Dragon Quest VIII

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Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (Japanese: ドラゴンクエストVIII Doragon Kuesuto Eito) 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 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 Chronicle (Dark Cloud 2 in North America) 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.

Dragon Quest VIII has enjoyed much success since its release, particularly in Japan. A survey conducted in 2006 by the magazine Famitsu earned the game the #4 spot as the best video game of all time after, respectively, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy VII and Dragon Quest III.

Release

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 is also the first flagship Dragon Quest game to be released in Europe. It was released in Europe on April 13 2006, under the title Dragon Quest: The Journey of the Cursed King, dropping the sequel number. Unlike the North American version, the European version does not contain a Final Fantasy XII demo.

Voice acting

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, voiced by comedian Ricky Grover, who speaks with a Cockney accent and occasionally uses Cockney rhyming slang. The Australian release of Dragon Quest: The Journey of the Cursed King features different voice acting to this version.

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.

Is it really over...?

The party finally tracks down Dhoulmagus to the Dark Ruins. There they find him recuperating and they finally face off against the fiend jester. After they first defeat him, he tries to curse them with his sceptre, but the hero blocks the blast and is not affected by it. Dhoulmagus then uses his menacing power to change into a hideous creature. Even with his new might, he is no match for the might of the heroes. After his defeat, they find out that the curse still has not been lifted. They start to leave the ruins and Jessica picks up the staff that Dhoulmagus had and then she turned evil!

The next morning, the Hero and the others find to their surprise that Jessica is missing...

Other information

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, sometimes 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 the Hero may 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.

• Equips: Axes, Clubs, Scythes, Fisticuffs
• Special Attribute: Humanity

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 in the party. Her whips hit multiple enemies in a group.

• Equips: Knives, Whips, Staves, Fisticuffs
  (Jessica's knife skill can be increased to the point of allow her to equip Swords too)
• Special Attribute: Sex Appeal (To charm her enemies so instead of fighting, the enemies admire her.)

Angelo (Kukule): 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

Main characters

• Hero

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 an Argonian Prince named Eltrio and a Dragovian named Xia which makes Prince Charmles his cousin. Twenty years ago, Xia decided to visit the human world. There, she met Eltrio, and they fell in love at first sight. Due to the great differences between the couple, Chen Mui, the Hero's grandfather, thought it was right to break them 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, to the point of lose the will to live. One day, Xia realized she was pregnant with the Hero, and despite all of the Dragovians disagreed, she decided to keep the baby. She delivered a healthy boy, but died shortly thereafter.

Several years later, the Council of Elders decided what to do with the child. The Hero's memories would be sealed away by The Lord of the Dragovians, and he would be banished from the Sanctuary. His grandfather disagreed with the closed-minded decision, but they refused to reverse it.

Curse attacks and cursed equipment have no effect on the Hero, because the spell 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" (a possible pun on Peckham, an area of London), Yangus grew tired of living as a thief in his home town and decided to leave and start clean. However, due to his rough East London 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-Farebury 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." (Although at a point, he decides that it is getting old and not to use it anymore.) 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, because Dominico's dog was already possessed by it, allowing Rhapthorne to continue his plan.

• Angelo (Kukule)

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, Munchie was by his side as his pet mouse. Despite his small and fragile appearance, he proves to be a very important asset to the party. There is a variety of cheeses to find or create using the alchemy pot through the game, that when used as items allow Munchie to help in the team's battles. Each kind of cheese has a different effect on him, like making him perform elemental attacks, increase the party's stats, or even heal their wounds. Also, in some parts of the game, there are puzzles can be only be solved with his help, because due to his small size, he can easily pass through little holes and reach places that are inaccessible to the rest of the group.

After the party's first victory against The Lord of the Dragovians, he revals himself as Chen Mui, the Hero's Dragovian grandfather, and begs his forgiveness for 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, unlocking the special ending sequence of the game, available after Rhapthorne'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 decision 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. He accepted that condition, and chased after the boy as quickly as he could. Munchie's name is actually an anagram to his real name.

• 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.

King Trode's father and the King Clavius of Argonia's mother loved each other, but they lived in a time when their kingdoms were hostile to each other, a situation that foiled their plans to become together. In respect to this unfulfilled love, their sons promissed to marry their children in order to strengthen the ties of friendship between their countries, and thus Trode arranged his daughter's engagement with King Clavius's son.

Although he is stripped of his power as king, he still orders, acts, and behaves like one. Nevertheless, his skills prove to be invaluable to the party when he create the alchemy pot, an instrument with the power to create new items by combining other ones. Some of the most valuable items of the game can only be obtained through alchemy.

• 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 develops the ability to communicate telepathically with the Hero, but only when both of them are sleeping.

Despite being engaged to Prince Charmles of Argonia, she harbors strong feelings for the Hero, who was also her childhood friend. She eventually marries the Hero in the special ending sequence of the game.

Main villains

• Rhapthorne

The game's main villain. His essence was trapped in a sceptre by the seven sages with Empyrea's help. But when Dhoulmagus released it from the magical circle in Trodain, he started to possess anyone who touched it in order to accomplish his task of killing each one of the sages's heirs in order to break the seal on the sceptre in order to free his soul and return to life. When this happens, he is first released in a small but powerful form. When he was defeated, he summoned Ruin, one of his minions to attack the good guys. He later takes on the final form, with a giant barrier which was destroyed by the Sages. When this happened, our heroes finally destroyed him once and for all while riding the Godbird.

• 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. Possessed by Rhapthorne, 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. (In the game, it seems Dhoulmagus is not completely possessed by the spetre and speculated to not be due to his lust for power)

• Sir Leopold

Dominico's pet dog. After Jessica was liberated from the sceptre's power, it took a time to the party to realize its true nature. During that time, Leopold was possessed by it, allowing Rhapthorne to continue his killing spree. The possessed Leopold killed David, Marta, and The Lord High Priest - the remaining heirs who wasn't killed by Dhoulmagus.

The party could finally defeat him in Savella Cathedral, but could not stop Rhapthorne's ambitions at that moment, because the sceptre ended in possession of Marcello who injustly accused them of killing the The Lord High Priest, and ordered their prison.

• 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 his 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 been born, their father would never had estranged him and his mother, and he would never had suffered any of his ordeals. As Marcello's superior in the order of templars, he doesn't miss any opportunity to make Angelo's life miserable. Marcello's dream is to climb to the top in the religion's hierarchy, to prove the world that even an illegitimate child like him could become an important person by his own effort.

Later in the game, Marcello rose 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, Marcello decided to make a speech against the ways of the Church, using his Templars to contain the people at the ceremony against their wills.

The party arrived in Neos during the ceremony and confronted Marcello, trying to take back the scepter, but after his defeat, he was too weak to contain Rhapthorne's power, and fell under his control. 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 in order to punish him by refusing his death wish. After throwing away his Templar Captain's ring, he walked off to parts unknown, swearing that one day, Angelo would regret saving his life.

The Seven Sages

The seven people who helped Empyrea seal away Rhapthorne into the Godbird Sceptre...

• Kupas: Sage of the Green orb. He became friends with an elf girl and a Gigantes man after he found them unconsious on the side of a road. Together they founded the city of Tryan Gully, a place where monsters, humans, and elves alike all lived together in peace. Because their life span are far greater than the human species, the elf and the Gigantes still live despite Kupas died long ago. Before death he asked them to carry out wish of never let anyone forget how Rhapthorne terrorized the world.
• Golding: Sage of the Yellow orb. He was a very able fighter who came back to life after dying to help seal away Rhapthorne, and founded the city of Baccarat.
• Alexandra: Sage of the Blue orb. She was skilled in Sword fighting and Magic. Her Sword fighting was apparently passed down to Alistair and her Magic to Jessica. Alexandria 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.
• Eagus: Sage of the Gold orb. He was the youngest of all sages at an age of six, and foretold that Rhapthorne would return someday. He also addresses the party after they break through the barrier guarding Rhapthorne.

The Seven Heirs

Each of the seven heirs is a descendant to one of the Sages and inherit their powers. To escape from his confinement in the godbird sceptre, Rapthorne commands those he possesses to kill each one by them.

• Master Rylus: Dhoulmagus's former master. Was killed by him in his house in Farebury.
• Alistair: Jessica's older brother and 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, but was killed by Dhoulmagus in the top floor of the Eastern Tower.
• Abbot Francisco: A descendant of Eagus and childhood friend of the Lord High Priests, he was the one who raised Marcello and Angelo afer they lost their families. Abbot Francisco was murdered on the second floor of his living quarters in Maella Abbey by Dhoulmagus.
• Mr. Golding: 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 settle their differences and both become the inheritants of Goldings casino and money. Mr. Golding was killed by Dhoulmagus behind his upstairs couch.
• David: Kupas' grandson's grandson. Like all of Kupas's descendants, David was living in Tryan Gully protected under the care of the Elf and the Gigantes who founded the city with his ancestor long ago. David travelled from Tryan Gully all the way to Arcadia and collapsed. Dominico took him in as his servant, and mistreated him unaware of his responsibility to protect him from Rhapthorne. David was killed by Sir Leopold near his cage.
• Marta: An old herb doctor from the Orkutsk mountains. She was killed by Sir Leopold in her ranch.
• The Lord High Priest: The highest authority in the world's religion. He was killed by Marcello shortly after Sir Leopold was defeated.

Other characters

• Dominico

Dominico comes fom a long lineage of powerful magicians in Arcadia. Long ago, his family received the mission to protect the descendants of Kupas, one of the seven sages. Sometime in the past, his family has forgotten their duty and started to use their powers to obtain prestige and fortune, claiming that they are the de facto descendants of Kupas. Curiously, Dominico took David from Tryan Gully who was the same person his family swore to protect, as his personal servant, unaware of his true identity. He was always bullying him with the help of his dog Leopold, who he insisted to be adressed as "Sir Leopold".

When the party arrived in Arcadia in their search for Jessica, who was possessed by the sceptre, they found that she stormed Dominico's house, for no apparent reason, and thus they devised a plan to stop her. They could hold her enough for Dominico to cast a spell that knocked her unconscious, freeing her from Rapthorne's control. When Jessica told to the rest of the party that she was being controlled and impelled to kill David instead of Dominico, since she retrieved the sceptre from Dhoulmagus's body, the party realized the real threat was in that artifact, and who was its real target.

Ironically, Sir Leopold, the same dog Dominico liked so much, was possessed by the sceptre and killed David. When Dominico realized he failed in the mission passed down to him by his ancestors, he asked the party to destroy Sir Leopold, and told them that from then on he would dedicate himself to atone for his and his family's mistakes.

• Prince Charmles

King Clavius of Argonia's only son. An overweight, cowardly snob of a boy, Charmles (according to him, pronounced "sharm-LEI") is enamored with himself and his own princely blood, which, he believes, entitles him to order around whomever he pleases. People tend to accidentally (and sometimes intentionally) call him "Prince Charmless". In order to obtain from Clavius the "Magic Mirror", which is an important item for their quest, the party agree to help secretly his son in the Argon hunt.

The Argon hunt is a test of courage that Charmless must undertake in order to be considered qualified to become the next king, where he has to fight an Argon Lizard and obtain a jewel called Argon heart from his body. Actually it was the party who had to do all the job of defeating the lizards in order to obtain an Argon Heart big enough to satisfy Charmles's ambitions to impress his father.

Charmless is engaged to Princess Medea, according to a pact sealed by their grandfathers, and unaware of the fact the horse who accompany the party is actually her, he tried to mount on her back against her will, and was dropped by her. He tried to hit Medea for it, but King Trode and the Hero intervened. In both endings of the game, Charmles's wedding plans are foiled by the Hero, who is actually the one for whom Medea's in love with.

• Empyrea

Also known as Ramia from Dragon Quest III, Empyrea is referred to as a god. She has the power to travel between worlds. The seven sages crafted the Godbird Scepter under her instruction. When Rhapthorne attempted to open the gate between the World of Light and the World of Darkness, Empyrea used all her power to seal the gate, thus she lost her special ability. Her shadow in the World of Light creates a portal to the World of Darkness called the "Dark Eye".

Empyrea's first encounter with the party was when they traveled to the World of Darkness in search for her advice. There they discovered that her egg was stolen by a monster called Gemon, and thus she has been forced to attack the nearby village of Empycchu.

The party agreed to infiltrate the Godbird's Eyrie where the egg was being kept hostage, but during the battle to recover it, Gemon sacrificed himself to destroy the egg. Empyrea's child, who died before birth, appeared as a spirit before the party and decided to aid in their quest, bestowing them the power to fly through the skies, allowing them to reach places of their world inaccessible by land or sea.

Empyrea plays a main role in the game's final battle. Not only she recovered the Godbird's sceptre, allowing the party to invoke the power of the seven sages's spirits to break the barrier protecting Rhapthorne's body, but also she carried them in her back during their last fight against him.

• Ishmahri

A mysterious man who lives in another dimension known as Moonshadow. Ishmahri's musical powers aid the party twice during their adventures. First he uses them to attend King Pavan's wish to see his deceased wife Sasha one last time, then with the power of the Moonshadow Harp, a powerful instrument retrieved by the party upon his request, he reawakened the memories of the Ancient Ocean, briefly enough to put the ship discovered by the heroes into open sea, allowing them to travel through the world's oceans.

• The Lord of the Dragovians

The most powerful member of the Dragovian tribe. After the tragic events involving the Hero, his mother and his father, he started to believe 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 remaining 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 gives them the right to perform the Dragovian Trials. A series of battles against him in dragon form, where each victory allows access to one of the Dragovian treasures, which are six rare prizes available nowhere else. Each time the Lord of the Dragovians is defeated, he morphs into an even stronger dragon for the following battle.

His six forms are the Vermillion Dragon, the Emerald Dragon, the Silver Dragon, the Gold Dragon, the Darksteel Dragon, and the Divine Dragon. In the final Dragovian Trial, the Hero must beat all six dragon forms in a row, and then he must confront the final form, the Ultimate Dragon. Even in his weakest form, the Vermillion Dragon, the Lord of the Dragovians reveals himself as an opponent even more challenging than any other in the game, including Rhapthorne himself.

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: (Note: Dragon Quest VIII Original Soundtrack and Symphonic Suite Dragon Quest VIII are different discs. The cover showed on this page is the Original Soundtrack's cover.)

Disc One

1. Overture (1:58)
2. Travelling with Wagon (1:58)
3. Peaceful Town ~ Quiet Village ~ Alchemy Pot (5:38)
4. Strange World ~ Marching Through the Fields (4:24)
5. Chatting (2:45)
6. Cold and Gloomy ~ In the Dungeon Depths (3:22)
7. Healing Power of the Psalms ~ Friar’s Determination (4:07)
8. Over the Sorrow ~ Hurry! We Are in Danger (5:17)
9. Mysterious Tower (4:29) - Played in Eastern Tower, Heavenly Dais, Rydon's Tower, etc.
10. Reminiscence ~ Go Topo Go!! (3:05) ~ When the player controls Munchie
11. War Cry ~ Defeat the Enemy (3:45)

Disc Two

1. Remembrances... (5:53)
2. Majestic Castle ~ Gavotte de Château ~ Majestic Castle (3:12)
3. Poet’s World (2:02) - Played in the Moonshadow World
4. Memories of an Ancient Ocean (4:17) - Played while travelling by Boat
5. Stalked by Fear (1:27)
6. Ruins of Darkness (1:55) - Played in the Dark Ruins and World of Darkness
7. Sanctuary (3:05)
8. Heavenly Flight (2:51) - Played while travelling by the Godbird Soulstone
9. Nearing Our Destiny (3:40) - Played in the Black Citadel
10. Dhoulmagus ~ Great Battle in the Vast Sky (7:11)
11. Battle in the Heavens (4:34) - Played in the final battle against Rhapthorne
12. 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 the Male Fighter and Warrior from Dragon Quest III, 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" resembles a purple-haired Super Saiyan in the North American version.
• The first Dragon Quest game to include voice acting, it nevertheless retains the game's tradition of allowing the player to name the lead character. The game reconciles the two by having the voice acting script skip all incidences of the hero's name (e.g. the line "Okay, Hero, my boy..." appears on-screen, while the voice acting says, "Okay, my boy...").

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
• X-Play gave the game a perfect 5 out of 5.
• [World-Gaming.com]: 9.2 out of 10
• Edge (magazine) : 8 out of 10.

Tommy Tallarico, from the TV program, Reviews on the Run, gave Dragon Quest VIII a surprisingly low 6.0 out of 10.

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

See also

• Dragon Quest Yangus

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]
• [I Love Dragon Quest]