Dragon Quest VIII Journey of the Cursed King – 3DS

Some re-releases feel like the return of a welcome old friend, others like an unwanted school reunion with old acquaintances who peaked long ago. Thankfully, Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is a roleplaying game that remains as worthwhile and wonderful as it was in 2005. the core premise and structure still hold strong, and are further improved by some well-implemented new features.

Fundamentally, this is a Japanese RPG of the most recognisable type. The turn-based battle system does little that you’ve not seen in countless other games, the quality of the writing ebbs and flows from the weirdly charming to charmingly weird and back again, and there’s a familiar nature to the way you travel between towns, dungeons, and open environments crawling with enemies.