Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
89PurrfectSadkitty Score
89KitSuperintelligent review
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A nameless guard, a king turned into a toad and a princess turned into a horse chase a mad jester across a huge, colorful world. It was the first Dragon Quest in full 3D and the game that made the series a hit in the West.
Kit's verdict · 8.9/10
The perfect comfort-food JRPG: big, bright and endlessly charming.Kit · Sadkitty Games
Loved
- Gorgeous Toriyama art in full 3D
- Big world full of secrets
- Fun alchemy pot crafting
Not so much
- Combat is very traditional and grindy at times
- Random encounters slow exploration
Play it if anyone who wants a classic adventure that feels like a Saturday-morning cartoon.
Skip it if players who need fast, modern combat or deep storytelling.
Cheats & codes
No cheat codes
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King doesn't have cheat codes. The tips and secrets below are the next best thing.
Tips
Play it better
- Use Psyche Up to build Tension, then unleash a big attack. It's the key to boss fights.
- Throw everything into the Alchemy Pot. Recipes come from books and hints in bookshelves.
- Spend skill points on one weapon tree per character early instead of spreading them thin.
- Trade Mini Medals to Princess Minnie for gear you can't buy.
- Recruit monsters for the Monster Arena; winning ranks earns gold and helpers for fights.
Secrets & unlockables
Hidden in plain sight
Tap a secret to reveal it.
Did you know?
Trivia
- It was developed by Level-5, not Enix's usual partners.
- Its North American release included a playable Final Fantasy XII demo.
- It was the first Dragon Quest released in Europe, under the name The Journey of the Cursed King.
- Akira Toriyama designed the characters and Koichi Sugiyama composed the music, as with the whole series.
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