New Aspect Ratio, Old Ideas
First released in 2005 and old-fashioned for its time, Dragon Quest VIII is a lot of things that modern games aren't: subtle, earnest, uncynical and unafraid to be small. Your character is silent and nameless and you can go through everyone's drawers, but the cel-shaded graphics haven't really aged at all. If you're considering getting Dragon Quest VIII, you'll have to ask yourself if a lengthy RPG with turn-based random battles on your mobile device is something you're interested in. If the answer is yes, you'll most likely enjoy Dragon Quest VIII quite a bit.Dragon Quest VIII, like much of the rest of the Dragon Quest series, plays like the Platonic ideal of a JRPG. Its boldest gameplay decision is just how much fat it trims out of the usual formula: there are only four party members in a genre that sometimes gives you hundreds, and the featured mechanic of the battle system is the ability to store energy to deal extra damage on the next turn. The game's subtitle, Journey of the Cursed King, is a perfect summary of the plot: the king has been cursed, and you go on a journey to lift the curse. That's not to say that the game is generic: Dragon Quest VIII strives for minimalism and succeeds, thanks to a plot that focuses on character development and great art design by the incredible Akira Toriyama.
It's refreshing to see a game that's so unpretentious and comfortable in its own skin, even one that came out in a time when games like that were more common. Dragon Quest VIII is a soft-spoken game, and it's conversion onto Android is not a perfect marriage, but if you like JRPGs and/or are looking for a lengthy, polished game on Android, it might be just what you're looking for.