I'll just say this about random battles; I've put up with them for about 13 years now in games and I'm sick of it. This system is much more enjoyable since you avoid that transition between a field map and battle screen, and I can choose to avoid fighting at all, which from what I played in the demo is a lot easier than trying to run has traditionally been. And if you're near death with no MP trying desperately to get to a save point or out of the dungeon to restock, it'll be really nice to not have to pray to whatever god you believe in you escape the battle without being wiped out.

Sorry if I sound a bit bitter, but it's about time we had a little change in this area. Now in Squares defence, they wanted to put in enemies you could see and avoid in FFX, and when I found that out I was very dissapointed it didn't make it into the game. I still enjoy random battles sometimes (or more accurately, don't mind them), as proven by the fact that I'm greatly enjoying playing through DQVIII at the moment, but it's about time we had a little change.