Games I Beat: Dragon Quest VII Fragments of the Forgotten Past

Dragon Quest VII Fragments of the Forgotten Past
JRPG
1 Player
System: 3DS
Developer: ArtePiazza
Year of Release: 2016
Beaten: March 31st, 2017

It genuinely upsets me that it's taken over a month to finally get around to writing this. Dragon Quest is a long running series that I have become a massive fan of over the last several years. The main line series is a very true to it's roots series, mechanically the games are all very similar to one another. And yet they manage to appeal to so many people despite that. That being said, Fragments of the Forgotten Past here is the longest game in the franchise (X, an MMO, not included), is it worth sinking upwards of 80 hours into this game?

Games I Beat: Dragon Quest Builders

Dragon Quest Builders
Minecraft Clone
1 Player
System: PS4
Developer: Square Enix
Year of Release: 2016
Beaten: October 25th, 2016

Mixing Minecraft with Dragon Quest was never something I would have asked for, or even, frankly, thought of. When the first trailer came out I wasn't really interested. Which was good considering at the time there was no guarantee we'd be seeing any more Dragon Quest games outside of Japan for a good long time. Luckily since then the ebb and flow of Dragon Quest releases is back at high tide with Builders, 7 and 8 coming out recently/soon, and apparently more interest in bringing over other titles like the Monsters remakes, 11, and maybe even X, though I'm not convinced a four year old MMO is going to be making it's way over I'd happily give it a shot if it ever did!

Games I Beat: Dragon Quest Heroes

Dragon Quest Heroes The World Tree's Woe and the Blight Below
Musou RPG
1 Player
System: PS4
Developer: Omega Force
Year of Release: 2015
Beaten: October 25, 2015

First of all, Square Enix is using this game to hold a beloved series hostage, that being the titular Dragon Quest series. Allegedly the future of that series in the West is dependent on sales of this game. Ironically, this game is basically nothing like a true Dragon Quest game, so this strategy is pretty fucked up. Dragon Quest is personally my favorite RPG series, and if you too are a fan of turn based RPG's I highly suggest seeking out pretty much any of those games to check out (namely I, III, IV and VIII are the typically recommended entry points). If you enjoy the series, think you might or love Dynasty Warrior style games I implore you to pick up this title new. I don't like that Square Enix is holding their own property hostage like this, but I'm willing to negotiate with terrorists. I want new Dragon Quest games, especially those 3DS remakes dammit. (Having written this in the past and having been sitting on this for far too long, DRAGON QUEST VII AND VIII WERE ANNOUNCED TO COME WESTWARD THIS SUMMER! AHHHHHH!)

Also, this game is pretty good overall, just to get that out of the way here and now. I would never recommend purchasing a bad game, unless the situation was incredibly dire. Like some insane man broke into my home and demanded I blogged about how great some terrible games were. Oh if only I were that popular of a writer.

Freemium Perdition: Dragon Quest Monsters Super Light

Dragon Quest Monsters Super Light
Super Light RPG
1 Player
System: Android
Developer: Square Enix
Year of Release: 2015

I should not be able to play this game. It was released in Singapore, meaning it has a full English translation, but isn't officially released. Of course it is free to play, and if you can find the apk files for it you can easily install it on your android device and give it a shot. It's a strange feeling getting to play a new Dragon Quest in English, especially when even with a full English translation they still don't give it to us. Square Enix, you guys are scum bags. I speak for the entire West when I ask that you stop holding Dragon Quest games hostage, but of course you won't listen. Damn.