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Dragon Quest VIII Demos out
- Thread starter ManaByte
- Start date
Red Scarlet
Member
djtiesto said:
Yeah, pretty much the first chest you'll see in dungeons is the one with the map.
Ring 2 over the demo you were freaking out to find?
Of All Trades said:
You've got to be kidding me. First of, Chrono Trigger is overrated. Second, I prefer being able to see enemies on the screen before attacking them too, but Chrono Trigger probably does it the worst out of all of the RPGs that do it. Why? Because you fight the same goddamn enemy parties in the exact same locations every time. The lack of randomness killed a significant portion of the fun for me in that game.
If you're going to have visible monsters, at least freakin RANDOMIZE them. I don't want to go into the same dungeon room and see the same enemies in the exact same spots every time.
And how the hell are random battles a crutch for lazy/inept designers? You'd have to be retarded to not understand the benefits of having random battles. If battles are random, then you can fight the ultra rare monsters that might show up with only a 0.05% chance, or you can have something like the Veldt from FF6. If you ask me, fighting predefined monsters every time is the very essence of laziness and utter ineptitude.
So clearly random battles > Chrono Trigger's predefined battles.
I beat the demo yeseterday before the Revolution controller was unveiled. I put well over 3.5 hours into the story mode and about an hour and a half just finding various enemies and trying out all of the abilities in battle mode. The music is brilliant and definitely has that DQ feel to it. Like tiesto said, the sound effects are different, but they're not bad at all. The VA was alright. I read the lines quicker than the voices pronounced them but I still kept listening just to get a feel for the character's voices. Some of the writing is hillarious though. Especially Geyzer's lines. Brystal Call. Hilarious. :lol
The demo's great. Definitely one of the better put together demos I have played. Really gives you a feel for how the final game is going to progress. Coming out around Thanksgiving and the Slime controller is set to ship 2 weeks before the game according to Gamestop. Seems like the stores are only getting a few a piece.
Best part of the demo though was the message you get after finishing the story mode.
Brilliant.
The demo's great. Definitely one of the better put together demos I have played. Really gives you a feel for how the final game is going to progress. Coming out around Thanksgiving and the Slime controller is set to ship 2 weeks before the game according to Gamestop. Seems like the stores are only getting a few a piece.
Best part of the demo though was the message you get after finishing the story mode.
"The development team is psyching up to win the release date battle."
Red Scarlet said:Yeah, pretty much the first chest you'll see in dungeons is the one with the map.
Ring 2 over the demo you were freaking out to find?
Ahhh, a little disappointing, but I'll live. Personally, I like the auto map feature in Star Ocean 3 a whole lot, over a map that spoils the dungeon for you completely.
DQ8 is gonna be my GOTY easily.
chaostrophy
Member
Ironclad_Ninja said:
AFAIK you've got it backwards...Enix USA originally came up with Dragon Warrior because they didn't own the US rights to the name Dragon Quest, but SE has the name rights to Quest now, so they're using the original name rather than the substitute.
Red Scarlet
Member
TSR or some other Dungeons and Dragons thing had the name 'Dragon Quest' patented for some game here. Since the rights finally ran out (the franchise the D&D guys used the name for was dead and they didn't want to repurchase the rights to the name), S-E bought the rights when they ran out. IoW, what chaos said.
The overworld makes up for dungeons, to me anyway. Not every dungeon has a map, but most of them do. The dungeons themselves aren't really that great, though.
The overworld makes up for dungeons, to me anyway. Not every dungeon has a map, but most of them do. The dungeons themselves aren't really that great, though.
Finished the story mode. Fun combat, lovely graphics, tranquil (though boring) music, excellent overworld, crappy first dungeon.
I liked that they kept some of the jingles intact, but I hated the redone enemy, skill, and spell names, and dropping the classic magic casting and critical hit chimes were significant blows.
I liked that they kept some of the jingles intact, but I hated the redone enemy, skill, and spell names, and dropping the classic magic casting and critical hit chimes were significant blows.
Comfort_Eagle
Banned
I still really want this game! Oh how Dragon Quest is close to my early gaming heart.
Korranator
Member
My local Gamestop was clueless. 
Red Scarlet said:
All right, here we go. To others: POSSIBLE ABUNDANT SPOILERS AHEAD. I'm not going to spoiler-tag this whole post.
Battle Mode: Challenge a myriad of monsters on the wide open battlefield!
You begin with four (don't know if the main game has more) characters.
Eight (hero): Level 15, HP 124, MP 47, Steel broadsword, Bronze armour, Scale shield, Turban, Edged boomerang, Medicinal herb.
Field Magic: Miniheal (30 HP single ally), Squelch (single ally antidote), Evac (Exit).
Battle Spells: Miniheal, Sizz (fire single enemy), Squelch.
Battle Abilities: Dragon Slash, Flame Slash, Metal Slash, Crosscutter Throw.
Traits: Sword Attack +10, Boomerang Attack +5.
Yangus: Level 15, HP 131, MP 20, Chain mail, Turban.
Field Magic: Miniheal, Nose for Treasure, Padfoot, Whistle.
Battle Spells: Miniheal.
Battle Abilities: Knuckle Sandwich, Thin Air, Warcry.
Traits: Fisticuffs Attack +20, Agility +10, Fisticuffs critical hit probability increases!.
Angelo: Level 15, HP 76, MP 50, Short bow, Templar's uniform, Templar's shield, Templar's ring.
Field Magic: Miniheal, Mediheal (75 HP single ally), Zoom (Return).
Battle Spells: Miniheal, Mediheal, Woosh (like Infernos), Tingle, Buff (single defense +), Kabuff (party defense +).
Battle Abilities: Sandman's Arrow.
Traits: Nothing.
Jessica: Level 15, HP 65, MP 62, Thorn whip, Silk robe, Scale shield, Hairband.
Field Magic: Evac.
Battle Spells: Frizz (fire, single enemy), Sap (single enemy defense -), Sizz (fire multiple enemy), Kasap (multiple enemy defense -), Crack (ice single enemy), Snooze(enemy group sleep), Bang, Accelerate (party agility +).
Battle Abilities: Whiplash, Twin Dragon Lash, Blow Kiss.
Traits: Whip Attack +10.
The Bag has nothing but the World Map in it. You begin pretty much smack dab in the center of the large, southeastern continent, facing southeast. There is a small cottage behind you with an elderly couple inside, who basically say nothing. There is a silk robe, and a mini-medal (tiny medal) for the taking. There is also a cat outside the door that says "Purr-purr-purrplexing!" Behind the cottage, a small cliffside trail leads to a chest, but it's locked.
From the starting point, you can turn left and cross a bridge, there is a sanctuary right on the other side of it, on the right side of the path. Talking to the cow standing outside will net you a bottle of fresh milk (Zelda!). A seed of magic is in a wardrobe inside, and the priest and a young lady are standing there. The lady basically acts as an inn, the priest offers the usual services, with the exception of Confession (save), since this is the demo. It is in the list, but is grayed out.
A sign outside the church points to the right, saying "Beyond here lies the kingdom of Ascantha." You run into a few more cows along this path, each one gives you another bottle of fresh milk. When you try to enter the castle, the demo tells you "You cannot proceed beyond this point in this demo! Please turn back and continue to explore the battlefield" so you end up right back outside the castle again. A hidden chest back behind the castle contained 154 gold.
There is a lakeside cabin "for travelers on their way to Ascantha and Pickham to have a rest" with a horse standing outside, but the door is locked.
I also came across a neat-looking red and green stony, vine-covered building in the southeastern corner of the island, but it was locked at night.
When you try to enter Pickham, Maella Abbey, Simpleton, and a random cavern, you get the same message as when trying to enter Ascantha, and get turned back.
Here are the enemies I encountered while in the field:
Bag o' laughs (looks like Trickbag)
Puppeteer (small, hooded gray guy holding a puppet in each hand, makes the party laugh so they can't always take their turn)
Pan piper (small guy with ram horns, attacks by blowing a horn)
Brownie (small mole with hammer)
Winky (blue, two legged, two armed large eyeball)
Slime knight (small knight riding a slime)
Kisser (like Lipsy)
Mummy boy (just like Mummies in the older games)
Healslime (healer)
Night sneaker (a small, one-eyed, two-armed greenish ghost inside a metal boot)
Treeface (looks like the large, evil tree enemies in older games-forget the name)
Scorpion (basically identical to ones in first DW)
Hell hornet (small, green-eyed, with large stinger, hovers)
Jum (small blue guy in a pink and grey robe, carries a large sword)
She-slime (reddish-orange slime)
Little Nipper (pink crawfish-looking enemy, roaming the beach-visible on the overworld map)(get a copper monster coin from him)
Clockwork cuckoo (blue and white mechanical bird)
Minidemon (just like in the old games)
Gorerilla (small ape with a large wooden club)
Hood (bulging, hooded guy with a large axe)
Paprikan (red bell pepper and yellow bell pepper held together by a skewer)
Headhunter (bad memories of DWII arising...)
Chimaera (wyvern)
Night fox (fencer, feathered hat and baggy pants)
Diemon (large, blue standing demon with pink wings)
Fat bat (blue, hovering bat)
Drackyma (yellow Drakee)
Jargon (fat yellow lizard, holding a brown jar on his side)
Spiked hare (purple, single-horned rabbit)
Root of evil (evil tree, visible on overworld map)(got a copper monster coin)
Chainine (armored dog, holding a "spiked collar" in each hand, connected to his armor by chains)
Lump mage (yellow goo holding wooden staff in right hand)
Giant moth (self-explanatory)
Bullfinch (bull with a beak)
Hollow Knight (just likethe knights in the old games)(copper monster coin)
Dingaling (large, golden floating bell)
There are bound to be a few others, but these are the ones I encountered after 2.5 hours of play. Also, I feel the encounter rate is just right.
I found quite a few other locked chests scattered around the overworld map. The map is really well-designed, as well. Hills, narrow ledge trails, and inclines are everywhere, and really encourage you to get off the beaten path, and check out every seemingly inconspicuous area to look for chests.
Something interesting-upon approaching Simpleton, the sign reads "WelcoMe, pilGRims? You arE nOw enteriNG SImpLeTOn!" I guess that's some sort of secret message with certain letters capitalized, but you couldn't enter Simpleton anyway, so that'll have to wait.
In short, this is a rather comprehensive demo, and definitely worth a pre-order. It's large, but in proportion to the final game's size, I think that's only fair. This RPG is like a breath of fresh air for the PS2, IMO. Can't wait until November!
Red Scarlet
Member
Very cool. I think I could figure out what everything was that you described (monsters/spells/abils). I might actually be able to get the demo this week, depending on if the mall has it or not. In November, it's gonna be hard if people ask for help and I'm not at that point in the game, town names are almost all different (except Askanta/Maiera) so far, so hopefully I'll be able to learn them fast.
Many thanks to AoE, you rock. Winky is the 'Giant Eyeball' monster from 4.
Also, you may not (or may) want to play the story mode too much, as *game position spoiler*
.
Many thanks to AoE, you rock. Winky is the 'Giant Eyeball' monster from 4.
Also, you may not (or may) want to play the story mode too much, as *game position spoiler*
it's the very start of the game that you play
What's funny is, that going by the demo, only the presentation was kicked up a notch and modernized. Oh, I suppose the menu a bit too, but honestly, I found the new menu much slower and more cumbersome than the old text based menus. Really, it seems like the substance of the game hasn't been modernized much at all.
Red Scarlet
Member
About time.. 
Was it a
that did this? They can sometimes go straight to Super High Tension.
Thank you for your post, Himu. Although I am disappointed that you are gonna wait on getting it.
Himuro said:
Was it a
Brownie (little executioner looking thing with a hammer)
Thank you for your post, Himu. Although I am disappointed that you are gonna wait on getting it.
Picked up the demo earlier today. I've only tried the Story side of things so far but I'm liking it. Great graphics/interface, snappy battles, relatively slow encounter rate; it's good stuff. I even like the voice acting. It's kind of cheesy but it helps move the cut scenes along IMO. One question though: is anybody else noticing a high pitched hiss that happens during the voice acting? It's very annoying.
Greenpanda
Banned
Looking forward to playing the full version! I didn't pick up the demo because I'm already interested but I'm sure I'll get the final release.
but I'm sure I'll get the final release.DarknessTear
Banned
I don't know if this has been mentioned in the thread yet or not but can you turn the voice acting off?
Doom_Bringer
Banned
Is this demo available in Canada?
Red Scarlet
Member
Dunno about the demo, but in the regular game you supposedly will be able to turn off voice acting.
Dunno, DB. :/
Dunno, DB. :/
Red Scarlet
Member
Yes.
How'd DQ3 go?
How'd DQ3 go?
Red Scarlet
Member
Not good, I guess.
Well, I got the demo a bit ago..let's check this thing out.
Random VA (Yurima/Valentina, then Karlkahsdshka or something, then Trode at the end).
http://www.metroid2002.com/redscarlet/random.mp3
I'll get Yangus later (he's scottish or Irish or something).
Y'all missed the first chest and visible monster in the game though. wtf guys?!
Well, I got the demo a bit ago..let's check this thing out.
Random VA (Yurima/Valentina, then Karlkahsdshka or something, then Trode at the end).
http://www.metroid2002.com/redscarlet/random.mp3
I'll get Yangus later (he's scottish or Irish or something).
Y'all missed the first chest and visible monster in the game though. wtf guys?!
aparisi2274
Member
Hey is there anyway to save in this Demo??? I am going for that crystal ball and I need to get to sleep? I mean is the demo just getting the crystal ball and thats it? can someone let me know... if it is, I will just redo the demo another time when I have some time to play...
Someone let me know, cause when I go to the church to save, the save option is shaded...
Someone let me know, cause when I go to the church to save, the save option is shaded...
Red Scarlet
Member
Yes, story mode ends after you retrieve the Crystal Ball.
Neat, teiresias.
Neat, teiresias.
Red Scarlet
Member
That's what I said, douche.
Red Scarlet
Member
Yes, after you retrieve it for aslkdfhaslkdf guy. That's when the demo ends. Giving asdlrusdrisda the Crystal Ball is the end of the demo (story mode).
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