Profil de lordtash-us

Interesting look at early console RPGs.

Almost a complete improvement from Dragon Warrior 1. About a quarter into the game, it becomes a strange early attempt at an open-world game. While the game is pretty good about steering you in the right direction, there are times when the game can be a bit too cryptic for its own good. Most notable is a puzzle late in the game where you have to track down a key. Its location ends up being so bizarre that I can't imagine anyone finding it without the aid of a guide. The world can also be too big for its own good at times, such as when you're trying to search for a small fishing island in the middle of the ocean without much hint as to where it is (I've been to this island four or five times and I'm still not entirely sure how to find it when I need to go back). Grievances aside, the game is almost a complete improvement over its predecessor in every other regard. The dialog is less dry, the new party members give an element of strategy to combat that wasn't present in the first game, and there's generally little need to grind. Without spoilers, there are some fun surprises involving the overworld music, invoking Dragon Quest's trademark charm.