Finishing DQIX sounds like a good idea because then you can help me once I get there I'm a bit disappointed that DQVIII got delayed because I was hoping I'd have it around Christmas and then jump into IX right after, but alas. I also don't intend to skip over to IX because I feel playing them in order is part of what made this series so enjoyable to me. It's nice to see the progression, how the ideas changed, etc. Still, can't wait for VIII either way. While the screenshots had me a bit worried, after I saw how much better DQVII looks on an actual 3DS rather than on a video, and after I heard people saying how amazing the Japanese version looks and plays, I really, really can't wait. (let's just hope they don't remove the orchestral music this time ) I guess I'll try to max these vocations then. After this, I plan to give Ruff Martial Artist, Maribel will get Priest, and I intended for my hero to be a thief, but then that heart showed up, so I may actually make him a healslime before I make him a thief, idk. In any case, I intend to master all the basic vocations I need before moving on to the intermediate ones, so Ruff will still get the Priest and Shepherd (can't resist making a wolf in sheep's clothing even though he doesn;t need it for his advanced class), Maribel will get Dancer, Troubadour and Jester, while the hero will get Thief, Shepherd, Warrior and Martial Artist. Can't wait to get Mervyn because I always liked the Armamentalist class but felt it was underutilized. It was like one of the only one or two advanced vocations that couldn't result in the hero. Oh, by the way, I checked. The Godhand is now called the Champion, while the Summoner is now called the Druid. I kinda like them, although it's kinda funny to me how the Druid is a prestige class in this game.
I also keep meaning to share this with you.
I've heard they lessened the amount of battles required to level the vocations for this version. I usually make everyone master a class and start a secondary one when I leave Dharma Temple in VII. I usually make the Hero a Cleric, Maribel a Mage, and Gabo is usually a Shephard then I switch them to Warrior, Clerics, and Fighter. I don't know DQIII-V are about 20 to 40 hours on average, even with some of the extra content. Not sure about VI obviously but starting with VII the series started to try and hit that 60 hour mark of other RPGs. I'm probably already at 60 hour point in DDS and still discovering crap I didn't know about. Granted I hit a snag cause there is no way I'm going into the Beelzebub fight without Death and Expel Null. With that said, I feel like the older DQ games simply feel longer. I mean 4 Heroes of Light has felt like an eternity but I just found out today that I've barely broke the 30 hour mark with it. When I finish it, I think I'm either going to start Tactics Ogre or finish DQIX. I don't really want to start Soul Hackers or Persona Q with my other two MegaTen titles, and I can pretty much tell right now I wouldn't be able to make it through the prologue of Bravely Default after 4 Heroes of Light. I've already decided to not bother getting the four ultimate classes cause I don't really want to deal with four 100 level dungeons with bosses that require you to be in the high 90s to beat (I don't have one character yet who is level 40 or over) so that ain't happening.
DQV and VI weren't exactly short either, and I remember VIII being much longer than average, though I guess they've all still got nothing on VII. What I mean to say by this is that I've never really considered DQ games short, I and II notwithstanding. So I've liberated Alltrades Abbey and am now handling the desert island. I have to say, the vocations are coming along pretty quick! Sister is a Sailor, Ruff is a warrior and Maribel is a mage, and they're all rank 6 already. Granted, I stopped to grind a bit, knowing that there's a cap, but still, I'm impressed with how fast this is going. I also recently found a Gealslime heart and I'm considering giving it to the hero. Not sure if it's totally worth it, since he knows Heal and Midheal by default, it I'm pretty sure this will let him get the healing spells he couldn't otherwise get AND they'll be his for keeps. Since he won't keep the save vocation skills if I take him that route, I thought it might be worth giving him those Healslime spells, though I'm still not fully decided.
It helps that they are shorter games as well so you never quite feel as burnt out. Though that sentiment really goes away with DQVII and onward.
Yeah, I get you. When you binge on one series, you end up getting tired of it if you don't play anything else in the meantime. Oddly, Dragon Quest may actually be the exception for me. I mean, I've bascially played I to VI non-stop and with no other series to distract me and I didn't feel like I'd had enough. In fact, I was sad there wasn't more. Funny how that works!
I'm slightly feeling burned out since I'm playing in conjunction with SMT1. I've been trying to finish 4 Heroes of Light on the side to keep me in the zone though.
Went to the cave once and got tricked by Fingers the thief. The nerve of that guy! Also, this is the second hopeless boss fight in a row! I wonder how many more there'll be here! I actually jumped into DDS2 right after the first game and I'm actually really happy I did that, as I was already in the zone by the end of the first game, which made me basically breeze through the second.
Hell no, I'm not even sure if I'll immediately jump into DDS2 when I finish DDS1. Yeah, that's only the beginning of your troubles, though it's easily the biggest of them.
Well, I am at the Alltrades Abbey island now. The dude just stripped me of all my abilities. This should be fun. Ok, those bonuses sound pretty sweet! Do you intend to go with an NG+ and beat Demi-Fiend before going DDS2?
