Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

 PlayStation 2
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 389 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 339 out of 389
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 389
  3. Negative: 33 out of 389
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  1. AnonymousMC
    Dec 7, 2008
    2
    I couldn't even get past a couple of hours playing this game. Yes, it's difficult; but more importantly, it's tedious. Right off the bat the game seems to demand a huge amount of fight, heal, save grinding. The healing and saving part means you have to head back to town, go to the inn, sit through the dialogue and animation, head to the church, sit through the dialogue, waitI couldn't even get past a couple of hours playing this game. Yes, it's difficult; but more importantly, it's tedious. Right off the bat the game seems to demand a huge amount of fight, heal, save grinding. The healing and saving part means you have to head back to town, go to the inn, sit through the dialogue and animation, head to the church, sit through the dialogue, wait for it to save etc. Where's the fun in that? On the plus side, the graphics and music are excellent.… Expand
  2. JoshB.
    Aug 10, 2007
    0
    Should have been called Dragon Grind VIII. If I wanted to play a game with shallow characters, non-existent plot, and a combat system that feels as tedious as a grind, I would have played an MMO.
  3. [Anonymous]
    Jul 16, 2006
    0
    This game is really disappointing. First of all you only see the monsters you are fighting. There are only Four characters. And how the hell can you have an RPG when you can only save in a town church which there are very few off. I took this gmae back the morning after buying it as i was frustrated. I can't imagine goin threw the entire final dungeon ( if that is what the end is This game is really disappointing. First of all you only see the monsters you are fighting. There are only Four characters. And how the hell can you have an RPG when you can only save in a town church which there are very few off. I took this gmae back the morning after buying it as i was frustrated. I can't imagine goin threw the entire final dungeon ( if that is what the end is like) without saving. Take my advice stick to Final fantasy coz dragonquest is miles away.… Expand
  4. AnonymousMC
    Nov 11, 2005
    2
    Does anyone else notice the horrible English in the brief about this game (under the picture and score)? It doesn't even make sense. A lot of Japanese games are like this now. Whatever happened to real translators instead of people using google language tools to translate everything. Also, this game is no different than any other japanese RPG, long, boring and the story is retardedDoes anyone else notice the horrible English in the brief about this game (under the picture and score)? It doesn't even make sense. A lot of Japanese games are like this now. Whatever happened to real translators instead of people using google language tools to translate everything. Also, this game is no different than any other japanese RPG, long, boring and the story is retarded (See Star Ocean, FFX, etc.). Want to play a good game? Check out Shadow of the Colossus, Star Wars: KOTOR, Neverwinter Nights, Morrowind, or Fable.… Expand
  5. Broyax
    Apr 11, 2017
    0
    Un jeu du Club Dorothée avec ses graphismes 256 couleurs, son histoire éculée, sa mise en scène sans queue ni tête, ses personnages niais et son interface consternante (on regarde à droite, la caméra va à gauche... il faut confirmer chaque ligne des dialogues débiles avec X...). Les combats avec les menus à la Final Fantasy sont à dormir debout, tout comme l'ensemble de ce soit disant RPGUn jeu du Club Dorothée avec ses graphismes 256 couleurs, son histoire éculée, sa mise en scène sans queue ni tête, ses personnages niais et son interface consternante (on regarde à droite, la caméra va à gauche... il faut confirmer chaque ligne des dialogues débiles avec X...). Les combats avec les menus à la Final Fantasy sont à dormir debout, tout comme l'ensemble de ce soit disant RPG qui ennuierait même des enfants de maternelle.… Expand
  6. In_between
    Jun 11, 2023
    0
    This is absolutely, without doubts, the worst game I've ever played in 31 years of my life. I've been into gaming since I was 2 years old. I played DQ1, DQ11, all the FF saga, blue dragon, all Fire Emblem entries from the SNES onwards.

    After 20 hours of playing, NOTHING happened. I closed the game just when the monster arena and the Chateau Felix appeared to be inserting SOMETHING into    This is absolutely, without doubts, the worst game I've ever played in 31 years of my life. I've been into gaming since I was 2 years old. I played DQ1, DQ11, all the FF saga, blue dragon, all Fire Emblem entries from the SNES onwards.

    After 20 hours of playing, NOTHING happened. I closed the game just when the monster arena and the Chateau Felix appeared to be inserting SOMETHING into the game. This is a pure cashgrab with diluted story, gameplay and without doubts one of the worst in terms of characterization of each individuality.
    There is no surprise, characters are just tropes into a game, there is literally zero motivation to play the main quest, the gameplay is insanely simple and straightforward, just rushing towards the highest DPS with little to no strategy regarding statuses or anything worth mentioning.
    Monsters design is TERRIBLE, wtf are two peppers on a stick doing?

    I spent 20 hours waiting for the game to get better, only to see mechanics that should've been there from the start diluted just to make this **** insanely long, uninspired, boring and ultimately a nostalgia trip for even more boring people.

    HORRIBLE.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Best PS2 Game of 2005
10
#10 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2005
5
#5 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 63 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 59 out of 63
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 63
  3. Negative: 0 out of 63
  1. games(TM)
    90
    For the first time in the series’ beleaguered overseas history, the game is going to hook westerners long enough to draw them in past the insane difficulty and into one of the most rewarding, player-loving games of the last decade. [JPN Import; Feb 2005, p.86]
  2. RPG Fan
    93
    Dragon Quest VIII may not revolutionize the console RPG genre, but it has done one thing that all the older RPGs have strived to be: it has become the greatest classic RPG experience of all time. [JPN Import]
    Read full review
  3. Weekly Famitsu
    98
    10 / 9 / 10 / 10 - 39 platinum [Dec 2004]
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