How are those Dragon Quest games?

[Wolf Kanno]

The real reason is that after level 50 (the highest level needed to beat the game) your characters don't really get many stat upgrades beyond that. My GBC copy of DQIII has a glitch that maxed out my main character after fighting some slimes in the mini-game board and I noticed after level 50 he stopped gaining stats, like every 5 to 8 levels he would actually gain a stat bonus but that still is only about 8 or 10 minor additions. I think VIII is the first game in the series to actually make it worth your while to grind to godhood and even then I don't think its worth it.

[Flying Mullet]

Yes, Dragon Quest III stops giving decent stats by the low 50s, if not the mid-to-high 40s. In the GBC version of DQIII I always hang onto my intelligence seeds until the end of the game, when the hero stats aren't really increasing with levels anymore, then I give him all of the intelligence seeds. This big boost in intelligence means that he gains a lot of magic points at the next level to match the increased intelligence, hopefully earning another use of HealUsAll in battle.

In other news, I just picked up DQV for the DS and I'm hoping to have time to play it within the next couple of weeks.

[Kumo]

I haven't bought DQ V yet, let me know how it is.

[RedPouch]

The real reason is that after level 50 (the highest level needed to beat the game) your characters don't really get many stat upgrades beyond that. My GBC copy of DQIII has a glitch that maxed out my main character after fighting some slimes in the mini-game board and I noticed after level 50 he stopped gaining stats, like every 5 to 8 levels he would actually gain a stat bonus but that still is only about 8 or 10 minor additions. I think VIII is the first game in the series to actually make it worth your while to grind to godhood and even then I don't think its worth it.

That isn't exactly what I meant. Necrosaro was still alive after I had dealt 150k~ish damage to him when his actual HP in final form is only like 3k or something if I recall correctly. I can't speak for Dragon Quest III, since IV was the only one where I maxed a character to 99 [and I maxed out the main hero of Dragon Quest I as well, but the max level in that game was 30].

[Zeromus_X]

I've only played DQ I-III and VIII, I enjoyed them all although I probably couldn't go back and enjoy the earlier ones so easily nowadays.

VIII was really wonderful, it gave a nostalgic sense of exploration that I rarely feel playing current JRPGs. It might be my favorite DQ game.

Really want to play IV-VI and VIII someday (heard VII is REALLY long, one of the longest cRPGs or something?), and looking forward to DQIX.

[Bastian]

IX is WHY I finally got into DQ. I LOVE multiplayer RPGs (my childhood friend and I have been playing them together since we were kids and still do ((playing FFIV:TAY together now)) all these years alter).

So when I heard that DQ IX was a multiplayer, I decided to give VIII a shot. For some reason I'm not 100% into it. I play it for a few days and then don't for a month or two. And then pick it up again for a few days, etc.

I just bought IV for the DS and I think I like it a LOT better than VIII.

[Slothy]

The only one I've played was DQVIII. I did enjoy it for quite a while as the characters, visuals, and music were all enjoyable. There was also some novelty in playing a JRPG that wasn't afraid to be hard at the time, but that wore off about half way through the game.

I've never finished largely because of that actually. I'm not a huge fan of constantly having to level grind and there was a lot of it in this game. To me, a well balanced game would be challenging without level grinding but doable with the right preparation and strategy. Level grinding would only be necessary for those who aren't very good at that aspect of the game then and need to level up to overpower a certain area or boss. This wasn't really the case from what I remember of VIII sadly, and if I had to pick between a game that goes too far into the challenging side of things and requires level grinding or one that goes too far the other way and is too easy, I'd probably go with something that's a little too easy but less tedious to be honest because the level grind absolutely kills the pacing for me.

[Bastian]

Vivi22 nailed it on the head for me. I wasn't jazzed about all the level grinding. I think that's why I stopped playing it. Which is sad because I really enjoyed the story and aesthetic.

[McLovin']

I've only played DQ I-III and VIII, I enjoyed them all although I probably couldn't go back and enjoy the earlier ones so easily nowadays.

VIII was really wonderful, it gave a nostalgic sense of exploration that I rarely feel playing current JRPGs. It might be my favorite DQ game.

Really want to play IV-VI and VIII someday (heard VII is REALLY long, one of the longest cRPGs or something?), and looking forward to DQIX.

VII is long but it's because you have to save the individual continents in the past (not really a spoiler) so that takes awhile but it just feels awesome to save the place and then return to that place in the present.

And that Sim Town mini game is really fun. Building a town slowly throughout the game is quite nice.

Even though Dharma is far into the game, it really doesn't hinder it much at all.

[Kumo]

So I now have in my possession:

DQ VIII
DQ IV
DQ V


And I have NO idea which to start with. I'm a DQ virgin, and don't want to spoil my experience. Which one should I play first?

[RedPouch]

So I now have in my possession:

DQ VIII
DQ IV
DQ V


And I have NO idea which to start with. I'm a DQ virgin, and don't want to spoil my experience. Which one should I play first?

As far as I understand, it goes in trilogies.

Erdrick Trilogy:
DQ I
DQ II
DQ III

Zenithian/Heavenly Trilogy:
DQ IV
DQ V
DQ VI

I don't really know much about the third trilogy but based on this and the list you gave, my answer to your question would be to start playing with DQ IV, but I'm not sure if you were expecting a different answer. In my personal opinion, your experience might be kinda ruined if you try and start with VIII. I found the game to be rather dry for some reason.

[Kumo]

1-3 Never got rereleased huh?

[Flying Mullet]

They did for Gameboy Color, as Dragon Warrior I & II and Dragon Warrior III. But since the two cartridges are on Gameboy Color, you won't be able to play them on a DS, only a Gameboy Color or Gameboy Advance.

[Rase]

The first four were also released on NES.

[Flying Mullet]

The first four were also released on NES.

Well, yeah, otherwise they wouldn't exist.