Nope. Playing them in order.
Okay. 7 could end up being a test (hell it was for most people). It's a very long game (100+ hours) and it's nearly identical to DQ6. The game is very centered around the class system (which is quite a bit more robust) and has a similar story. Be sure to give yourself some time before you start it, otherwise I believe you will burn out very quickly.
Truth be told I've had trouble maintaining any RPG on a home console. I stopped playing FF6 -- one of the very best JRPG's ever -- simply because when I game on a TV I really don't have the kind of time I have when I have a hand-held.
I can spend 2 hours on a hand-held RPG and not even notice, but when I am playing one on a console (particuarly an older one on the SNES), I tend not to last long.
I know 7 is going to be a challenge -- hopefully they will bring it to PSN so I can play it on the PSP.
I hate it when you think you are in one of those un-winable boss battles (a story event) so you give up prematurely, not using items etc... and then find out IT's NOT!
In the most recent 8-4 podcast they have an hour long interview (starting at the one hour mark) with Richard Honeywood.
He set up the loaalization department of Square, and then Square-Enix and worked directly on FF7, Xenogears, DQ 4,5,6,8,9, Rocket Slime and Swords and Chrono Cross (among many others). He had previously worked as a programmer on Raiden for PS1 and the 64DD and is full of interesting stories.
Beyond that he has specific insights into Hori and the DQ development process.
It's a must-listen to interview with anyone who has interest in the DQ franchise or gaming history in general.
A warm, Spring breeze is blowing in my window and I've just gotten by the introductory sequences of a Dragon Quest game.
I remember getting the original NES games and each time, having summer vacation ahead of me, filled with endless freedom and the the promise of the fulfilling, enormity of a Dragon Warrior game...
I was sooo upset when I finally realized DQVI was never going to come to the Super Nintendo. Here we are 15 or 16 years later and my prayers have been answered!
This feels like a Super NES game. The simplicity of it thrills me and brings me way, way back. I'm a kid again and everything feels "right" in the world again!
If you are not aurally inclined the substance of the interview of which I speak, that they did with the localization guy, can be found in a new article at 1up.
**Reprinted from the news section!**
That LttP interview brings back a lot of great memories, just at the time when I need them the most! I just said good-bye to one of my last college buddies and anything that reminds me of those days is worth it's weight in gold!
It's timely too, as I just came to the realization as to WHY I am enjoying Dragon Quest VI so much and it ties into this kind of memory directly...
A Link to the Past was the ultimate vision of Zelda when it hit the market. It looked like the original, perspective-wise at least, but the colors, the parallax scrolling, the enhanced sound and music, the additional buttons on the SNES controller and expanded memory of a SNES cartridge made more of everything possible... It literally was a SUPER version of The Legend of Zelda!
Playing Dragon Quest VI now, I can see just how much of a break thru this game would have been, had it actually been released in this country when it SHOULD have been! There's just sooo much more of everything: More Monsters, More Job Classes, More Attacks and Spells, More Lands to Explore, More Mini-Medals to grab... more, more, more...! Where-as Dragon Quest V was a SUPER version of the NES Dragon Quest IV, Dragon Quest VI is simply a SUPER version of a Dragon Quest series game.
I can totally see why V may be many people's favorite, due to the story line and character of the, well, characters --BUT-- DQVI is shaping up to be one of MY favorites of the series --JUST-- because of the SUPER amounts of freedom in the jobs classes and exploratory nature of the Two Worlds. DQV had (mostly) pre-set characters, but VI, between the Jobs and copious amounts of "Seeds" you get in the game, IT gives you A LOT more freedom to play the game as you want, and THAT I LOVE ! ! !
My mind BOGGLES at what I would have thought of this game back in the early 90's ! ! !
As usual, there's a deep story-line hidden under the deceptive meandering, and seemingly un-related quests. Who ISN'T intrigued at the thought of exploring who we are in our dreams versus who we are in reality? What's more important? Giving in to what "reality" deals us or pursuing the ideal that our dreams allow us to be? Maybe life IS just a dream, afterall? The beauty of the DQ games ISN'T that they try to FORCE FEED you concepts (like that FF game does), Dragon Quest games just give you hints here and there and leaves it up to you to explore what you will... both in concept --AND-- in the way you play the game!
This is quite literally a brand new game delivered to me from my days of youth, at a time when that is taking up all my thoughts and time... but I am old enough to recognize it and completely appreciate it for ALL that it is!
Okay, I'll ask here then. How far into are you? II'm 37 hours in and I know exactly what I need to do to finish the game at this point. I could probably wrap it up in about 5 more hours.
I'm only 17 or 18 hours in, but I absolutely love it!
Yeah, it's a good one. There are still some really puzzling aspects of the game even toward the very end. Things that I had to go to a FAQ for (which I don't like to do these days).
Retronauts have a special podcast on the Dragon Quest series.
http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3?http://podcast.the1upnetwork.com/flat/Retronauts/R060311.mp3
Did you ever play 7 before?