Dragon Warrior VIII Details Revealed

Thanks to GamePro for their article discussing new details about Square Enix's long-awaited Dragon Quest VIII, as revealed in a recent issue of Japanese magazine Shonen Jump. According to the article, this latest in the massively selling Dragon Quest/Dragon Warrior series, due for Japanese PS2 in 2004, will have battles "..rendered in full 3D, a marked departure from the static fight screens in the last seven games. Despite this new technology, though, the Dragon Quest-iness of the game will remain untouched - early screenshots show the hero picking up barrels and peering into random dressers for items." Although new in-game shots aren't yet online, the single previously released screenshot is very reminiscent of external developer Level 5's other signature titles such as Dark Cloud 2 and the forthcoming Xbox MMORPG, True Fantasy Live Online.

Breaking from tradition

[Alaric42]

I'll be curious to see if there's a fallout in Japan over the lack of the first-person battle system that's appeared in every other title, given that tradition is pretty much the reason DQ7 appeared as it did, complete with old sound effects and all. Personally, I prefer the old way; the screenshots seem to be showing battle animations that would be quite a bit more lengthy than the ones in previous games, and I've always liked the brisk pace of DQ's battle engine.

Medieval

[Metroid72]

Do you guys think it's a good idea to keep things medieval as the previous installments?
Sure it's kool to kill slimes, bables, and dragons, gamble, and get lost in dungeons - The formula works, but..
Do we really need a new 3D update?
Maybe combining 3D with a futuristic Toriyama conceived world will give it a new life
I personally think that DW/DQ is the quintisential RPG, the original DW was challenging, long and the fact that you had to use your imagination made it more enjoyable.
Who wasn't excited when they were strong enough to face dragonlord? or when you encountered Golem?
What about in DW2 when you found the Mirror of RA? or in DW3 when you found the old DW1 land and the traditional tune started playing?
DW has always been technologically less advanced than FF, but IMO, I think it was much better.