Dragon Quest VIII
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King | |
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Developer(s) | Level-5 |
Publisher(s) | Square Enix |
Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
Release | November 27 2004 November 15 2005 April 7 2006 |
Genre(s) | RPG |
Mode(s) | Single player |
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (Japanese language: ドラゴンクエストVIII Doragon Kuesuto VIII) is the eighth installment of the popular Dragon Quest series of role playing games from Square Enix. It was developed by Level-5, who also worked on the Dark Cloud series for the Sony PlayStation 2. Its full Japanese title is Dragon Quest VIII: Sora to Umi to Daichi to Norowareshi Himegimi (Japanese: 空と海と大地と呪われし姫君 - meaning 'Sky, Ocean, Earth and a Cursed Princess'). Yuji Horii oversaw the project, while Akira Toriyama designed the monsters and characters, and Koichi Sugiyama resumed his role as composer.
Dragon Quest VIII sports graphics similar to those of Dark Cloud 2 (Dark Chronicle in Europe) in that it has cel-shaded textures for the characters and scenery. Dragon Quest VIII's battles are not limited to a first person perspective like its predecessors. Instead, it contains some third person views as in the recent 3D Final Fantasy games but retains several key parts of the other Dragon Quest games. The first person views for attack planning, the classic attack and magic sounds, and the victory riff are all brought back from previous games.
Released for the PlayStation 2 on November 27, 2004 in Japan, Dragon Quest VIII went on to sell over three million copies within its first week, making it the fastest selling Japanese PlayStation 2 title ever.
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King was released in North America on November 15, 2005, and shipped with a playable Final Fantasy XII demo disc. Additions and changes to the North American version of Dragon Quest VIII include: voice acting, new animations, enhanced music and sound effects, additional spells and attacks, and a new menu interface. It was also the first game in the Dragon Quest series to bear the Dragon Quest name (rather than Dragon Warrior) in North America. A demo disc for Dragon Quest VIII was released in America during the fall of 2005 through certain venues, including Shonen Jump magazine.
Dragon Quest VIII will also become the first Dragon Quest game to be released in Europe in April 2006, under the title Dragon Quest: The Journey of the Cursed King. The European version will not come with a Final Fantasy XII demo.
As a nod to the game's high fantasy roots, the translation is done in British English and the voice actors for most major characters are also British. This is especially noticeable in the character of Yangus, who speaks with a Cockney accent and occasionally uses Cockney rhyming slang.
Story
Dragon Quest VIII begins when the evil jester Dhoulmagus steals a magical scepter. With this powerful scepter, he transforms the inhabitants of Trodain into thorny plants and turns the king into a monster and the princess into a horse. The hero, a young Trodain guardsman, is the only resident to remain uncursed. With the help of the cursed king and princess, he hunts Dhoulmagus, in hopes of restoring his kingdom to its former glory.
The hero is eventually joined on his quest by three companions: a feisty, exhibitionistic mage named Jessica, a scarred, inarticulate bandit named Yangus, and Angelo, a rapier-wielding Templar knight with a markedly secular love for the ladies.
Dragon Quest VIII is a very long game, typical of the series; it can take upwards of sixty hours to complete the journey, even if the player chooses to disregard the myriad secrets the game has to offer. Players can collect 115 medals scattered across the planet, which are redeemable for prizes at a mysterious castle. They can also concoct new items via the 'alchemy pot', a device which takes two (or three) items and spits out a new, improved one after a certain period of time. As is increasingly commonplace in modern RPGs (albeit, a tradition which appears to be inspired from Dragon Quest V), certain monsters can be captured and made to battle in a Monster Arena. Jessica and her ample bosom will appear in new outfits depending on her equipment.
And if players are willing to explore the extra dungeon after the game's initial closing, more surprises await...
Character attributes
Hero: Well-rounded character who can learn basic magic in addition to being one of the strongest physical fighters on the player's team. Mostly relies on Abilities and attacking, with a few basic Spells. His boomerangs hit all enemies.
- Equips: Swords, Spears, Boomerangs, Fisticuffs
- Special Attribute: Courage
Yangus: Incredible physical fighter. Has the highest HP and the lowest MP and is generally terrible at magic, though he can learn a few support spells like Share Magic. Mostly relies on physical attacking and defense.
Jessica: Low physical power and HP is more than made up for in high magical ability and MP. While Jessica doesn't learn many support or curative spells, she is the best practitioner of offensive magic on the party. Her whips hit multiple enemies in a group.
- Equips: Knives, (*Swords after Skill is learned), Whips, Staves, Fisticuffs
- Special Attribute: Sex Appeal (To charm her enemies so instead of fighting, the enemies admire her.)
Angelo: Average fighter despite his low HP. While never as strong physically as the Hero or Yangus and never as strong magically as Jessica, he does have several Spells and Abilities that induce status and other debilitating effects on the enemy, in addition to providing average damage. In other words, he mostly relies on tactics rather than brute force to win. Despite his fighting ability, he is also a powerful practitioner of defensive (or healing) magic.
- Equips: Swords (mostly rapiers), Bows, Staves, Fisticuffs
- Special Attribute: Charisma (basically the male equivalent to Jessica's Sex Appeal)
Character bios
Hero
Template:Spoiler The Hero (the player gets to choose his name at the beginning) was originally a house servant, but he managed to become a royal guard with some attention from Princess Medea. When Dhoulmagus attacked the castle and placed a curse on it, he was the only one (besides King Trode and Princess Medea) to escape the vine-covered castle, and the only one not cursed at all. He is very kind-hearted and is willing to go out the way for people he just met. King Trode once called the Hero "always lucky."
His origin is half-human, half Dragovian. He was born to a human father and a Dragovian mother. Twenty years ago, Xia, the mother, decided to visit the human world. There, she met an Argonian Prince named Eltrio, the father. It was love at first sight. Chen Mui, the Hero's grandfather, thought it was right to break the couple apart, but it only brought them sadness and pain. Chen Mui brought his daughter back to the Dragovian Sanctuary.
On the way home, they saw a human body. It was Eltrio, who fought desperately to see his love again, but died before reaching the Sanctuary gates. Xia was saddened to her very soul. She also lost the will to live because her love died. One day, she realized she was pregnant with the Hero. All of the Dragovians disagreed. But Xia decided to keep the baby. Xia delivered a healthy baby boy, but then she died shortly thereafter.
Several years later, he Council of Elders decided what to do with the baby. The Hero's memories would be sealed away, and he would be banished from the Sanctuary forever. His grandfather disagreed with the closed-minded decision, but they refused to reverse it. The Lord of the Dragovians used his power to seal away the child's memories.
Curse attacks and cursed equipment have no effect on the Hero, because the spell the Lord of the Dragovians used to seal away his memories, was a form of curse itself, strong enough to ward off other kinds of curses.
Yangus
A former bandit from Pickham, Yangus grew tired of living as a thief in his home town and decided to leave and start clean. However, due to his rough accent and appearance he was always considered a bandit or a thief wherever he went. He then decided to pillage people by extorting a toll from those trying to cross the Trodain-Faraway bridge; he did this until he met the Hero and King Trode. The two refused to pay him and Yangus attacked them, but he hit the bridge and fell through the hole he created. When the bridge collapsed, Yangus was clinging on for dear life, with King Trode deciding to leave him there. The Hero, however, couldn't just leave him there to die, so he pulled him up, saving Yangus' life. Yangus was so grateful that he swore to follow the Hero for the rest of his days and then nicknamed him the "Guvner" or just "Guv."
Back in Yangus' thievery days, he promised a love interest (Red) a jewel named the Venus Tear. He suffered injuries or more specifically, face injuries on his quest to obtain it in the Swordman's Labyrinth.
His catchphrase is "COR BLIMEY!" He tends to use words that he is unable to say properly in order to sound smarter such as "spefic" and "assisitation." A spinoff has been announced featuring Yangus as a child.
Jessica
A magical girl coming from a noble family in a small town, Jessica's line has been known to wield magic. Her older brother, Alistair was famous for being a skilled swordsman and talented magic user, but died while investigating the open door to the usually locked tower nearby, killed by Dhoulmagus upon his arrival.
When news came of Alistair's death, her family tradition was to mourn in silence and not to leave the mansion, but Jessica ignored her mother's wishes and went to the tower to find the killer. When she learned that he was killed by Dhoulmagus, she again argued with her mother when she wanted to hunt him down. Her mother refused to let her leave, but Jessica said she was going anyway. Upon hearing this, her mother excommunicated her from her family, and told her to leave immediately. She packed her things and then left for the docks hoping to catch up with Dhoulmagus and kill him.
After finally crossing over on the ferry she asks the Hero and his group if she could join them, since their goals were the same. Jessica is also supposedly enganged to Lorenzo of Argonia, the son of King Clavius' chancellor.
After Dhoulmagus's death she picked the scepter and was possessed by it. The rest of the party with the help of Dominico managed to stop her and lift Rapthorne's control from her, but when they realized the scepter's true nature, it was too late. Dominico's dog Sir Leopold was possessed by it, allowing Rapthorne to continue his plan.
Angelo
Angelo is a templar in Maella Abbey's templar knights. His duties are to uphold the order of the Goddess, live a sin free life, and protect the Abbot; but he is actually a playboy, a cheat, and a womanizer all rolled into one. He is mocked by other templars as a disgrace for his sinful life, and is especially berated by the commander of the templars, Marcello.
His family was actually quite wealthy, but his father was a womanizer and a horrible gambler, and when he died, his mansion and possessions were taken to pay off the debt. Angelo had no place to go but to the Abbey, known for caring for orphans and others who had no place else to go.
During his latest stir over a brawl in Simpleton, Marcello (who is also his half brother) put him on suspension of his duties and declared that he could not leave the Abbey under any circumstances. However, when Dhoulmagus came requesting an audience with Abbot, Angelo sensed a dark presence, and asked for the Hero's group to rescue the Abbot. Despite their assistance, however, the Abbot was killed. Marcello then assumed the role of new abbot and ordered Angelo to search for Dhoulmagus by joining the Hero's party.
Munchie/Chen Mui
During the hero's whole life, he was by his side as his pet mouse, but after the party's first victory against The Lord of the Dragovians, he revals himself as Chen Mui, his Dragovian grandfather, and asks his forgiveness to causing, although unintended, so much suffering to him and his parents. In the occasion, he also gives him his father's Argon ring, an item that proves the Hero's noble origin, allowing the real ending sequence of the game, available after Rapthorne's final defeat.
After Xia's death, Chen Mui realized that the boy was the only link to his daughter, and after the Council of Elders's decided to exile the Hero from the Dragovian Sanctuary, he begged to also leave in order to watch over him. The Lord of the Dragovians agreed, but only if he transformed himself into a mouse. So, Chen Mui transformed himself into a mouse, and chased after the boy as quickly as he could. Munchie's name is Chen Mui with mixed letters.
There is a variety of cheeses to find or create using the alchemy pot through the game, that used as items allow Munchie to help in the party's battles. Each kind of cheese has its own properties, like making Munchie perform diverse elemental attacks, increasing the party's stats, or even healing their wounds. Also, in some parts of the game, some puzzles can be only be resolved with his help, because due to his small size, he can pass through little holes and reach places that are inacessible to the rest of the party.
King Trode
King Trode is the King of Trodain. His family has been guarding the magical scepter for centuries. When Dhoulmagus managed to steal it, he and his daughter were cursed by a spell, transforming the king into a troll and the princess into a horse. Although he is stripped of his power as king, he still orders, acts, and behaves like any other king.
Princess Medea
When Dhoulmagus stole the scepter kept in Trodain castle, he cursed the princess by turning her into a horse. Being one of only three survivors, she left with her father and the Hero to try and break the curse, but because of her current state, Medea was reduced to pulling the cart with their supplies.
Since the others know of her condition, no one burdens her by riding in the cart, save for Trode who drives it. Eventually a mystical spring is discovered which breaks curses, and by drinking from it she is able to return briefly to human form. She also developes the ability to communicate telepathically with the Hero, but only when both of them are sleeping. Despite she is engaged to Prince Charmles of Argonia, who is sometimes known as "Charmless", she harbors strong feelings for the Hero, who was also her childhood friend.
Dhoulmagus
Dhoulmagus is a power-hungry jester that wanted the power of the sceptre. He stole the sceptre, cursed Medea and Trode, and covered Trodain Castle in thorns. Posessed by Rapthorne, he had killed his first four victims: His master Rylus, Alistair, Abbot Francisco, and Golding (the casino owner). The Hero and party defeated him after a long chase, and for a while they thought their ordeals were finally over, until they discover he wasn't the true enemy.
Marcello
Angelo's half brother, he was born from an affair between their father and a maid of his. When Angelo was born, his father had cast away both mother and son from his home. After her mother died, Marcello was adopted by Abbot Francisco. He was a kind and gentle boy with everyone in Maella Abbey, including Angelo, until he discovered his true identity.
Marcello dispises Angelo because he thinks if he hadn't born, their father would never had estranded him and her mother, and he would never had suffered any of his ordeals. As Angelo's superior in the order of templars, he doesn't miss any opportunity to make his life miserable. Marcello's dream is to climb to the top in the religion's hierarchy, to prove the world that even a bastard child like him could become an important person by his own effort.
Later in the game, Marcello rise to become the leader of the Lord High Priest's personal guard. After the Lord High Priest was killed by Sir Leopold, he blamed High Priest Rolo and the party for it and sent them to Purgatory Island. Marcello picked up the scepter that Leopold dropped, and surprisingly his will was strong enough to use the power of the scepter, without being contolled by it. During his ceremony to become the following Lord High Priest in Neos, the party confronted him trying to retrive the scepter, but after his defeat, Marcello was too weak to contain Rapthorne's power, and was possessed by it. The possessed Marcello flew up and destroyed the Goddess statue, unleashing the Black Citadel and Rhapthorne's physical form. Marcello was hanging off a ledge, wanting to die, when Angelo saved him. After throwing away his Templar Captain's ring, and walked off, to parts unknown.
The Ancients
The "Ancients" are a select few NPCs and mystical objects in the vast world of Dragon Quest VIII. They include Ishmahri (a mysterious man who lives in another dimension known as Moonshadow), the Moonshadow Harp, the Ancient Ocean, the ship acquired by the heroes, the Godbird Sceptre, the sceptre that Rhapthorne was sealed in, and the Goddess (worshipped by most of the world's population). Little is known about them, other than that their kind was sealed away because of their immense power...
The Seven Sages
The seven sages are the seven people who helped Empyrea seal away Rhapthorne into the Godbird Sceptre. The descendants names were Master Rylus of Farebury, Alastair of Alexandria, Abbot Francisco of Maella Abbey, Mr.Golding of Baccarat, David of Tryan Gully, Marta of the Orkutsk area, and the Lord High Priest of Savella.
Kupas: Sage of the Green orb. He became friends with an elf girl and a Gigantes after he found them unconsious on the side of a road. He died before the elf and gigantes and asked them to carry out his dying wish of creating a place where monsters, humans, and elves alike all lived together in peace. His motives were to never let anyone forget how Rhapthorne terrorized the world. The elf and Gigantes looked after his descendants. Kupas' grandson's grandson is David of Tryan Gully. Kupas gave his powers to Dominico of Arcadias family. Dominico and David were inexplicably drawn together. David travelled from Tryan Gully all the way to Arcadia and collapsed. Dominico took him in as his servant unaware of his responsibility to protect him from Rhapthorne. David was killed by Sir Leopold near his cage.
Golding: Sage of the Yellow orb. He was a very able fighter who came back to life after dying to help seal away Rhapthorne. Mr. Golding is most likely Golding's Grandson's son. Mr. Golding was also an able fighter who took down a troll with his bare hands. He was the owner of the casino until he was murdered. His adopted children, Cash and Carrie closed the casino after he died. They began their long fight over who would inherit the casino and his money. During a later part of the game, one of the two use the Hero and friends as bodyguards while the other had to choose from the mansions staff. At the Dragon Graveyard, Cash and Carrie both become the inheritants of Goldings casino and money. Mr. Golding was killed by Dhoulmagus behind his upstairs couch.
Alexander: Sage of the Blue orb. He was skilled in Sword fighting and Magic. His Sword fighting was apparently passed down to Alistair and his Magic to Jessica. Alexander married into the Albert family. Alexandria made a statue of herself in the East tower using the Kran Spinels, a jewel used by Dominico to create a powerful barrier, as eyes. The statue is also capable of holding souls for a small length of time, as well as reinacting scenes taken place in the eyes of the statue. Alexandria speaks to the party on their quest for the Kran Spinels. A holy holiday is held every year where everyone in Alexandria make their way to the East Tower free from all monsters to pray to the statue. The entrance to the East tower has a secret to it that all Alexandrians know. Alistair is Alexandria's Granddaughter's Grandson. Alistair was a self acclaimed protector of Alexandria and the East Tower. He saw that one day the door to the Eastern Tower was left open. He went in to find out what was going on. He was killed by Dhoulmagus in the top floor of the Eastern Tower.
Eagus: Sage of the Gold orb. He was the youngest of all sages at an age of six. He foretold Rhapthornes return. He also addresses the party after they break through the barrier guarding Rhapthorne. His descendant is Abbot Fransisco of Maella Abbey, a childhood friend of the Lord High Priests, and the one who raised Marcello and Angelo, afer they lost their families. Abbot Fransisco was murdered on the second floor of his living quarters by Dhoulmagus.
The Lord of the Dragovians
The most powerful member of the Dragovian tribe. After the events involving the Hero's mother and father, he thought that humans and Dragovians could never coexist, and thus he cast a spell in himself in order to remain forever in is dragon form, but this made him lose control over his mind and thus he started to attack his own people.
Just when the remaning Dragovians were about to lose hope, because none of them could be able to stop their Lord, the party arrives in the Dragovian Sanctuary, and Chen Mui asks them for help.
After the party's first victory against him, the Lord of the Dragovians returns to his senses. Amazed and ashamed by the fact the same boy he and his people had estranded, had saved his tribe from certain doom, he allows them to perform the Dragovian Trials. A series of battles against him in dragon form, where each victory allows acess to one of the Dragovian treasures, six rare prizes available nowhere else. After each defeat, in the following battle the Lord of the Dragovians morphs into an even stronger dragon, to the point of revealing himself an opponent even more challenging than any other in the game, including Rapthorne himself. Template:Endspoiler
Soundtrack
As with every Dragon Quest, Koichi Sugiyama composed the music and directed all the associated spinoffs. Here is the tracklisting for the symphonic suite:
Disc One
- Overture (1:58)
- Travelling with Wagon (1:58)
- Peaceful Town ~ Quiet Village ~ Alchemy Pot (5:38)
- Strange World ~ Marching Through the Fields (4:24)
- Chatting (2:45)
- Cold and Gloomy ~ In the Dungeon Depths (3:22)
- Healing Power of the Psalms ~ Friar’s Determination (4:07)
- Over the Sorrow ~ Hurry! We Are in Danger (5:17)
- Mysterious Tower (4:29) - Played in Eastern Tower, Heavenly Dais, Rydon's Tower, etc.
- Reminiscence ~ Go Topo Go!! (3:05) ~ When you control Munchie
- War Cry ~ Defeat the Enemy (3:45)
Disc Two
- Remembrances... (5:53)
- Majestic Castle ~ Gavotte de Château ~ Majestic Castle (3:12)
- Poet’s World (2:02) - Played in the Moonshadow World
- Memories of an Ancient Ocean (4:17) - Played while travelling by Boat
- Stalked by Fear (1:27)
- Ruins of Darkness (1:55) - Played in the Dark Ruins and World of Darkness
- Sanctuary (3:05)
- Heavenly Flight (2:51) - Played while travelling by the Godbird Soulstone
- Nearing Our Destiny (3:40) - Played in the Black Citadel
- Dhoulmagus ~ Great Battle in the Vast Sky (7:11)
- Battle in the Heavens (4:34) - Played in the final battle against Rhapthorne
- Sky, Ocean and Earth (6:18) - Played at the Ending Credits
Trivia
- Several characters from previous Dragon Quest games make a guest appearance, among which are Ragnar and Torneko from Dragon Quest IV and the legendary bird Ramia/Lamia from Dragon Quest III.
- The character Red's wardrobe is almost identical to the wardrobe of Aira from Dragon Quest VII.
- The Hero in "Super High Tension" looks like a purple-haired Super Saiyan in the US version.
Reviews
The US release of Dragon Quest VIII has received generally positive critical reviews.
- Gamespot.com: 9 out of 10
- IGN.com: 9 out of 10
The Japanese release received a 39 out of 40 from Weekly Famitsu, known for its incredibly harsh and biting reviews.
Cast
English
Note: There is no voice acting in the Japanese version of Dragon Quest VIII.
- Yangus: Ricky Grover
- Jessica: Emma Ferguson
- Angelo: Blake Riston
- King Trode: Jon Glover
- Princess Medea: Victoria Shalet
- Marcello: Josh Cohen
- Prince Charmles: Richard Pearce
- Empyrea/Ramia: Jessica Martin
- Rhapthorne: Jonathan Keeble
External links
- Official Dragon Quest VIII North American website
- Official Dragon Quest VIII Website in Japan
- Official Dragon Quest: The Journey of the Cursed King European website
- IGN page
- DragonQuest8.Org An Unofficial Guide to DQ8
- Official Dragon Quest VIII Fan Website
- Unofficial Dragon Quest Series Fan Website
- Dragon Quest VIII at MobyGames