IGDB / 1819

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

2004 87 / 100 Adventure Role-playing (RPG) Strategy

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is the eighth installment in the Dragon Quest series, developed by Level-5 and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It was also later released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2015. It is a traditional Japanese-style role-playing game with random enemy encounters, simple turn-based combat mechanics, and management of a party consisting of four characters, each belonging to a clearly defined class. Unlike its predecessors in the series and most Japanese RPGs in general, the game features a continuous world with fairly vast landscapes and integrated towns and dungeons, as opposed to world map traveling and locations represented by icons. The game features full camera rotation and optional first-person view. Like in the previous Dragon Quest games, many objects can be interacted with; for example, barrels can be physically lifted, carried, and broken, to reveal items hidden within.

Use as reference game Games like Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

World design Linear ExperienceChoices GameplayCombat-focused GameplayRole-playing

Deep dive / Spielprofil

What it is about.

A structured look at the narrative, game feel, and traits that define this game.

Story & context

The court jester Dhoulmagus of the kingdom of Trodain stole a powerful magical scepter sealed beneath the royal castle. Using the power of the scepter, Dhoulmagus destroyed the castle, placed a curse upon the kingdom and its people, and turned King Trode into a troll and the princess into a horse. A sole surviving castle guard journeys with the king, the princess, a reformed bandit named Yangus and a few other companions in search of the evil jester and a way to break the curse.

ExperienceChoices GameplayCombat-focused GameplayRole-playing GenreAdventure GenreRole-playing (RPG) GenreStrategy ThemeAction ThemeFantasy Traitactive ability Traitalchemy Traitalternate costumes Traitamnesia Traitancient curse Traitanime Traitartificial intelligence Traitbacktracking Traitbattle screen Traitblindness Traitboss fight Traitbow and arrow Traitbritish accent Traitcharacter creation Traitcircle pad pro support Traitcomic relief Traitcoming of age Traitcreature compendium Traitdamage over time Traitday/night cycle Traitdeath Traitdestructible environment Traitdialogue trees Traitescaping imprisonment Traitexplosion Traitfan service Traitfast traveling Traitfetch quests Traitflashback Traitflight Traitgambling Traitgender exclusive equipment Traitgiant insects Traitgiant squid Traitgood vs evil Traitgreatest hits Traitgrinding Traithorse Traithuman Traitinstant kill Traititem combination Traitjester Traitleveling up Traitmagic Traitmelee Traitminigames Traitmoat Traitmonster capturing Traitmoral decisions Traitmulti-phase boss Traitmultiple endings Traitmultiple protagonists Traitmummy Traitnameless protagonist Traitnew protagonist in sequel Traitnon-player character Traitold-fashioned english Traitone-handed gameplay Traitoptional boss Traitoriginal soundtrack release Traitoverworld Traitparty system Traitpax prime 2014 Traitplot twist Traitpoisoning Traitpolitical thriller Traitpossession Traitpotential love interest Traitpower of friendship Traitrandom encounter Traitrestoration Traitretroactive achievements Traitroyalty Traitsave point Traitscripted events Traitsea monster Traitsecret identity Traitsequel Traitsequel by a different developer Traitshopping Traitside quests Traitsilent protagonist Traitsnake Traitstat tracking Traitstatus effects Traitsword & sorcery Traitteenager Traittentacles Traittimeskip Traittreasure chest Traitturn-based Traitturn-based combat Traitturn-based rpg Traitvoice acting

Media / Screenshots