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Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

|Japan|Strategy, Role-playing (RPG)

8.7 /10

Aww Great!

Hot

127 ratings
Time to beat
Main
52.5h
Main + extras
72.5h
Complete
101.5h
Where to get it
Trailers & screenshots
Why play it

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is a 2004 Strategy, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure game rated 8.7/10 from 127 ratings, with a main story of about 52.5h, available on PlayStation 2.

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.

Story and worldbuilding

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.

Game highlights
Rating momentum

Aww Great!: 8.7/10 across 127 ratings. Word of mouth is strong — if you like the genre, go for it.

Play style

Leans into Strategy, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure, with a main story around 52.5h. Check if that style and time commitment fit you.

Reviews

20 media reviews

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IGNJohn Robertson · 10 Jan, 2017
8.8/10

Dragon Quest VIII was one of the finest JRPGs upon its initial release and it manages to retain that lofty status through this 3DS edition. Its adherence to the traditional rules of the genre is where it pulls its strength from, the familiarity of the template allowing the design team to worry about making sure each element is as good as it can possibly can be.

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EurogamerSimon Parkin · 10 Jan, 2017
8/10

A JRPG classic is revived for 3DS, and the years haven't dimmed its charm in the slightest.

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DestructoidKevin McClusky · 1 Feb, 2017
9/10

Dragon Quest VIII was without question one of the best RPGs on the PlayStation 2, and 13 years later it's one of the best RPGs on the 3DS as well. If you haven't played it before, this version offers a lot of features that make it very easy to recommend over the PS2 and mobile versions. Even if you have, there's more than enough new content to make DQVIII worth revisiting. As I said in my review in progress, this game is a classic in every sense of the word, and I'm overjoyed that it's available for a new generation to get their hands on.

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Nintendo LifeMorgan Sleeper · 10 Jan, 2017
9/10

Dragon Quest VIII is something special. It tells a lovely story with memorable characters in a captivatingly colourful style, features fun combat and a beautiful world to explore, and — most importantly — sparks a true sense of adventure and wonder throughout. This isn't just one of the best RPGs on the 3DS, it's one of the best RPGs full stop — and one of the best Dragon Quests to dive into for the uninitiated. Perfectly paced, well written and superbly scored, it's a trip worth taking for any RPG fan, and the updates in this 3DS remake — from faster battles and on-field enemies to a fantastic photography mode — make it a worthwhile return journey for veterans. A true classic.

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RPG SiteAdam Vitale · 2 Feb, 2017
9/10

New characters and gameplay enhancements make a great game even better.

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RPG FanRob Rogan · 12 Mar, 2017
9/10

If you're a JRPG fan, you should be playing this game.

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WccftechDave Aubrey · 11 Jan, 2017
8.5/10

Dragon Quest VIII is hailed as a classic, and rightly so. Dragon Quest VIII on 3DS is a great place for new fans to jump on, as well as a perfect way for those who played it to relive a classic – and on the go, too! One of the PS2’s very best JRPGs is back, and it hasn’t aged a day.

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Game RantRiley Little · 2 Feb, 2017
9/10

Square Enix and Nintendo team up to release Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King outside of Japan, providing gamers with a wonderful JRPG to take with them on the go.

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GameMAGOkaRin · 19 Oct, 2017
9/10

Dragon Quest VIII is an amazing JRPG, which has become even better on 3DS thanks to great new features. As a result, we got one of the most beautiful and well-designed JRPGs on the platform, where all aspects work competently, allowing you to enjoy the atmosphere of a fabulous adventure with a company of bright and very memorable characters.

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Gaming NexusNicholas Leon · 11 Apr, 2017
8.5/10

This game is good. I have made good memories, and hope to make many more. I'm going to miss these characters, their quirks, their catch-phrases, and their flaws. It's a good egg.

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