Customer Ratings & Reviews

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King was already an incredibly JRPG standard back when it came out on the PS2. And while the game also released on mobile devices a few years back, this new 3DS version aims to breathe new life into the game that already had a well packaged experience. In this whimsical world of silly monsters, Dragon Ball Z look alike characters by the same creator, and surprising darkness in the plot, Dragon Quest VIII takes you on a fun journey across the globe in search of a mad Jester who leaves despair in his wake. Along the way you meet fantastic characters fleshed out by great writing and voice acting that goes well with the world design and cell shaded art style. And unlike the days of RPGs gone by, you are no longer a huge character the size of towns on a small world map, but expecting in a world to scale. The gameplay is definitely standard turn based combat, but it's refined here to perfection. There's no complicated mess of menus, but it's also full of enough abilities and spells that there is a lot to learn and master. Now beyond the base of the game which this version builds upon are a host of new features new to the 3DS. You new a new ending to choose from as well as new post game content. There's also 2 new playable characters that you recruit to expand the party from the set 4 to 6. The party members even had roles in the existing game so they don't feel shoe horned into the plot. Beyond that there's also the new camera focused side features and side quests, as well as smaller additions here and there. For example in the original game when you leveled up and used skill points acquired at each level you would never know what skill you would get next unless you went online or used a guide. However now not only can you save skill points, but it easily displays your progress for the next skill and even gives you an idea of where it will go from there. All of these changes combined with the new portability greatly make up for the loss in graphical power, and orchestral score which are lost from the PS2 version. If you are a fan of RPGs though I can't recommend this game higher. It's polished to an incredibly level, and it's just a smile (and some tears) all the way through. It still cracks me up when you encounter an enemy that caught you by surprise. You're expecting to take that hit which you may or may not be ready for and... It licks itself, or rolls around on the ground! Dragon Quest is full of silly characters, monsters, and a whole lot of puns. But it uses this tone to lure you into a false of security. Because the stories that these characters deal with are not so light hearted and will grip you to the end!

I played this game multiple times in its PlayStation 2 release, and curiosity got the better of me for the 3DS release. I hadn't played the game in nearly 10 years, and I had to know how it translated in its port. I'm really impressed -- a few corners had to be cut, but for the most part, it's the PS2 classic in handheld form. It looks and runs great. I found myself sucked right back into the game's world. Dragon Quest VIII shines by giving you a wonderfully charismatic cast of characters (with voice acting that's pretty decent overall) without piling on too many faces. There's joyful music at every turn, and most enemies take a turn for the silly. Having a mascot resembling a small blob of goo with a cute face, Dragon Quest is a series that almost never takes itself seriously (except when the opportunity in the story arises.) The story is pretty linear and cut-and-dry, but this is one of those rare RPGs where I didn't mind the story taking a backseat. Everything else -- characters, gameplay in and out of battle, music -- carries the game much further than story alone. And in the wake of some more recent JRPGs, a bad (or otherwise overwrought) story can do more harm than good. The 3DS version of the game adds a little content to entice people who've already played the PS2 version. Camera mode (complete with cheesy purikura stickers and effects,) a new dungeon I've yet to see, and two new playable characters. I've noticed some other quality of life improvements as well, namely, being able to quick save anywhere in the world (plus the always-useful suspending of 3DS games), the alchemy pot is easier to use now, and you've always got a map ready on the lower screen. I've gotten a surprising amount of mileage out of camera mode. There's a new NPC in the game that gives you challenges to take pictures of specific landmarks, plus the fun of simply creating a photo log of your journey. Final Fantasy XV recently did this a little better, but it's still a clever idea put to good use. Negatives are pretty minor. The soundtrack is downgraded to a MIDI arrangement (apparently, from the original Japanese release of this game) and is mixed too high over the voice acting. Fortunately, this can be fixed in the settings (I set the music down to "2" out of "5") and the MIDI tracks sound plenty good. The voice acting quality is hit or miss. Certain areas of the game are a pain to slog through, now that monster encounters show up in the world -- namely, narrow hallways where it's difficult to get past enemies without fighting them. There's only a few areas like this, though. Controlling the camera with the New 3DS C-nub is a pain, but this applies to any game that uses the awful C-nub. If you don't have a New 3DS (or just don't like using the C-nub,) you can still control the camera with L+R and the D-pad just fine. I mainly use L+R to rotate on the X-axis so I don't have to take my thumb off of the circle pad for movement. Dragon Quest VIII is a great, great game (GGG.) One of my favorite JRPGs of all time (my personal favorites, in no particular order: Tales of Phantasia, Persona 3, Chrono Trigger, Xenogears, Dragon Quest V and VIII, Final Fantasy III, VII, and X.) Any JRPG fan should pick this up, even if you've already played it on PS2 -- you know it's worth revisiting! I went in with a little buyer's remorse, since I still own the PS2 version and a PS2 to play it on, but this game's worth it. Here's to hoping we get more Dragon Quest on the Nintendo systems in the future.

While it's extremely sad sacrifices had to be made to the graphics of a game that came out over a decade ago on a system two generations behind us, but such is the state of the 3DS. At least the lack of 3-D is due to hardware limitations, not developer laziness or a personal, misguided choice of the lead designer. It's worth it to have the game on the go, and not have to mess with AV cords and a display that takes up about a third of your HD TV display. There are some other additions to make the deal sweeter - two new playable characters, rebalanced spells, new cutscenes, voice actors where previously there were none, and the ability to bank skill points rather than use them right away (but still no ability to reset them). Highly recommended, whether you're experiencing this for the first time, or have beaten it numerous times on the PS2,

This game is fantastic! A faithful port with improvements that make the game that much more fun! The story is fun, the voice acting is spot on, and funny to boot! A must for any fan of Role Playing type games!

A better improved version on the 3DS. Sure the PS2 version was good but it's easier and better now since I can play the game where ever I want. The story is the same and there's the voice acting.

Dragon Quest VIII is a wonderful game. Whether you're a series veteran, or just simply peeking your head in to see what the franchise is all about, Dragon Quest VIII has something for everyone. I was a little worried going in that it wouldn't hold up to the original PS2 version, but I'm happy to report that it does, and it does so wonderfully. Though texture resolutions aren't as detailed and sharp, environments are still detailed, colors are still vibrant, and, most importantly, the characters are just as expressive as ever. There are some draw-distance issues where things just pop into view that can be somewhat distracting, but they're never game-breaking, and usually only happen when roaming the overworld. It's disappointing that the 3DS got short-changed on the soundtrack, however, considering the original PS2 version featured a fully-orchestrated soundtrack. The 3DS version contains a MIDI soundtrack, and while it is very high-quality (along the same lines as the previous 3DS entry, Dragon Quest VII), it's still rather disappointing, considering the Japanese release still contains the original music. It's not a deal-breaker, and if this is your first time playing the game, then you probably won't even notice. The voice-acting sounds a bit muffled coming through the 3DS' sound channels, but I got used to it really quick, and it does not hamper the actors' performances. There are also some very nice quality-of-life improvements here, including on-screen enemy encounters (meaning no more random battles other than when sailing the ocean), and, my personal favorite, the ability to speed up animations during battle, which makes grinding go a lot faster. Dragon Quest VIII is still a gem after all these years, and if you're a newcomer to the series, this is the PERFECT game to discover what this whimsical franchise is all about.

If you missed this fantastic entry into the Dragon Quest series on the PS2 here is your chance to experience it with it also being portable. Few quality of life changes have been made making the overall experience a much more pleasant one. Additionally two new characters can join your party, new post game dungeons, and more added to expand what is already a full game. Though it does not look as good as it's PS2 parent, it does look really good on the 3ds and runs very smooth. I highly recommend this if you have not played this one before or if you want to experience it again and to check all the additional content added.

I've never played any of the previous Dragon Quest entries, so I was hesitant to pick this up. However, favorable online reviews swayed me. Luckily, this is a unique story, not a continuation so you don't have to have played previous Dragon Quest games. I'm not the biggest RPG fan, but this is a very enjoyable and easy to pick up game. My biggest disappointment was that, although it's marketed as a 3DS game, it is in 2D.

I loved this game when it first came out for the older systems. It is a good mix of characters you grow to like and story that is interesting. It is a JRPG from old school roots with great anime style graphics. A must have for Rpg fans.

If you like classic RPGs get this. It's such a great tale and very fun to play. You don't have to have played the other DQ games to get into this and it'll keep your attention for hours.

A great remake of a PS2 classic, Dragon Quest 8 on the 3DS takes what made it such a hit on the Playstation 2 and drastically improves on it. The things that I love that were redone for the remake was that random encounters were done away with and now enemies pop up on the overworld instead. Something that seems the series has been doing since 9 on the DS and I love it. Another, and much needed improvement was the Alchemy pot. Now you can do multiple of the same item at once, and items alchemize in an instant! Not only that, but now the game highlights what can and can't be used in the alchemy pot. A big, definite improvement. Some fun new things added were of course, new post game dungeons, 2 new party members Red and Morrie, which were very interesting and fun to use. And I like that you can switch out party members on the fly without wasting a turn, just like in Dragon Quest 4. The new camera sidequest is pretty fun too, and you get some decent rewards from it. I've also noticed that you full heal now upon level up. At first I thought it might take away from the challenge of the game, but it doesn't seem to have hurt it too bad. If anything, it just saves me a few gold since leveling can eventually take a while any way. If there is a downside, it's that unlike the PS2 version, there is no orchestrated music, but the MIDI music still sounds great to me. The new voice actress for Jessica is also really spot on. Does a fantastic job. All in all, this is an amazing remake of an already amazing game. Then again, Dragon Quest has always been on the ball when it comes to remakes, and this is on exception. A definite must buy if you love traditional jRPGs.

I put about 35 hours into the PS2 version before I finally burnt out. However, this version has made some incredible quality of life improvements that have me going strong towards the end of the game. First and foremost, you can see monsters on the field and choose to engage. The speed of battle can be sped up. There have also been tweaks to stats and skill points to help increase power levels quicker. Overall, the game maintains the same charm and gameplay hooks of the original with far less hassle. I give me utmost recommendation for this version of DQ VIII.

I loved this game on the PS2 when it first came out but sadly never got a chance to finish it. Now with the 3DS version which has been enhanced to have more features than the previous version I'm glad to finally be able to play it. The game has an amazing story and one of the best JRPGs you can play.

Dragon Quest VIII was originally released on the PlayStation 2, and is now even better on the 3DS. With things like two more party members and no more random unseen enemy encounters, the game is now at its best. Dragon Quest VIII is ideal for more casual RPG players as its simplicity makes it easy to pick up and understand. However, it still offers some depth with its character customization, and the characters are fun and likeable. The presentation is a bit of a downgrade over the PS2, but it still looks and sounds good on 3DS.

Turn based combat. Grand sweeping story. Large world to travel in. Dragon quest 8 is a traditional jrpg through and through but it just does it all so well. Game still looks great even on the 3ds. The music is a bit of a downgrade but not a deal breaker. One of my favorite games of all time now on the go with some great additions too. Can't complain

Never played the originial, but once I started got hooked in. Great gameplay. Great characters and a very interesting story

This is the game that got me into the Dragon Quest series. I played it back in my high school days (maybe 8 years ago) and it still holds up today. Some pluses: + Pretty lengthy game. There's a YUGE world to explore! + The soundtrack is great. Sadly, it's not the orchestral version, but STILL. It's a joy to listen to. + Two extra characters that weren't playable in the original release + There's a cool new side quest that involves taking pictures of locales you visit, and it's pretty fun + NO random encounters (except when traversing the world by ship). It's great because it lets you play the game at your own pace + Funny characters and great voice acting. + Character customization is great. At every level up, you get to allocate points which grant your characters better skills for combat, along with funny titles to match their new aptitudes. I can't seem to find a single thing I dislike about this game. Its a new and improved version of the original release on the PS2. If you're looking for an old school RPG to hold you over till your next anticipated title, here's your game.

As a big fan of JRPG's, the news that this game was coming to the 3DS was exciting for me. I loved most if not all of the RPG's in the PS2 era. I remember spending hours playing Dragon Quest VIII the first time on the PS2. Everything from the visuals to the music was entrancing. The new version of the game bumps up the visuals slight, the gameplay is the same, and the controls haven't changed. The only thing that did change was the music. Where the music on the PS2 was orchestral, the one for the 3DS seems almost synthesized. It was sort of a letdown to the hear music downgraded. Other than that, the game is virtually the same as the one released more than a decade ago. If you want a great game with a fun storyline, then picking this game up and spending some free time would be well worth the price. All in all, excellent game.

This is just a brief review of the port and not the game itself. The game itself needs no introduction. This is THE definitive Dragon Quest installment. The 3DS port of this game is (despite those early previews) awesome. It sports a stable frame-rate and a colorful adaption of the PS2 original. It's definitely a 3DS game, make no mistake, but I'm happy to say that the graphics, sound, and overall presentation were successfully translated into a beautiful new version of the game. Aside from a revised (some might say nerved) soundtrack (to accommodate a smaller game file size), everything is intact from the original. Of course, the game's newfound portability really wins the day, allowing you to grind (no more random encounters!) whenever and wherever you like. What a great game, and I'm happy to say ... what a great version of this game. A+

I've put 30 hours into this game, so far, and it has definitely been a blast to play. He characters are charming and hilarious and the writing is clever. I wasn't expecting to laugh so often - especially during boss fights. I bought the PS2 version when it came out, but never even got to the first dungeon. Nowadays, I prefer RPGs on the go and this truly satisfies. Even without the orchestrated music, you won't be disappointed in this game. And, though I really noticed the graphical difference at first, after a few hours you it just fades away - outside of when you are fighting 7+ enemies at once and the game has to zoom out to show them all. If you enjoy Dragon Quest or classic turn-based RPGs, do not hesitate to pick this up.