It came!!!! It's HERE!!!

[Neo]

I'm of course referring to Dragon Quest VIII! The next sequel in that long-running Nintendo series that hasn't seen a sequel since PS1. This is also the first Dragon Quest game to retain the original Japanese name. The previous titles were known as Dragon Warrior in America. Copper swords, iron axes, blue slimes, they're all here!

A demo of FF XII is included if anyone cares. I certainly don't.

[Ginkasa]

Its not a Nintendo series... Unless you were referring to it originally being a NES/SNES series...

Anyway, I bought it yesterday. I got a giftcard to Best Buy early for my birthday and went shopping. I saw DQVIII and thought, "Why not?" I didn't really like VII (so I wasn't too excited about this one), but I really like it so far. Although, I haven't played too terribly much (I just went through the tower in Alexandria).

So...


/me shrugs and walks away

[GameMaster]

Congratulations, Neo! Hope it brings a megaton of hours of fun!

[DarkMaster]

This game is wicked, and I hated the older DQ games. And the FFXII demo is sweet, already played the thing at Square's party dealy, but it's nice to have my own copy now.

[Neo]

Yes I meant that it was originally on the 8-bit Nintendo. I fell in love with those games in the 80's. The suite me perfectly.

[MuGen]

I love DQVIII so far, but system where by you can use a slew of weapons is awesome. The hero and others aren't restricted to one weapon and each weapon type gives you advantages and disadvantages. One thing is for sure, I am loving the transition so far... and the cel shading adds a nice touch to Toriyama's animation.

I'm just past Maiella Abbey..... wheres everyone else at?

[Neo]

I'm right around the abbey, just met the 4th member of the team.

[Professor S]

I am soooo in the mood for a Eastern RPG right now. I haven't played one since Skies of Arcadia, and that was just such a great experience. Damn me and my lack of sufficient funds.

[DarkMaster]

COR BLIMEY!! This game is kickass.

[MuGen]

LOL I love that guy... he sounds like the guy from Unleashed who played Jet Li's crime boss.

COR BLIMEY!!

LOL






SPOILER*****************************************************






















I'm past when Dhoulmagus kills Abbot Fransisco. About to go pursue this bastard





















*SPOILER**************************************************

[Neo]

We're right at the same place. I just made the thief's key so I'm going to back for the treasures I missed.

[Ginkasa]

OMG, this game is so ****in' long! I'm 55 hours in and now I've got to



*SPOILERS*



collect seven bloody orbs to fight what seems to the be the final boss battle, but I thought the fight with Rhapthorne at the end of that floating tower dungeon was going to be the last boss...

It wouldn't be so bad, and in fact I didn't mind until now, but not it seems like SE was just trying to figure out ways to make the game longer. For absolutely NO reason Rhapthorne suddenly gets some giant stronger body. No explanation. And why do I have to go collect 7 orbs to break down this random force field around him?

Argh!


/me shrugs and walks away

[Happydude]

well i'll be getting my hands on it in february when Happydudette comes back from malaysia with it :)


until then i'm resorting to Lineage II and NFS: MW...


i'm glad to hear that everyone likes this game so far, at least now i know what to expect of it :)

[Neo]

I don't know how far I'm in, it says 260 hours but I leave it on all the time. I'm looking for a flying bird at the moment.

[MuGen]

ahh i beat the game already.. and Link










*****SPOILER***********



You are collecting the seven orbs of the Seven Sages that sealed away Rhapthorne from the start.



***************************


Neo, your looking for Empyrea...that is a great plotline, you'll enjoy that quest.

[Neo]

Did you guys get all the treasures, medals, monsters, etc? I'm kinda taking my time at the moment. Trying my luck in the casinos too.

[MuGen]

i am now, but I just played through to see the ending....

but I also played through from my Endgame save which lets me play the Hero's quest which tells you about him and ahem tells you of his origins





**********spoiler************

son of Eltrio and son of Xia the Dragovian. Making him a noble... giving this lad a BETTER ending then the first I'd seen

******************************

[Ginkasa]

ahh i beat the game already.. and Link










*****SPOILER***********



You are collecting the seven orbs of the Seven Sages that sealed away Rhapthorne from the start.



***************************


Neo, your looking for Empyrea...that is a great plotline, you'll enjoy that quest.


I mean, I know what the orbs are, it just seems so random >_< Kind of like how you had to collect the different pieces of the Triforce; just something to extend the length of the game...


/me shrugs and walks away

[MuGen]

To me it didn't feel like they were just adding blahness to make the game longer. In a retrospect they squeezed in those extra hours of gameplay but did it well in terms of fitting it into the story. I mean, I beat Rhapthorne fairly easily the first time... and easier then Dhoulmagus... so I kinda expected that the game wasn't going to end just like that.... I mean he's the Lord of Darkness.

And if you need help finding any of the orbs.....


****SPOILER****

search the places that had significant events occur with descendants of the sages

i.e. You'll find an orb in Farebury where the house burnt down... he was the first descendant to die in the game... another in the tower next to alexandria where Jessica's brother died... another descendant

********************


If you knew about this... cool just giving you a lil idea of how to find them if you haven't found them already.

[DarkMaster]

Collecting the orbs at the end of the game took me 15 minutes, so if it was designed to artificially extend the length of the game, I'd say it failed to do so.

[MuGen]

awww shucks... took me about 30 minutes... but half the time I was trying to figure out where each one WOULD be... once I connected the dots... figure it took me 10 minutes to get them all...