Dragon Quest VIII would be really amazing if I had never played an RPG before. But seeing as I’ve probably played several dozen RPGs, the game isn’t all that enthralling. Here was my logic behind purchasing this game:
- Eurogamer gave Final Fantasy X a 9/10.
- Eurogamer gave Dragon Quest VIII a 9/10.
- Therefore, DQ8 must be as good as FFX.
Do you understand my reasoning? Because both games are RPGs, and because both games received equivalent ratings, it stands to reason that they would be equally enjoyable. The reason I like Eurogamer is because their ratings generally aren’t as inflated as other gaming sites. Here is how most sites rate games:
- 10 = This game was kind of fun
- 9 = I played this game
- 8 = Game exists
- < 8 = <not used>
I am of the opinion that numerical ratings should mean something. As in, the rating should be some indicator as to the actual quality of the game. I become disheartened when I see a game like DQ8 placed in the same category as FFX.
I’m not saying that DQ8 is a complete waste; the game is actually a fine RPG. DQ8 has attractive, cel-shaded characters, though most of the environment seems to be done in a slightly different style. The game world is 3D with bright colors and a definite “enginey” feel to it. By “enginey” I mean that I could imagine people sitting down with a map editor and dropping tree icons here and there. After the rich, pre-rendered backdrops of FFX, this game had an almost barren feel.
Combat is pretty basic, as is leveling, equipment, and items. Probably the most distinctive thing about this game is its cheeky sense of humor and British voice talent. After playing for over six hours, I found that my interest in DQ8 was completely gone. The story was dry, the characters were empty, the orchestral soundtrack was too simplistically Disney, and the combat was boring. This RPG is well-put-together, but it lacks innovation. Recall my own personal rating system:
- 10 = Perfection
- 9 = Must be played
- 8 = Shades of brilliance, but not complete
- 7 = An amusing diversion
- < 7 = Crap
Because I did get a few hours of entertainment out of Dragon Quest VIII, I’ll give the game a 7/10.