Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King: Difference between revisions

|series = ''[[Dragon Quest (series)|Dragon Quest]]''

''Dragon Quest VIII'' begins when the evil jester [[Dhoulmagus]] steals a [[Godbird sceptre|magical sceptre]] from [[Trodain]] Castle. With this powerful sceptre, he transforms the inhabitants of Trodain into plant-like statues, as well as changing the [[Trode|king]] into a toad-like monster and the [[Medea|princess]] into a horse, while covering the majority of the castle in large, green magical thorns. The {{Hero 8}}, a young Trodain guardsman, is the only resident to remain uncursed. Accompanying the cursed king and princess, he hunts [[Dhoulmagus]], in hopes of restoring [[Trodain]] to its former glory. The {{Hero 8}} is eventually joined on his quest by three companions: a scarred, inarticulate bandit named [[Yangus]], a wand-waving tomboy named [[Jessica Albert]], and [[Angelo]], a rapier-wielding Templar Knight and self-proclaimed ladies' man. During their travels, the {{Party 8}} runs into Dhoulmagus several times. A couple of these encounters involve Dhoulmagus killing someone beloved by members of the {{Hero 8}}'s {{Party 8}}. Individuals slain by Dhoulmagus include Alistair ({{Jessica}}'s brother) and [[Abbot Francisco]], who is head of the abbey where Angelo lives. The {{Party 8}} finally tracks down Dhoulmagus to the {{Dark Ruins}}, where they find him recuperating, and finally face off against him. After his defeat, he tries to curse the {{Party 8}} with his sceptre, but the {{Hero 8}} is again unaffected by the curse, blocking the blast and sparing the other {{Party 8}} members. [[Dhoulmagus]] then uses his menacing power to change into a hideous creature. However, even with his new powers, he is no match for the might of the {{Party 8}}. Much to their surprise, however, they find that even with his defeat, the curse still has not been lifted. Concluding that something else must be maintaining the curse, they leave the ruins, with {{Jessica}} picking up Dhoulmagus' sceptre as they exit.

The next morning, the {{Hero 8}} and the others find to their surprise that {{Jessica}} is missing. While searching for her, the {{Party 8}} enters a town called [[Arcadia]], arriving just in time to save a magician named [[Dominico]] from an apparently-possessed {{Jessica}} wielding the Sceptre. After chastising [[David]], his young servant, Dominico sends the {{Party 8}} to find the Kran Spinels to aid in warding off Jessica. Once the {{Party 8}} return with the jewels, Dominico uses them to create a more effective barrier against {{Jessica}}. While he prepares the incantation to erect the barrier, the {{Party 8}} engages {{Jessica}} outside in an attempt to stall her, discovering in the process that her true objective is David, an heir of one of the seven great sages. After the battle, Dominico's barrier is able to release Jessica from her possession.

After recovery, Jessica reveals what her possessor had planned, as well as giving it a name -- [[Rhapthorne]], The Lord of Darkness. His soul had previously been imprisoned inside the Sceptre by the [[Seven Sages]], and he plots to remove the seals by killing their heirs as soon as possible. At that point, the {{Party 8}} realizes the Sceptre is missing. They rush over to Dominico's estate, only to see that Rhapthorne has succeeded in mortally wounding David after taking control of Dominico's dog Sir Leopold as his next host. After Rhapthorne flees, David utteres his final words, as a repentant and grieving Dominico laments over him. With only two heirs left to kill, the possessed Sir Leopold absconds to the snowy mountain valley of the north. An old woman named [[Marta]], who happens to be the one of the two remaining heirs, lives in the wintry countryside.

After running an errand for Marta and finding her son Marek, the {{Party 8}} comes back to Marta's house only to see it set ablaze by Sir Leopold. Holding her son Marek hostage, Sir Leopold forces Marta to come out and face him. He manages to kill her, and flies away to find the last living heir. Enlisting the aid of the legendary godbird Empyrea, the {{Party 8}} tracks Sir Leopold down to the Lord High Priest's mansion and engage him. After putting down the possessed Sir Leopold, he loses his grip on the Sceptre, and dies. The Lord High Priest goes into shock, and faints. Meanwhile, [[Marcello]] (the new abbot, and Angelo's half-brother) enters, and frames the {{Party 8}} for attempting to assassinate the Lord High Priest, and has them exiled to [[Purgatory Island]]. Marcello picks up the Sceptre, but manages to resist Lord Rhapthorne's evil influence. He assumes his position of the Lord High Priest thereafter.

The {{Party 8}} manages to escape from [[Purgatory Island]], returning to face Marcello on the Holy Isle of [[Neos]], and defeats him. In his weakened state, Marcello gives in to Rhapthorne's influence. With all seven sages killed, Rhapthorne is resurrected in flesh and blood. He transforms Neos into the [[Black Citadel]], and raises it into the sky to stage his attack upon the world. The {{Party 8}} battle their way through the Citadel and defeat Rhapthorne in his first body. However, by doing so, Rhapthorne is able to unleash his full power and incorporate the Black Citadel into himself, transforming himself into a massive devil looming over the land. [[Empyrea]] calls upon the {{Party 8}} to destroy Rhapthorne once and for all. The Sceptre of Trodain, imbued with Empyrea's essence, is now an essential weapon for the party, able to unlock the power of the seven orbs containing the spirits of the seven sages, to penetrate into Rhapthorne's mighty barrier and engage him in mortal combat. After finally ending the reign of Rhapthorne, the party restored peace to the world. King [[Trode]] and Princess [[Medea]] are changed back to their [[human]] forms, and the curse of [[Trodain]], along with its thorns, is lifted and removed.

Seven months later, the {{Hero 8}} is assigned to escort Princess [[Medea]] to her arranged wedding with Prince [[Charmles]] of [[Argonia]]. After reuniting with his three friends, the {{Hero 8}} sets sail for [[Savella Cathedral]] with the king and princess. Prince Charmles meets with the entourage personally, and forbids the party from attending the ceremony within the cathedral. On the day of the wedding, the {{Hero 8}} manages to slip into the cathedral with Yangus' help. However, the Princess is nowhere to be found. The {{Hero 8}} escapes, and finds the Princess at the cathedral courtyard waiting for him. They return to Trodain in a carriage steered by King Trode, and live happily ever after.

An alternate ending can be achieved once the first ending has been viewed, which unlocks the [[Dragovian]] Realm. A well-experienced party of {{Party 8}} can challenge the [[Lord of the Dragovians]] at the [[Heavenly Dais]]. If successful, the {{Hero 8}}'s true origins are revealed, and the alternate ending will replace the first ending, where the player defeats Rhapthorne again. In the alternate ending, the {{Hero 8}} is revealed as the son of the lost Prince [[Eltrio]] of Argonia. His mother was a Dragovian maiden who escaped to the [[human]] world and met [[Clavius]]' older brother, but her father did not agree to the relationship and took her home. Following after, the Prince died just short of the Dragovian homeland. The {{Hero 8}} was born shortly afterwards, but sentenced to exile in the [[human]] world, as his birth took the life of his mother.  Ashamed for his actions, the maiden's father went with his only surviving kin, as the mouse {{Munchie}}. Upon defeating the Dragovian lord, who had become mad after trying to abandon his [[human]] form, gives the {{Hero 8}} his father's ring. Clavius, King of Argonia and Prince Charmles' father, acknowledges the {{Hero 8}}'s right to marry the Princess after seeing the ring, which allows him to finally feel at peace with his lost brother. The two are wed at Savella Cathedral, much to the scorn of Charmles, who is finally confronted by his father over his initiation test earlier in the story. The newlywed couple come out of the cathedral together and embrace each other, much to the surprise of the other party members. They return to Trodain in the same fashion as the first ending, and live happily ever after.

*{{Hero 8}} - The {{Hero 8}} is a royal guard of Trodain, who journeys with King Trode to hunt down Dhoulmagus and make him pay for his crimes. His pet mouse, Munchie, usually rides in his right coat pocket.

*[[Yangus]] - Yangus is a former bandit who journeys with the {{Hero 8}} and King Trode. Like the {{Hero 8}}, he is a party member from the start of the game.

*[[Jessica Albert]] - A voluptuous, short-tempered, and tomboyish sorceress born to a wealthy family in the town of [[Alexandria]], and the third party member. She seeks to avenge her brother Alistair, who is slain by Dhoulmagus.

*[[Angelo]] - Angelo is one of [[Maella Abbey]]'s Templar Knights and the fourth party member. Though unable to live with the strict moral code of the Templars, with his lust for gambling and women, he is faithfully devoted to [[Abbot Francisco]].

*[[Marcello]] - Marcello is the captain of the Templar Knights who guard the Abbot with their lives. However, Marcello wants more power than was offered, and after he takes over following the Abbot's death, he becomes a partner to High Priest [[Rolo]]. With this opening, the resulting events that Marcello causes will set the stage for the fate of the world to be decided.

*[[Sir Leopold]] - He is the spoiled dog of the great magician [[Dominico]]. Leopold is let out of his cage by the mistake of a servant, and after the previous wielder of the Sceptre drops it, Leopold picks it up and is taken over by Rhapthorne.

*[[Dhoulmagus]] - Dhoulmagus is a jester who, in order to get revenge on those who insulted him, stole a magical sceptre from Trodain Castle. However, when he attempted to unleash its power, it overwhelmed him, and allowed Rhapthorne to take over his body.

*Lord [[Rhapthorne]] - Lord Rhapthorne is the main antagonist who is heard, but isn't seen until the end of the game. His spirit was trapped in the Trodain sceptre that [[Dhoulmagus]] possessed in the beginning of the game. Lord [[Rhapthorne]] took control of whoever possessed the [[Godbird sceptre|sceptre]] which was first [[Dhoulmagus]], then {{Jessica}}, then a fearsome pet dog named [[Sir Leopold]] until he killed each heir of the seven sages to release his energy and give himself his own body.

*Random encounters are suppressed as long as the party is on a road.

*[[Party Chat|Party conversation]]s return from the previous installment, but it is now possible to either select which party member to talk to, or cycle through them in order.

*In the event of a full party wipe out, all characters are automatically revived at the last [[church]] the game was saved at.

*A new command has been added to the battle menu, ''Intimidate''. The purpose of this option is to end battles quickly by driving monsters off, and each terrorized beast still has a chance to drop an item. Success is dependent on the lead character's level against the monster's, even if a character not in the lead is shown doing the intimidating.

At a certain point in the early game, the party receives an [[Alchemy Pot]]. This device can be used to combine two items into a third (usually more powerful) item following various [[Alchemy recipe]]s. The combination takes a certain amount of time, depending on the power of the combined item and the level of the pot. This "time" only advances as the [[wagon]] moves, on the overworld. Later in the game, the pot is upgraded to hold three items, allowing additional, even more powerful recipes.

Because skills are now tied to specific weapon groups, only the abilities learned by developing a character's personality can be used at any time--all other skills are locked to that specific type of weapon. For example, Jessica may use [[Puff-Puff]] if she is equipped with a whip, but not [[Sudden Death]].

There is a new ''Dragon Ball''-inspired tension system, allowing combatants to spend a turn building up "tension," which will increase the power level of their next attack or spell. Tension can be built up repeatedly, increasing attack power by up to seven times. There is a new party AI option to focus on using high-tension attacks, replacing the old "Leave it to me" option.

Attempting to reach the fourth, "super-high tension" state has a 2/3rds chance of failure. Also, some monsters are able to instantly reach the third stage of tension, and will then repeatedly attempt to reach the super-high level.

*Characters are shown holding their equipped weapons, posture changing on the type of weapon and their state of health and status. In a few cases the character's displayed clothing will change to reflect their equipment, seen most notably with Jessica's outfits.

*The battle screens are shown in a dynamic view, with shifting camera angles to display the current combatant and the action being performed. The party appears in the battle screen, unlike previous installments. At the end of the battle, an animation of the surviving party members putting away their weapons is played.

*The [[day-night cycle]] of games {{III}}, {{IV}}, and {{V}} is restored. Time now passes even in towns, and the party can use an [[inn]] to switch from day to night, as well as vice-versa. Thus, there is no longer a [[Night light]], or related spells.

*A Sabrecat steed replaces the traditional [[Flying Carpet]], and is unlocked via a sidequest at [[Chateau Felix]]. It moves much faster than the {{Hero 8}}, allowing the party to move further between random encounters (although they still occur at the same rate).

*Although the party has a [[wagon]] throughout the game, it has no effect on gameplay other than housing the [[Alchemy Pot]], since the party is essentially fixed throughout the game. Also, it is not normally shown on the display, only appearing during cutscenes or the [[Party Chat]] screen.

''Dragon Quest VIII'''s designers include Yuji Horii as scenario director, [[Akira Toriyama]] as the art designer, [[Kōichi Sugiyama]] as the music composer, and the company [[Level-5]] handling development.

Preliminary development began 2001, with Sony's recently released {{PlayStation 2}} console being considered a logical choice thanks to its breakout sales figures and the popularity of the previous iteration of hardware. Troubled by the rough development period of the previous game and its mixed reception from fans, as well as the drastic changes taking place in the industry during the shift to the sixth generation of console hardware, Yuji Horii struggled to form fresh ideas for what would become the eighth game. During this time a representative of Enix, Tatsuhiro Watanabe, approached [[Akihiro Hino]] of Level-5 over the possibility of developing the next ''Dragon Quest'', explaining that he was deeply impressed with the quality of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Cloud Dark Cloud]. Hino initially declined the offer, being occupied with the development of Dark Cloud 2 and feeling that such a project was beyond him at the time. However, he and Watanabe would later meet at a drinking party where Hino would list off his several complaints about {{Dragon Quest VII}}. Watanabe responded to this by stating that if he loved the series enough to have so many issues with the latest game, then why not make the next one himself? The Watanabe piqued Hino's interest further by stating that Level-5 would have to develop a working prototype to be compared against other candidates.

Hino's competitive spirit was fired up with the context of the selection process being framed as a contest, and Level-5 completed its prototype in December of 2001.  When it was presented to Horii for his evaluation, he was shocked by both the quality of the demo and the strong technical understanding of the {{PlayStation 2}} hardware the company demonstrated. Level-5 was selected as the developer of ''Dragon Quest VIII'' and Hino was appointed as the director, which caused much surprise among Japanese fans of the time as none of the company's staff had any prior involvement with the series. Regardless Hino and his staff proved themselves to be more than capable developers, with ''VIII'' being the only time that a title experienced no delays from its announcement to release.

Being developed by Level-5, with many staffers being fans of the series since their childhood, ''VIII'' is a love letter to the entire franchise. Several characters from previous {{Main Series}} games make a cameo appearance, among which are the [[Martial Artist]] and [[Warrior]] from {{Dragon Quest III}}; {{Ragnar}}, [[Healie]], and [[Torneko Taloon]]  from {{Dragon Quest IV}}; There is even an [[Lord of the Dragovians|allusion]] to the [[Dragonlord]] from {{Dragon Quest}} present. Additionally, extra care was taken to ensure that the feel of the classic titles was maintained in all aspects, such as using a stopwatch to time how long it takes for the magic sound effect to play after a spell is cast to even the time spent opening and closing the menu compared to the 8-bit titles. Level-5's prowess with the {{PS2}} hardware also invigorated Toriyama and Sugiyama, who were able to rely on the company to realize the more detailed character designs and richer compositions they had prepared. In regards to the former, the staff watched several dozen hours of the anime adaptation of Toriyama's ''Dragon Ball'' in preparation for developing the walking, speaking, and battle animations.

''Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King'' was released in North America on November 15, 2005, and shipped with a playable ''[[Final Fantasy]] XII'' demo disc. Additions and changes to the North American version of ''Dragon Quest VIII'' include: voice acting, new animations, enhanced music and sound effects, a new menu interface, and an extended ending sequence. It was also the first game in the ''Dragon Quest'' series to bear the original, Japanese "''Dragon Quest''" name (rather than "''Dragon Warrior''") in North America. ''Dragon Quest'''s North American name was changed, due to a trademark conflict with the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_game role-playing game] ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DragonQuest DragonQuest]'', which was published by wargame publisher [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulations_Publications Simulations Publications] in the 1980s until the company's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bankruptcy bankruptcy] in 1982 and purchase by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TSR,_Inc. TSR, Inc.], which then published it as an alternate pen-and-paper RPG line to ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeons_%26_Dragons Dungeons & Dragons]'' until 1987.

A demo disc for ''Dragon Quest VIII'' was released in America during the fall of 2005 through certain venues, including ''Shonen Jump'' magazine. ''Dragon Quest VIII'' is also the first flagship ''Dragon Quest'' game to be released in Europe. It was released in Europe on April 13, 2006, under the title ''Dragon Quest: The Journey of the Cursed King'', dropping the number. Unlike the North American version, the European version does not contain a ''Final Fantasy XII'' demo.

==3DS remake==

**Due to this, the S Rank Battle is delayed until the party defeats a [[Jessica Albert|boss]] in [[Arcadia]].

* This version has symbol encounters like most 3D {{Main Series}} games released after [[Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker|the first Joker game]]. To compensate for it's technical charge, the overall draw distance for trees and other elements was reduced.

* New ending with [[Jessica Albert|a certain lady]] and some minor additional scenes leading to it were added.

*Some of the most revealing outfits for Jessica were toned down or altered.

*Two scenes were toned down by censoring  [[David]] being forced to eat dog food and Marcello no longer stabbing himself with a dagger to snap himself out of Rapthorne's control.

*New [[Rarefied monster]]s that only appear under specific conditions, like [[Cherreevil Blossom]], [[Crème caraslime]], or [[Morrimp]].

DQVIIIPS2_Europe.png|PlayStation 2. (EU)

DQVIII 4koma comics.png|4koma comics.

DQVIII Main Characters.png|V Jump cover art.

== External links ==