I NEED this game to be remastered on modern consoles! This is one of my favourite all time games and I think a remaster of it would still sell so well as it has so many fans!
The original Final Fantasy 1 for NES did the same for me... it shaped how I would see, and play video games for the rest of my life. My main rule that FF1 left me with.. show us the different weapons and attack animations!
I think the important thing to note about the censorship in the 3DS version is that it was NOT done just for the English version, the Japanese version has the same changes because there have been changes to how games are rated
Square-Enix wanted to keep the game's age rating low in Japan, and due to CERO becoming very strict over time with ratings, they had to censor some of the game's more graphic content and racier outfits for female characters to lower the age rating thanks to CERO. CERO is to blame for this and not Square-Enix, since the latter wanted the game to be more accessible to players of all ages, so to satisfy CERO, they had to change things to lower the rating. Masahiro Sakurai once stated in an interview regarding Smash for Wii U and 3DS that things are like this. He even made a comparison where the ESRB first asks if there's any firearms in the game where as CERO first asks "can you show me all of the female characters upside down?" It's a sad state, but that's how CERO is. Far more strict than the ESRB, which is surprising to say the least.
Dragon Quest VIII is my favorite video game of all time. Growing up, the game was practically my third parent for how often I watched my dad/brother/uncle play it. I remember that when I was little, I would always be scared of the boss fights when I played. It was the first video game I ever played and it served as a gateway to the rest of the series. I'm an adult now and I consider the cast of DQ VIII as part of my family. It will always have a place in my heart
The most memorable thing for me about this game is how Trode appears in the menu to give some flavour text depending of your actions and story progression. 2019 was the year I finish this game, and it was an occasion while I was playing that I had to stop for a moment mid playthrough to help my mom with some things and paused the game. When I came back Trode was complaining that I left the PS3 on for too long and he was really heated lmfao
I just started Dragon Quest VIII and did not plan on having the entire game spoiled for me but hey this video was too well made and greatly detailed, I couldn't stop myself. 😂
I'm really glad I watched this video. There's so many things that I missed in my playthrough of VIII that I didn't know you could do. For example, Munchie being able to attack in battle. There are still sidequests I never completed, and the logo being Medea was another thing I never noticed. Really great video Sack.
This is one of the greatest games of all time. I recently bought a PS2 along with this game again with the strategy guide just to do everything I didn't do as a kid lol..Almost 20 yrs later this game will always have a special place in my heart.
This game man.....its something special. Not only it was the most ambitious DQ game at its time, but also was the first title to actually realize the experience usually told in the manuals and box art perfectly into game-form; it pushed everything the series is known and loved for to an extreme; the models finally look 1:1 to Toriyama's style, the world looks just as enticing to jump and explore as it is on the trailers and artworks cause of the jump to 3D and the atmosphere of its solid art direction, music-wise, it was one of Sugiyama's greatest hits, full orchestral music for DQ back then was something crazy to see, I believe DQVIII is Toriyama's true vision for the series; how the world and NPCs interacts with you on a deeper level with changing dialogue depending on your actions and time of day conversations containing either juicy info or interesting knowledge to keep with moving on, how there is technically "no side quests" in hindsight, as there isn't any indicators or markers of the former, but instead hidden so you can find them on your own and the design for these quests was made to engage you with the characters to start thinking more in non-linear fashion to approach the upcoming adventures, its so well done, truly how a regular adventure works in stories and mangas. Definitely my favorite game of the series, and one of my personal fav games of all time. A wonderful lightning in a bottle type fairy tale, no DQ managed to perfect the adventuring aspect as VIII did.
I Grew Up With DQ8 Playing It With My Dad, We Explored The Entire Map Multiple Times Beaten The Game Numerous Times Throughout My Childhood And Is One Of The Reasons Me And My Dad Are So Close Nowadays, I'll Never Forget This Amazing Game For The Many Memories I Have It To Thank For
Hey Sackchief, I know this video is a year old, and I'm not sure if you check comments here anymore, but the mobile version for Android is absolutely fantastic now. I'm not sure if you heard, but a VERY dedicated fan overhauled the entire game with a Remaster mod. He brought back ALL the voices, including an option to switch to the 3DS dub for those who prefer it. The full orchestral suite is back as well. He also redid ALL of the textures in full HD, and they look very sharp. He also made a number of other quality life & balancing changes on his own. One thing I really like, even if some may argue about it ruining the difficulty, is that he turned on auto-saving after every battle. One of the coolest things is he actually fixed the poor framerate, and you can play it up to 60fps now if you so desire. It runs and looks beautifully. He's looking at adding more playable characters now, such as Marcello, who he already added. Updates aren't super frequent, but are fairly sizeable as he releases them. I implore you to check it out. If you like it enough, maybe make a video on it to spread awareness?
I always build up Jessica with staves. She gets so many great perks with that. Her spell damage goes up, her MP boosts like crazy, she gets a free group heal ability which is a LIFESAVER in boss fights. I think she even gets one where she automatically recovers a couple MP every round.
I just recently beat this game and found myself rewatching this video. I just want to mention how great this video is. I mean, yeah, the game is too, but damn. Great work on this video, man!
Also a nice little bit of character development. When you fight the lord of the dragovians if everyone uses only the fisticuffs, he asks your party if he really looks that non-threatening to you and then calls your party arrogant. Also with Jessica, they added in two very specific cutscenes for her in the 3DS version to show that she was falling in love with Eight throughout their journey. Eight is even gifted with her brothers armor after the second special cutscene. So it did not come out of nowhere, but rather built up if you chose to pursue the hints
It STILL looks good, especially on PS2 emulators that can soup up the visual settings. I think the cel shading is why it aged so much better than other PS2 games.
DQ8 and FF12 together cemented in my mind that a game world functions best when it shows it could feasibly exist in such a world. Houses for people to live in, farmland to feed them, rivers to keep them alive ... every bit of it is crucial to the overall experience. DQ8 may have been the first to use somewhat ridiculous spell names (the same ones we still have now) but the move from top-down 2D to full-on 3D was jaw dropping and so masterfully done.
In a way, DQVIII has the same kind of problem as Persona 3. The PS2 version has better graphics but is pretty dated in many ways. The portable version (PSP and 3DS) has worse graphics but a bunch of additional content and quality of life changes. Both games I love but would be nice to get a real definitive edition for both.
I saw and ad of DQ 8 on Electronic Gaming Monthly years ago but never got to buy it but once I got a job as a call center agent, I looked for the game last 2009 and bought it really cheap. I played it for hours and I got to the part where I obtained the bird and was looking for some orbs or something, and then my PS 2 went bust. To this day, I still have not finished DQ 8. I like the graphics, the symphonic soundtrack, the gameplay, everything. Do I regret not finishing it? Yes, but perhaps I will finish it using my old save file and PS 2 game someday, but not now since money is extremely tight right now (I can't even have my old PS 2 be repaired and my Japanese PS 2 game cannot play the US version of DQ 8). Thanks for sharing some of the things I'm not aware about this game. More power to your channel.
This was my first dragon quest game (mainline. I played the monsters as a small child) I had just gotten a ps2 with that as my first game. I was relentlessly trying to beat it for years. I got lost in it for so long and just soaked up the atmosphere loving it all
@@sackchief I'm just very sensitive towards spoilers. But I'm in a MASSIVE Dragon Quest Hype rn so I will probably play the game soon enough. Loving your content
Of all the games getting remasters/remakes, why the f*ck can't we get some more Dragon Quest. VIII is one of the best games and I have to believe it wouldn't be too much upscale it. I hating to emulate it in a janky why on my Mac. I want to play it for real. I've considered buying a 3ds to play this again, but the censorship, music and graphics are a downgrade.
That's impressive that this was your first RPG. Dragon Quest games don't fuck around, as I'm sure you've learned. What was this, '06?! Thereabouts? So I was 23 then, and been playing RPGs since the NES days and that game STILL kicked my ass the first time I played it. But I agree that it's the best JRPG for that system. I'll do you one better and say they have not released a better JRPG since. It broke my heart because I was like "There, see, you CAN make a traditional RPG on modern hardware!" It had everything in an RPG that I wasn't getting from Final Fantasy anymore. 😞
This game is incredibly special to me on a personal level. I used to play this with my dad all the time. I had never played a Dragon Quest game before. Now, whenever I play a DQ game for the first time, I name the main character Guv as a tradition. I am not kidding when I say DQ8 is one of those games that I can play over and over again, start to finish, non-stop, any day, and never get tired of it. I still have the original version, with the strategy guide. My ideal, "perfect" version of the game would be: Remaster the 3ds version, but with graphics on par with DQ11. Put the original orchestrated soundtrack and the original UI and menus back in. Put the game on modern consoles. That's about it; everything else is fantastic. At least for me, that would be a perfect game.
This game will always hold a special place in my heart as my favorite video game of all time. Such a beautiful and amazing experience that I would take with me on the go with my 3DS through it's music, gameplay, environment and storytelling. It's disappointing that this game doesn't have the attention it deserves and I'm even beyond amazed that Eight made it to Smash Bros, something that I would have wanted more than anything in the world but didn't believe could happen and yet here we are. Maybe one day we'll have a remaster or a remake of this masterpiece and when that day comes you better believe I'm getting a copy.
Yooo this was such an amazing video. I can tell all the time and effort you put into making it. I’d love to see more videos like this for some of the other dragon quest games!
It's simply beautiful and amazing, there's no other words to it. The Hearth that the Dragon Quest series brings is perfectly capsulized in Dq8, and I played on the Ios/Android version, it's not tainted by being on a mobile port and that alone is beautiful
Seriously, we need this game on PC. Was such a classic that I found miles better than XI. Actual challenge and a story that actually had the balls to follow through on itself with actual twists and turns with fantastically well realized characters.
I remember the first time I reviewed a game I really loved and it was this one. Some said "well yeah, it's just a game with a basic story." But I don't believe it. Dragon Quest 8 was really something else. I really loved it in all his shapes. The music a masterpiece of his own, the colorful aspect of the game. While it may look childish a bit it still has some very dark moments that could shock some. But what I really liked in the game is about the real ending. It has some stoicism aspect in this matter. The hero while saving the world couldn't bother too much about his royal bloodline. Well, the story itself wanted the hero to be recognized as the true heir of the kingdom and for me this is something special. Someone so ordinary became one of a kind. Dragon Quest 8 is by far one of my favorite.
I remember an explanation for the music changing was because they no longer had a contract with the symphonic band that did the music for the PS2 version or a licensing issue with the symphonic band.
Dragon Quest VIII is my favorite PS2 game, the sense of adventure is so compelling. Great video dude! Gotta say the 3DS's Jessica marriage ending doesn't make much sense for me, the hero's been alongside Medea for years of his life, he's know Jessica for some months only. Smells like fan pandering.
Or smells like just because you don't agree with it then it must be wrong l..I mean people who spend years together always get married right. No not right.
I've been working on my first playthrough of DQ8 (PS2) since the beginning of the year & I love it! My first DQ was XI S on the Switch & I beat it to completion
Nice Retrospective. The way I play this game was the 3DS version. Japanese VA and English Texts with Orchestrated Soundtrack. Fun Fact: Jessica's VA Ayana Taketatsu is married to Eight's VA Yuki Kaji (In Smash Ultimate). What's more sweet is that they are having their first child. What an Adorable couple!
DQ8 is also my first Dragon Quest and first RPG experience! A timeless classic that introduced me to my favorite video game series. I want to see another remake that can do it justice.
Literally my favorite game and favorite OST hands down. An absolutely masterpiece of an RPG that I will probably go back and play every few years for the rest of my life.
Great video. This really brings back memories. DQ8 is the game that really got me back into JRPGs when it came out. I had completely forgotten about Dragon Quest/Warrior until a friend recommended DQ8 when it came out. The last Dragon Warrior game I'd played up to that point was Dragon Warrior 2 at release on the NES. I really hope that a remaster is done for this game at some point. I'd love to play it with PS2 (or better graphics) and the 3DS additions and quality-of-life updates. I did replay DQ8 a few years ago on emulation and even just having it run at a higher resolution made a big difference but this one deserves a real update if any JRPG does.
Imagine if they remade Dragon Quest 5 though. But yeah this game needs to be remade in the Switch. I just finished it finally today September 8th 2023. Late I know since I played the demo in the PS2.
I hope you keep making videos like this to inform the world of DQ so that more people can play them. Also so you can rip into how much the story of Dragon Quest VI is a complete trainwreck
Trainwreck in DQVI is all of it and the Demakes which I was bummed the Devs got rid of the taming in the game which would've made it more fun to collect but they couldn't do it because of space for the party members slots. Though seen different comment text about party members being too much and that's a kill for Almighty sakes. Heck it was just unenjoyable it made me feel the opposite compare to the brilliant DQV. Though I will never let go the franchise because of DQVII which is a different story for another time especially DQIX.
@@henryconner3002 DQIX needs more background stories or at least some mini games. The engaging in the game sometimes drag. Also disappointed on the Gracos Trident that looks like 🔱 then suppose to be 🌙 as the blade. DQIX does have some challenge for multiplayer but it doesn't last for long. Except one thing that I messed up though it's about restarting the whole game but keeping the stats. I can't spoil it if you haven't played. DQVII is a mix I really was hoping it would've at least kept the dark humor and add upon the original but it changed too much of what the original was though with a few good idea that should be kept and other ones no. Also not trying to ask for the religion part since original did in fact have symbolism in it. Though wish they kept the puzzle from the start it showed mystery. Usually the story is dark and gritty with humor that latches about a good 3/4th of the game but is very long and grindy depending which version to get. However I don't believe the remake ever did what DQVI did which is a huge good idea which is having a kazoom spell of timewarp spell to literally warp/zoom to past or present towns/kingdoms.
The storyline, plot, and context in the 3DS version is ruined because of the elimination of all religious content and the wiping out of the extra rooms in the very first cave system of the game. Only if you can get the original Playstation 1 version of the game working, will it all make sense. But get prepared, Orgodemir in the original Playstation 1 version is much, much stronger than on the 3DS.
I had this game years ago but never finished it because I just couldn't beat Dhoulmagus, so last year I decided to try again, unfortunatly the PS2's laser was kinda broken. I got the 3DS version instead and finally beat the game. I was so facinated how good this game is. Honestly the 3DS port is actually pretty good and you get accustomed to the music and graphics really quickly, as for me, I did not have any problem with that port. I just wish they would remake this game or a simple remaster would also do quite well. Just make a definitive version for all consoles.
It was the same for me when I started playing the series (got the demo and then got the full game). It was just beautiful and amazing to play. I named him EIGHT as well. Great minds think alike.
My friend had this game when I was a kid and I was hooked on the story! I remember just being amazed that it kept going on and on, I came over his house everyday until he beat it
My DQ8 story is a little different than most, I played through 1-7 before loving all of them. And I couldn't wait to play hearing how a lot of people love it. When it released on 3ds it was a day one purchase but I didn't really like it at the beginning. I thought it was too repetitive getting to a new area chasing Dhoulmagus just so he can kill some random person and then moving on. I didn't even think Dhoulmagus was that great as a villain compared to the others in the series like Ladja or Murdaw. But once you beat him and that twist happens it completely flipped my view on the game. I realized there was a purpose to the killings, that Dhoulmagus was more of a victim of Rhapthorne. Now I consider it to be one of my favorite Dragon Quest game. I do hope for a remake to newer consoles that would be awesome!
This game and Tales of Symphonia were my childhood and I never let them down, still play both of them sometimes and I've played many others DQ's and Tales of since I've played many other JRPG's and RPG's but none that resonated as much as those two for me, DQ in particular as I get older (almost 27 yo already yikes)
Everything you say about exploring fits Elden Ring perfectly. I like to imagine that From got their inspiration from this game, it’s the one I played the most on my PS2 back in the days.
With the drop of Live A Live today there is no reason this franchise should not be remastered. Could you imagine? Well done with this video it is awesome. Always enjoy your videos!
The mobile version really is a good way to experience this great game for anyone who doesn't have a PS2/3DS or just wants to play DQ VIII wherever they can use a phone. The visuals are great, the midi music grew on me, and the quality-of-life upgrades (instant alchemy pot, auto-maps, auto-running, auto-saving) are very nice. I played all 80 hours of the main game and postgame on Android and had a wonderful time doing it.
I know the 3DS port has all sorts of cool new features but to me it's just one of those games that defines the PS2 and feels right at home on that console. I love playing it on my Sony Trinitron crt with great sounding speakers and a subwoofer. it really helps to accentuate the beautiful graphics and musical score and just brings me back to a time when it was a completely new experience.
If this gets remade/remastered onto new gen consoles my money can’t be taken quicker enough I also hope they put it on all consoles (PS and Xbox) everyone deserves to play this treasure
Nice look back on this game. With the demo, I experienced it at a mall. On the second mode(Exploration), I noticed that others had let party members die, so I ended up reviving them.
This was my first “Dragon Quest” game and the game (along with “SMT III: Nocturne” that came out around the same time) that made me fall in love with turn-based JRPG’s! Haven’t played the 3DS version due to the downgrade in graphics and censorship, but the added features sound really cool! (And I was a big fan of the character Red and think it’s awesome you get her as a playable character!)
I will NEVER understand why Square will not invest in keeping this franchise available on current consoles. Literally every Final Fantasy is available for current consoles but they just tend to forget Dragon Quest exists! I’ve only been able to play a couple Dragon Quest games and I love them. I’d give anything to experience all of them for the first time.
I got this game for PS2, the first dragon Quest game I played since dq4 (called Dragon Warrior 4). I absolutely loved it. I really would like a Switch or PS4 port.
I NEED this game to be remastered on modern consoles! This is one of my favourite all time games and I think a remaster of it would still sell so well as it has so many fans!
Especially on the switch
The dev team got dqxi on switch which is still the best looking game on switch
Could you imagine VIII running on that engine?
Well least it on 3ds
bro get a high end pc. Get the playstation emulator and Jack up the settings. I did and it's totally worth it
@@hikaruright6419 so invest $1000+ that they may not feasibly be able to afford....just to play DQVIII?
@@zedorian6547 lol yes and you can play all the old games as well. on 3x native with 60fps it's just too good
My favorite part of the ending is when eight says “this has truly been a dragon quest”
And when eight looks at Dhoulmagus and is like « it’s questin’ time » and quests all over Dhoulmagus
Truly the moment of all gaming
Man this lame joke sure does get around.
@@miguelbranquinho7235 it was funnier 10 months ago
@@b_Wtv14 You're so 2000 and late, bro.
HILARIOUS AND ORIGINAL
I can't explain how much this game shaped my adolescence and my perception on what a videogame should be
Easily one of my favorite games of all time
The original Final Fantasy 1 for NES did the same for me... it shaped how I would see, and play video games for the rest of my life. My main rule that FF1 left me with.. show us the different weapons and attack animations!
I think the important thing to note about the censorship in the 3DS version is that it was NOT done just for the English version, the Japanese version has the same changes because there have been changes to how games are rated
Square-Enix wanted to keep the game's age rating low in Japan, and due to CERO becoming very strict over time with ratings, they had to censor some of the game's more graphic content and racier outfits for female characters to lower the age rating thanks to CERO. CERO is to blame for this and not Square-Enix, since the latter wanted the game to be more accessible to players of all ages, so to satisfy CERO, they had to change things to lower the rating.
Masahiro Sakurai once stated in an interview regarding Smash for Wii U and 3DS that things are like this. He even made a comparison where the ESRB first asks if there's any firearms in the game where as CERO first asks "can you show me all of the female characters upside down?"
It's a sad state, but that's how CERO is. Far more strict than the ESRB, which is surprising to say the least.
Dragon Quest VIII is my favorite video game of all time. Growing up, the game was practically my third parent for how often I watched my dad/brother/uncle play it. I remember that when I was little, I would always be scared of the boss fights when I played. It was the first video game I ever played and it served as a gateway to the rest of the series. I'm an adult now and I consider the cast of DQ VIII as part of my family. It will always have a place in my heart
The idea that Sack once never knew what dragon quest was sounds like such a crazy thought to me 💀. I feel like he was born with the game in his hands
The most memorable thing for me about this game is how Trode appears in the menu to give some flavour text depending of your actions and story progression.
2019 was the year I finish this game, and it was an occasion while I was playing that I had to stop for a moment mid playthrough to help my mom with some things and paused the game.
When I came back Trode was complaining that I left the PS3 on for too long and he was really heated lmfao
Was the PS3 heated?
@@kaizokujimbei143 IT ACTUALLY WAS
I just started Dragon Quest VIII and did not plan on having the entire game spoiled for me but hey this video was too well made and greatly detailed, I couldn't stop myself. 😂
Spoilers without warning make this video idiotic, I was enjoying up until 3/4 way through, who just spells out the story without a warning?!
Omg more retrospectives, I wanna hear a retrospective on DQ2 and DQ6 😂
I would also like to see a DQ2 retrospective from Sack...though Mr.Gentleman has already made fantastic retrospectives already on DQ1-5
2 and 6 are my favorites. With 9 close behind
The amount of care and detail you put into these videos is great and deserves more love keep it up man
I'm really glad I watched this video. There's so many things that I missed in my playthrough of VIII that I didn't know you could do. For example, Munchie being able to attack in battle. There are still sidequests I never completed, and the logo being Medea was another thing I never noticed. Really great video Sack.
This is one of the greatest games of all time. I recently bought a PS2 along with this game again with the strategy guide just to do everything I didn't do as a kid lol..Almost 20 yrs later this game will always have a special place in my heart.
How did you get on with it? I'm thinking about doing the same thing
This game man.....its something special. Not only it was the most ambitious DQ game at its time, but also was the first title to actually realize the experience usually told in the manuals and box art perfectly into game-form; it pushed everything the series is known and loved for to an extreme; the models finally look 1:1 to Toriyama's style, the world looks just as enticing to jump and explore as it is on the trailers and artworks cause of the jump to 3D and the atmosphere of its solid art direction, music-wise, it was one of Sugiyama's greatest hits, full orchestral music for DQ back then was something crazy to see, I believe DQVIII is Toriyama's true vision for the series; how the world and NPCs interacts with you on a deeper level with changing dialogue depending on your actions and time of day conversations containing either juicy info or interesting knowledge to keep with moving on, how there is technically "no side quests" in hindsight, as there isn't any indicators or markers of the former, but instead hidden so you can find them on your own and the design for these quests was made to engage you with the characters to start thinking more in non-linear fashion to approach the upcoming adventures, its so well done, truly how a regular adventure works in stories and mangas.
Definitely my favorite game of the series, and one of my personal fav games of all time. A wonderful lightning in a bottle type fairy tale, no DQ managed to perfect the adventuring aspect as VIII did.
I Grew Up With DQ8 Playing It With My Dad, We Explored The Entire Map Multiple Times Beaten The Game Numerous Times Throughout My Childhood And Is One Of The Reasons Me And My Dad Are So Close Nowadays, I'll Never Forget This Amazing Game For The Many Memories I Have It To Thank For
Hey Sackchief, I know this video is a year old, and I'm not sure if you check comments here anymore, but the mobile version for Android is absolutely fantastic now. I'm not sure if you heard, but a VERY dedicated fan overhauled the entire game with a Remaster mod. He brought back ALL the voices, including an option to switch to the 3DS dub for those who prefer it. The full orchestral suite is back as well. He also redid ALL of the textures in full HD, and they look very sharp. He also made a number of other quality life & balancing changes on his own. One thing I really like, even if some may argue about it ruining the difficulty, is that he turned on auto-saving after every battle. One of the coolest things is he actually fixed the poor framerate, and you can play it up to 60fps now if you so desire. It runs and looks beautifully. He's looking at adding more playable characters now, such as Marcello, who he already added. Updates aren't super frequent, but are fairly sizeable as he releases them. I implore you to check it out. If you like it enough, maybe make a video on it to spread awareness?
I love that Angelo and Alvis from Xenoblade have the same voice actor, even though they have very different personalities.
Oh my god you're right. Lmao.
WHAT
Never understood the fascination in voice actors playing more than one character, especially when each character exists in a different property.
I always build up Jessica with staves.
She gets so many great perks with that. Her spell damage goes up, her MP boosts like crazy, she gets a free group heal ability which is a LIFESAVER in boss fights. I think she even gets one where she automatically recovers a couple MP every round.
I just recently beat this game and found myself rewatching this video. I just want to mention how great this video is. I mean, yeah, the game is too, but damn. Great work on this video, man!
Also a nice little bit of character development. When you fight the lord of the dragovians if everyone uses only the fisticuffs, he asks your party if he really looks that non-threatening to you and then calls your party arrogant.
Also with Jessica, they added in two very specific cutscenes for her in the 3DS version to show that she was falling in love with Eight throughout their journey. Eight is even gifted with her brothers armor after the second special cutscene. So it did not come out of nowhere, but rather built up if you chose to pursue the hints
It STILL looks good, especially on PS2 emulators that can soup up the visual settings.
I think the cel shading is why it aged so much better than other PS2 games.
DQ8 and FF12 together cemented in my mind that a game world functions best when it shows it could feasibly exist in such a world. Houses for people to live in, farmland to feed them, rivers to keep them alive ... every bit of it is crucial to the overall experience.
DQ8 may have been the first to use somewhat ridiculous spell names (the same ones we still have now) but the move from top-down 2D to full-on 3D was jaw dropping and so masterfully done.
I'm currently playing it again on my PS2 slim with the original disc.
What a treat!
And my old controller still works perfectly. :)
This game is truly amazing. The progression and the monster summoning is purely addictive.
Dragon Quest 8 is the reason my oldest brother got sober from drug abuse. Such an amazing RPG
Excellent summary and review of my favorite game OF ALL TIME!!!
In a way, DQVIII has the same kind of problem as Persona 3. The PS2 version has better graphics but is pretty dated in many ways. The portable version (PSP and 3DS) has worse graphics but a bunch of additional content and quality of life changes. Both games I love but would be nice to get a real definitive edition for both.
You didn't need to tell the horse was a princess. It just came out of nowhere but for those who have not played the game it takes away the surprise.
This is my favorite game of all time. I really wish they remade it from the ground up on modern platforms including the added content. It deserves it.
The thing tht sold me on this game was the super sayian transformation
I saw and ad of DQ 8 on Electronic Gaming Monthly years ago but never got to buy it but once I got a job as a call center agent, I looked for the game last 2009 and bought it really cheap. I played it for hours and I got to the part where I obtained the bird and was looking for some orbs or something, and then my PS 2 went bust. To this day, I still have not finished DQ 8. I like the graphics, the symphonic soundtrack, the gameplay, everything. Do I regret not finishing it? Yes, but perhaps I will finish it using my old save file and PS 2 game someday, but not now since money is extremely tight right now (I can't even have my old PS 2 be repaired and my Japanese PS 2 game cannot play the US version of DQ 8). Thanks for sharing some of the things I'm not aware about this game. More power to your channel.
A girl with huge talents....I can't believe they got away with that
This was my first dragon quest game (mainline. I played the monsters as a small child)
I had just gotten a ps2 with that as my first game. I was relentlessly trying to beat it for years. I got lost in it for so long and just soaked up the atmosphere loving it all
When you finally release a new video but I can't watch it because I haven't played the game yet😭😭😭
I divided it into segments so you can at least watch until the “Story” section at the end with few spoilers.
@@sackchief I'm just very sensitive towards spoilers. But I'm in a MASSIVE Dragon Quest Hype rn so I will probably play the game soon enough. Loving your content
@@sackchief MORE FUN THAN DRAGON QUEST III
Of all the games getting remasters/remakes, why the f*ck can't we get some more Dragon Quest. VIII is one of the best games and I have to believe it wouldn't be too much upscale it. I hating to emulate it in a janky why on my Mac. I want to play it for real. I've considered buying a 3ds to play this again, but the censorship, music and graphics are a downgrade.
That's impressive that this was your first RPG.
Dragon Quest games don't fuck around, as I'm sure you've learned.
What was this, '06?! Thereabouts? So I was 23 then, and been playing RPGs since the NES days and that game STILL kicked my ass the first time I played it.
But I agree that it's the best JRPG for that system. I'll do you one better and say they have not released a better JRPG since.
It broke my heart because I was like "There, see, you CAN make a traditional RPG on modern hardware!"
It had everything in an RPG that I wasn't getting from Final Fantasy anymore. 😞
If they remaster this, I can die in peace.
This game is incredibly special to me on a personal level. I used to play this with my dad all the time. I had never played a Dragon Quest game before. Now, whenever I play a DQ game for the first time, I name the main character Guv as a tradition. I am not kidding when I say DQ8 is one of those games that I can play over and over again, start to finish, non-stop, any day, and never get tired of it. I still have the original version, with the strategy guide. My ideal, "perfect" version of the game would be:
Remaster the 3ds version, but with graphics on par with DQ11. Put the original orchestrated soundtrack and the original UI and menus back in. Put the game on modern consoles.
That's about it; everything else is fantastic. At least for me, that would be a perfect game.
idk if anyone else pointed this out yet but the japanese 3ds version does have orchestral soundtrack
This game will always hold a special place in my heart as my favorite video game of all time. Such a beautiful and amazing experience that I would take with me on the go with my 3DS through it's music, gameplay, environment and storytelling. It's disappointing that this game doesn't have the attention it deserves and I'm even beyond amazed that Eight made it to Smash Bros, something that I would have wanted more than anything in the world but didn't believe could happen and yet here we are. Maybe one day we'll have a remaster or a remake of this masterpiece and when that day comes you better believe I'm getting a copy.
Yooo this was such an amazing video. I can tell all the time and effort you put into making it. I’d love to see more videos like this for some of the other dragon quest games!
It's simply beautiful and amazing, there's no other words to it.
The Hearth that the Dragon Quest series brings is perfectly capsulized in Dq8, and I played on the Ios/Android version, it's not tainted by being on a mobile port and that alone is beautiful
the one thing they never explained is how Rollo got out of purgatory island
Making dragon quest 3 like 8 would be groovy
This retrospect is what I needed. I couldn't make my mind of whether to buy DQ7 or 8, but now I'm certain that 8 will be the best choice. Great vid!
What's stopping you from getting both?
This was my first Dragon Quest, I only picked it up because I thought the cover looked cool and oh boy, I'm glad I did.
Seriously, we need this game on PC. Was such a classic that I found miles better than XI. Actual challenge and a story that actually had the balls to follow through on itself with actual twists and turns with fantastically well realized characters.
I remember the first time I reviewed a game I really loved and it was this one. Some said "well yeah, it's just a game with a basic story." But I don't believe it. Dragon Quest 8 was really something else. I really loved it in all his shapes. The music a masterpiece of his own, the colorful aspect of the game. While it may look childish a bit it still has some very dark moments that could shock some. But what I really liked in the game is about the real ending. It has some stoicism aspect in this matter. The hero while saving the world couldn't bother too much about his royal bloodline. Well, the story itself wanted the hero to be recognized as the true heir of the kingdom and for me this is something special. Someone so ordinary became one of a kind. Dragon Quest 8 is by far one of my favorite.
DQ Viii, FF X and SMT 3 nocturne are tied for my fav ps2 Jrpgs
I remember an explanation for the music changing was because they no longer had a contract with the symphonic band that did the music for the PS2 version or a licensing issue with the symphonic band.
Okay, you have me dying at "Purple Gabriel Iglesias"
Dragon Quest VIII is my favorite PS2 game, the sense of adventure is so compelling. Great video dude!
Gotta say the 3DS's Jessica marriage ending doesn't make much sense for me, the hero's been alongside Medea for years of his life, he's know Jessica for some months only. Smells like fan pandering.
Or smells like just because you don't agree with it then it must be wrong l..I mean people who spend years together always get married right.
No not right.
I've been working on my first playthrough of DQ8 (PS2) since the beginning of the year & I love it! My first DQ was XI S on the Switch & I beat it to completion
Your videos are so fucking good. I pray for a remake of this game on the PS5 in the looks of DQ XI. They are easily my 2 favorite DQ games
Dragon Quest 8 Remaster/Remake for PS5 !!! come on square
Playing for the first time on 3ds. Great so far. Only finished 3, and 11.
Nice Retrospective. The way I play this game was the 3DS version. Japanese VA and English Texts with Orchestrated Soundtrack.
Fun Fact: Jessica's VA Ayana Taketatsu is married to Eight's VA Yuki Kaji (In Smash Ultimate). What's more sweet is that they are having their first child. What an Adorable couple!
"A girl with HUGE... talents" lmfao nice video!
For me the dragon quest ps2 version was the best version of the three versions that exist.
To me, the holy trinity of PS2 RPGs were This game, FFX, and SMT Nocturne.
My hope is that DQ8 gets a port to PC with all the content of the 3DS, but with all the original Jess models.
The first DQ game I played was actually the 1st one.
DQ8 is also my first Dragon Quest and first RPG experience! A timeless classic that introduced me to my favorite video game series. I want to see another remake that can do it justice.
Literally my favorite game and favorite OST hands down. An absolutely masterpiece of an RPG that I will probably go back and play every few years for the rest of my life.
Great video. This really brings back memories. DQ8 is the game that really got me back into JRPGs when it came out. I had completely forgotten about Dragon Quest/Warrior until a friend recommended DQ8 when it came out. The last Dragon Warrior game I'd played up to that point was Dragon Warrior 2 at release on the NES. I really hope that a remaster is done for this game at some point. I'd love to play it with PS2 (or better graphics) and the 3DS additions and quality-of-life updates. I did replay DQ8 a few years ago on emulation and even just having it run at a higher resolution made a big difference but this one deserves a real update if any JRPG does.
Imagine if they remade Dragon Quest 5 though. But yeah this game needs to be remade in the Switch. I just finished it finally today September 8th 2023. Late I know since I played the demo in the PS2.
FF7 was cool as my first RPG...
But DQVIII spoke to me on a soul/spiritual level where I just had a true awakening for my love of the JRPG genre.
I hope you keep making videos like this to inform the world of DQ so that more people can play them. Also so you can rip into how much the story of Dragon Quest VI is a complete trainwreck
Trainwreck in DQVI is all of it and the Demakes which I was bummed the Devs got rid of the taming in the game which would've made it more fun to collect but they couldn't do it because of space for the party members slots. Though seen different comment text about party members being too much and that's a kill for Almighty sakes. Heck it was just unenjoyable it made me feel the opposite compare to the brilliant DQV. Though I will never let go the franchise because of DQVII which is a different story for another time especially DQIX.
@@dragtogo2735 and what are your thoughts on 7 and 9?
@@henryconner3002 DQIX needs more background stories or at least some mini games. The engaging in the game sometimes drag. Also disappointed on the Gracos Trident that looks like 🔱 then suppose to be 🌙 as the blade. DQIX does have some challenge for multiplayer but it doesn't last for long. Except one thing that I messed up though it's about restarting the whole game but keeping the stats. I can't spoil it if you haven't played.
DQVII is a mix I really was hoping it would've at least kept the dark humor and add upon the original but it changed too much of what the original was though with a few good idea that should be kept and other ones no. Also not trying to ask for the religion part since original did in fact have symbolism in it. Though wish they kept the puzzle from the start it showed mystery.
Usually the story is dark and gritty with humor that latches about a good 3/4th of the game but is very long and grindy depending which version to get.
However I don't believe the remake ever did what DQVI did which is a huge good idea which is having a kazoom spell of timewarp spell to literally warp/zoom to past or present towns/kingdoms.
@@dragtogo2735 I don’t honestly understand any of this but at least you spoke your opinion
The storyline, plot, and context in the 3DS version is ruined because of the elimination of all religious content and the wiping out of the extra rooms in the very first cave system of the game. Only if you can get the original Playstation 1 version of the game working, will it all make sense. But get prepared, Orgodemir in the original Playstation 1 version is much, much stronger than on the 3DS.
I had this game years ago but never finished it because I just couldn't beat Dhoulmagus, so last year I decided to try again, unfortunatly the PS2's laser was kinda broken. I got the 3DS version instead and finally beat the game. I was so facinated how good this game is. Honestly the 3DS port is actually pretty good and you get accustomed to the music and graphics really quickly, as for me, I did not have any problem with that port. I just wish they would remake this game or a simple remaster would also do quite well. Just make a definitive version for all consoles.
It was the same for me when I started playing the series (got the demo and then got the full game). It was just beautiful and amazing to play.
I named him EIGHT as well. Great minds think alike.
Yay I'm so excited to watch this over the weekend!:)
Still waiting for a steam / switch release!
My first Dragon Quest game was IV.
This reminds me of when I gave a slide presentation on DQVIII for school and I made it way too long bruh
I bought the 3ds version 3 months ago because of this video. It was an amazing game, thanks for talking about it.
Someone get this man a copy of a Persona game or FF X or XII.
I still have a tiny sliver of hope they’ll at least port the 3DS version to the Switch someday 😢
My friend had this game when I was a kid and I was hooked on the story! I remember just being amazed that it kept going on and on, I came over his house everyday until he beat it
My DQ8 story is a little different than most, I played through 1-7 before loving all of them. And I couldn't wait to play hearing how a lot of people love it. When it released on 3ds it was a day one purchase but I didn't really like it at the beginning. I thought it was too repetitive getting to a new area chasing Dhoulmagus just so he can kill some random person and then moving on. I didn't even think Dhoulmagus was that great as a villain compared to the others in the series like Ladja or Murdaw. But once you beat him and that twist happens it completely flipped my view on the game. I realized there was a purpose to the killings, that Dhoulmagus was more of a victim of Rhapthorne. Now I consider it to be one of my favorite Dragon Quest game. I do hope for a remake to newer consoles that would be awesome!
I want VIII on modern consoles so bad! It's genuinely my favorite game of all time!
"It's time for the Dragon to go on a Quest."
- Eight, probably.
8:52 I love how Angelo looks at the screen, he knows exactly who his admirers are.
Im gonna be playing this again picking up an 8bitdo wireless controller receiver. This game is SOOOOOOOOO good im pumped! Much love my dude!
This game and Tales of Symphonia were my childhood and I never let them down, still play both of them sometimes and I've played many others DQ's and Tales of since
I've played many other JRPG's and RPG's but none that resonated as much as those two for me, DQ in particular as I get older (almost 27 yo already yikes)
My Favourite Dragon Quest game
Everything you say about exploring fits Elden Ring perfectly. I like to imagine that From got their inspiration from this game, it’s the one I played the most on my PS2 back in the days.
With the drop of Live A Live today there is no reason this franchise should not be remastered. Could you imagine? Well done with this video it is awesome. Always enjoy your videos!
The mobile version really is a good way to experience this great game for anyone who doesn't have a PS2/3DS or just wants to play DQ VIII wherever they can use a phone. The visuals are great, the midi music grew on me, and the quality-of-life upgrades (instant alchemy pot, auto-maps, auto-running, auto-saving) are very nice. I played all 80 hours of the main game and postgame on Android and had a wonderful time doing it.
A retrospective about my favorite DQ game? Let's go!!
I know the 3DS port has all sorts of cool new features but to me it's just one of those games that defines the PS2 and feels right at home on that console. I love playing it on my Sony Trinitron crt with great sounding speakers and a subwoofer. it really helps to accentuate the beautiful graphics and musical score and just brings me back to a time when it was a completely new experience.
If this gets remade/remastered onto new gen consoles my money can’t be taken quicker enough
I also hope they put it on all consoles (PS and Xbox) everyone deserves to play this treasure
I bought a PS2 collection just for this game, so now I'm digging out one of my copies and one of my ps2s so I can play it.
Just play the PS2 English version and sacrifice all the 3DS extra content
Nice look back on this game.
With the demo, I experienced it at a mall. On the second mode(Exploration), I noticed that others had let party members die, so I ended up reviving them.
This was my first “Dragon Quest” game and the game (along with “SMT III: Nocturne” that came out around the same time) that made me fall in love with turn-based JRPG’s! Haven’t played the 3DS version due to the downgrade in graphics and censorship, but the added features sound really cool! (And I was a big fan of the character Red and think it’s awesome you get her as a playable character!)
I miss this game sooooo much I really wished they did a remastered version
There's nothing I want more than a Dragon Quest VIII Definitive Edition.
There's already a DQXI Definitive Edition, so why not VIII?
I've been crying for a 3ds remaster for years D:
Hating on Charmles i see...
LET ME JOIN YOU
I will NEVER understand why Square will not invest in keeping this franchise available on current consoles. Literally every Final Fantasy is available for current consoles but they just tend to forget Dragon Quest exists! I’ve only been able to play a couple Dragon Quest games and I love them. I’d give anything to experience all of them for the first time.
I got this game for PS2, the first dragon Quest game I played since dq4 (called Dragon Warrior 4).
I absolutely loved it.
I really would like a Switch or PS4 port.
I never noticed Medea was in the logo, that's awesome !