Well, I guess I'm finally done with Dragon Quest VIII. I never did get the super, ultra cool ending that you get if you pursue the Dragovian Trials after you beat the game (can you do it before you beat it, I'm not entirely sure... I came up short looking for information on this). Anyway... Dragon Quest VIII is definitely a great title.

For this review, I'm going to try to cover the trifecta (graphics, sound, and gameplay) and then close with some final thoughts.

Graphics
The style of graphics for this title might appear familiar if you're a fan of the Dragon Ball Z anime. The style of graphics and animation is very similar to that series. Apparently Dragon Ball Z designer, Akira Toriyama, developed the look of this title and it shows. The cell-shaded graphics and Dragon Ball Z look of this title may put off some players, but I think it turned out well. The graphics are a bit simple, but effective and give this title style.

Sound
The soundtrack became a bit repetitive, aside from the load game music in the beginning. Most towns played one of a very few musical numbers. However, as you progress through the game, the sounds diversify a bit. Also, the alchemy timer ding can be very annoying to hear when you don't have immediate access to your alchemy pot. The dialogue between the characters was informative and added drama, of course everyone is British. :)

Gameplay
The gameplay in this game is pretty intuitive and some of the spells you learn early in the game come in handy; they eliminate the need to trudge through the wilderness except when journeying to a place for the first time. The sabercat makes even this more bearable.

Final Thoughts
Dragon Quest VIII was a fun game and I enjoyed finding and creating recipes for items with the alchemy pot. Also, the enemies in the beginning of the game are really cute... it's almost a shame you have to kill them. However, I was disappointed that there was little divulgence of the backstory of the main character. Also, the relationships between the characters weren't great. However, overall, I would recommend this game to any RPG fan. I give Dragon Quest VIII 8 out of 10 feet.