, and they are mostly far more concerned with the gossip about their small-town life and pointing you towards an inn. A larger variety of character models would help, but it makes the settlements seem alive even when only a dozen people live there, and makes their problems seem worse for having interrupted centuries of peace. I love the way most npcs in Dragon Quest care more about local festivals, fishing and farming with only a handful dropping hints about where an adventurer might find gainful employment!
Even when the plot is epic and tragic, it's still a bunch of worlds I love being an adventurer in.
Megalosaro
Banned
Yeah, this is the main reason I will buy DQVIII for 3DS despite owning the PS2 version.
Is the spells menu different from the magic menu? all i see there is the magic spells you can use outside of battle.
Sorry to be pushy about this, but I really don't want to lose my data. Does anyone know if DQ7 saves to the cartridge or the SD card?
Tribes of Trusty
Member
Second Dragon Quest I play (after VIII which I loved), this is pretty good.
The game has a share of problems (some of the interface is pretty outdated and some thing are tiresome, like saving or micro managing each character's inventory) but I don't know why I just want to keep playing. The battles aren't even that strategic.
The game has a share of problems (some of the interface is pretty outdated and some thing are tiresome, like saving or micro managing each character's inventory) but I don't know why I just want to keep playing. The battles aren't even that strategic.
Yeah, I don't get it either, but as long as people love it, that's cool. So whatever.
My 3rd play through of the game and I'm 22 hours in and have never had to grind at any point. The only thing I do that's "grindy-like," is that if I see new enemies on the screen I'll fight each of them just once, to get a feel for their strength. So if I don't have the best gear at the moment I can make a mental note to buy new gear after the next dungeon. So far all the enemies have been relatively chill. I also do it because I love the monster designs and don't want to miss any in my monster book.
Yeah, so far in the remake that's my only issue. Love everything about it so far.
That weapon never worked for me in combat, is it based on a particular stat? I tried it like 15 or so times and it landed like twice.
The charm. I highly recommend Dragon Quest Builders and the DS game Rocket Slime.
ONE OF US, ONE OF US!
D
Deleted member 125677
Unconfirmed Member
ruff ruff
RPG_Fanatic
Member
Fight the monsters in a tablet dungeon, much higher drop rate. Of course you need to get a tablet that spawns the monsters first.
I have it on cartridge and did a n3ds to n3ds transfer this weekend just gone.
It didn't affect my save. I took the cartridge out of the system when I did the transfer though
MegaManTrigger
Banned
Do I have to wait until getting monster class to acquire all intermediate/advanced vocation abilities? Or can I master them now and master the monster classes to get the sweet abilities?
KittenMaster
Member
I wasn't able to afford it during the actual part of the game (I made the mistake of going to the armor shop first), but it did land on enemies right after that part, so I assumed it would help there too.
Still, even if it turns out enemies there resist it, the Lucida Shard you can buy soon after works on them.
How is Buff not a Defensive Spell... I hate that the battle UI separates spells and abilities into three categories each. I really do not understand that design choice at all. I just got my fourth party member and so far this game is nice but pretty darn slow going. DQ8 is hands down still my favorite so far in the series. I am looking forward to battles becoming more interesting and challenging as I move forward (at least I hope they do!).
I was initially really happy about the symbol encounters, but it's not implemented well. I like the system in games like Etrian Odyssey or SMT Strange Journey where while walking around a meter builds up and then a battle starts, making them predictable in a way.
So ironically, the symbol encounters feel more random than the "battle after set number of steps" system. The DS remakes always felt like the rate was too high, but playing through Strange Journey again, I can see the benefits of random encounters - this "I know I'm in the clear for a while, oh, next battle coming up soon!"
The text-only "list of all your stuff" way of handing skills gets rather tiring, I agree. I played DQ Monsters Joker 2 recently and that game has helpful little icons that indicate the category of skill you're using, like almost every other game out there.
I really think there's a difference between being quaint and nostalgic and just being stubborn, and navigating the abilities in DQ games feels like flipping through pages on a 1990s pocket organizer - it just feels clunky and unergonomic to me.
I initially really liked the low key look, reminded me of classic computer RPGs, but once the number of skills exploded, it quickly started to annoy me. At least it has cursor memory!
Yeah, I'm 90% certain it's a cartridge save, although I'm still curious to hear from the guy who lost his save. Thanks, though! I was worried about progress loss. And yeah, good idea to take cartridges out before a system transfer.
Megalosaro
Banned
Every DQ is a great place to start, except maybe 1 or 2 which are still pretty cool. It's a very consistent series.
Common recommendations are 4, 5, 8 or even 9. But frankly you can't go wrong with any of them. VII is my personal favorite.
Please don't do that. There's no need to grind. Just explore the areas open to you. Finish the quest of the local town. Explore the dungeons. Play the game organically rather than trying to blaze through each area as quickly as possible. Playing this way, I've never needed to grind in any Dragon Quest.
GeekyDad
Member
Personally don't think it's the best introduction into the series. I'd recommend V or IX, with an edge to IX. Enjoying VII, but outside of the updated graphics, it feels pretty dated. Great game, no doubt, but it might be a bit too slow-to-get-going for a newbie to the series.
BTW, how cool is the new shop status screen in each town? You see all the stuff available there and how much it costs. Awesome!
Equally awesome are the new monster names and regional accents. I loved Maeve's Scottish brogue and I almost died the first time I encountered a woebergine. So so so good. Four hours in and I'm still grinning ear to ear.
EDIT: just saw this terrific post from redcrayon that further emphasises why this series is so great. QFT.
Equally awesome are the new monster names and regional accents. I loved Maeve's Scottish brogue and I almost died the first time I encountered a woebergine. So so so good. Four hours in and I'm still grinning ear to ear.
EDIT: just saw this terrific post from redcrayon that further emphasises why this series is so great. QFT.
I really like this game, but holy shit is there a ton of padding. Constantly having to run back and forth between the same areas to talk to the same people again, especially in the past when you can't fast travel. This game would definitely be much shorter if a lot of that stuff was removed.
I keep forgetting to use that feature but it's great when I do remember :lol
and agreed about the accents and monster names.