Do you prefer Dragon Quest's Battle System?

[Yar]

You know, all first-person like and turn-based.


Although this aspect of the series turns me off of playing it, I must applaud Square Enix. The fact that Enix hasn't changed this shows their devotion to their fans and the saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." The Final Fantasy series can learn a lesson from this (ahem... XII).

Topic. Do you prefer this battle system?

[Zeromus_X]

I don't necessarily prefer it (I do like some diversity in my battle systems), but I do enjoy it when it's done right.

[Karellen]

The rather enjoyed the brisk pace of battles that result from its minimalistic design but no, in general I think DQ is a little too vanilla for it's own good.

The world design however is generally really good and sometimes I wish JRPG developers would go back and play DQI-IV to remind themselves how to make a decent world map.

[Bahamut2000X]

DQ did some things right. The battle system however I don't think is one of them. I much prefer the battle system of the earlier FF's, especially IV and beyond with the ATB system. DQ fights were just too slow for me and dull with nothing to look at, and with everything being first person, I far much enjoyed side view battles.

[Roogle]

No. I only liked the first-person battle system of the Phantasy Star series on the Sega Genesis. The style and look of the game seemed serious enough to fit the game.

[Flying Mullet]

I don't necessarily prefer it (I do like some diversity in my battle systems), but I do enjoy it when it's done right.
My thoughts exactly.

[Vyk]

I'm wondering why this is in SE forum, when its talking about the battle system (which is used in other games) and not really the game itself.

I kinda liked it in the games it was used in. But they were all old and played long ago. I don't know that its too well suited for this generation. But I'm sure it can be designed to work. Though I really wouldn't trust many companies to be able to make an old system interesting these days. Everyone either sticks with things until its too late. Or tries to make something too new everytime

[Nifleheim7]

I usually hate First Person games but i didn't have any serious problem getting used to DQVIII's battle system.At first it felt a bit weird,as it was my first DQ game,but after (countless hours of level grinding) some time...i got used to it.:)

[Karellen]

Dragon Quest VIII isn't really first person.

[Roto13]

You know, all first-person like and turn-based.


Although this aspect of the series turns me off of playing it, I must applaud Square Enix. The fact that Enix hasn't changed this shows their devotion to their fans and the saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." The Final Fantasy series can learn a lesson from this (ahem... XII).

See, I read that as "I love Dragon Quest for basically being the same game for 20+ years instead of taking even the slightest risk with the game design because they know people will buy it just because it's called Dragon Quest and has Akira Toriyama's name attached to it."

Final Fantasy is one of the few series' that doesn't let itself become it's own cliche. At this point, JRPGs are turning into the same old crap over and over.

If it aint broke, call it a success and try to make something else that aint broke. That's the best possible attitude a game designer can have.

[Flying Mullet]

I think the battle system in Dragon Quest is just fine. I have plenty of other games that I can play if I want to see something different in a battle engine. It's like returning to an old friend when I play a new Dragon Quest title and I like that.

[Nifleheim7]

Dragon Quest VIII isn't really first person.

We're talking about the battle system,don't we?
If i remember correctly (and i think i do),it used a first person mode from your team's point of view and another one from the monsters point of view...

[Karellen]

Battles are only in first person when you're inputting commands. After that it plays out like any other 3rd person turn-based RPG.

[Nifleheim7]

Battles are only in first person when you're inputting commands.

This is enough for me to consider the battle system as First Person.

[Slothy]

See, I read that as "I love Dragon Quest for basically being the same game for 20+ years instead of taking even the slightest risk with the game design because they know people will buy it just because it's called Dragon Quest and has Akira Toriyama's name attached to it."

Final Fantasy is one of the few series' that doesn't let itself become it's own cliche. At this point, JRPGs are turning into the same old crap over and over.

If it aint broke, call it a success and try to make something else that aint broke. That's the best possible attitude a game designer can have.

I seem to be agreeing with Roto a lot lately.

Also, FFXII was one of the freshest RPG experiences I've played in years. I found the battle system a joy to play, and honestly did hunts simply for the combat some times. I can't say that about any other RPG since maybe FFV. I will give DQVIII credit for not boring me with the combat completely (just the need to level grind), though I credit that as much to my never playing a DQ game before it as the system actually being fairly well designed.

[Alucard von Elru]

See, I read that as "I love Dragon Quest for basically being the same game for 20+ years instead of taking even the slightest risk with the game design because they know people will buy it just because it's called Dragon Quest and has Akira Toriyama's name attached to it."

If it aint broke, call it a success and try to make something else that aint broke. That's the best possible attitude a game designer can have.
Thank you. Now I don't have to say it.

As for this particular style of combat, I don't enjoy its implementation in most things, but I think Earthbound nailed it and everything I've read about Mother 3's enhancements to the style really sounds interesting.

[Bolivar]

Not at all, but I enjoy the Dragon Quest series tremendously.

Final Fantasy XII was a great game but I seriously want to tell Square-Enix:

"Don't you ever pull sh*t like this again."

The battle system was interesting when I played the demos, but anyone who's ever played an MMORPG will tell you it's nothing new, and all throughout the demo I questioned how they could possibly make the boss battles as dramatic as in previous games, and the answer I got is that they didn't. I'm in no way bashing the game, it's just frustrating waiting all those years for the next installment in Final Fantasy, when all we got was merely a very high quality RPG.

On topic, what I'm trying to say is, Enix delivers, and you can count on them to give you that experience when you purchase a game. Final Fantasy, for all of its innovation, lost a step when it tried so hard to be something it can never be - a western RPG. Don't get me wrong, they're fun games, but I would never rank a western RPG anywhere near a DQ or FF.

[Crossblades]

I dont really prefer DQ's battle system, but I find it very tolerable to not let it bother me