Unless CC has it also for $34.99, he's right, it's Best Buy.

Yup, I'm right. And it's NEXT week.

So I was pleasently suprised with the sale (34.99$)

Any hints/tips before I start up? any help thanks

I am UNpleasently suprised that it's OOS at both local Best Buys for me.

I am having so much fun with Psychonauts, I may not pick up DQ8 for awhile

Ok so I'm about 40 hours in and I'm about to enter the Dark Ruins for my fight with Dohulmagus. Its clear after fighting my first round of enemies inside that I may not quite be prepared for this part of the game.

My question to those of you in the know, is this. Does the game change much after I fight (assuming I actually get to fight him) Dohulmagus? I've had a decent time with the first 40 hrs, but if the game doesn't mix things up in a big way I'm sad to say I'm not going to have the willpower in me to finish it up. Maybe a new character to use? One of my party members developes an opinion and leaves my group? Something to shake things up?

I wont mention any names, but I'm normally right in line with many of you as far as taste, and so far I can't really see why this game is getting the rave reviews that it has from many of you, as well as reviewers in general. Its good, don't get me wrong, but so far, it doesn't offer me enough to devote 100 hours of my life to it.

So if someone thats finished could give me a little taste of what the second half of the game may offer, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

On the fence-

~Chris~

Well, you do get a shake-up. One of the ones you mentioned. I don't know if that'll be enough to keep you interested. You should be able to finish it in well under 100 hours. I haven't even hit 75 yet and I've done all the sidequests I can find and am about to handle what I think is the final guy.

Yeah, definately keep going, its worth it. But, what have you been doing for 40 hours to get that far and still not be strong enough in the dark ruins? I was at level 30 at 25 hours in. Granted I got my ass handed to me the first play though. Maybe you are getting a little too sidequest happy without opening a lot of things up in the game?

That interesting that folks actually wiped in this game, I found to be way too easy to the point it affected immersion and bonding with world abit. I guess exploring and trying to see what was past every hill and nook didnt help matters but clearly monsters I feared from past DQ were quite watered down in this version as I could go places I clearly didnt belong yet and barely notice as monsters had just abit more hp at best. Then you have mob like that blue flame that does nothing like first two dozen times you fight it and your thinking boy I bet he does 100hp to each character when he not stuck in indecision. Then one finally attacks and its like 10 damage character, lol. Same with coin monsters, most made be laughing how fast they went down and ticked off I didnt have new mob for the arena for ages.
Plus I dont remember getting evac and zoom so darn early in the game. I use to remember feeling that great truimph getting evac, thank god I dont have to backtrack through caves anymore feeling. Now get evac in first dungeon Zoom comes with a new character. Still, awesome ride I just hope next one has that old DQ challenge to it.

Thanks for the responses guys. Yeah I tend to slack a lot... I'll set the controller down and go do something for 30 minutes to an hour so my save time isn't usually representative of my actual play time. The actual save is at 38 but its probably more like 30 - 32 hrs or so. And no, I haven't really been sidequest happy. In fact, I haven't really noticed any sidequests? Unless you mean things like collecting mini medals and stuff like that. Perhaps I'm not playing this game properly, but its seemed remarkably linear to me thus far.

Anyway, ok I'll keep it going, at the suggestion of all of you.

You're right, Madara... you get Evac and Zoom way, way too early in this game.

I'm really enjoying my second run.. doing more "side-quests" and such. My first trip to the second casino I hit 777 on the 100 coin machine on my third spin! The sad thing is the 100,000 prize is still only half of what the best prize costs.. thankfully I'm not too interested in it so I picked up some Liquid Metal Armor and Falcon Swords (which double strike with sword skills.. meaning two 1-2 damage hits on metal monsters!) I've only got the last area to go through now and can get on with the post-game dungeons and such. I'll probably hunt some King Metal Slimes first, since I've gotten a better strategy for killing them now.

I had a huge grin on my face for this part (spoiler for battle arena):

This will bring a smile to the face of any Dragon Quest fan:





Of course, killing TWO King Metal Slimes in one turn will bring much more than a smile:

Good Lord, Pixy!

I need to get back to DQ8. I haven't had a chance to play it much these last few weeks.

Same here, I think I am still only less than 20 hours in. Oh how I wish I had more time on my hands.

Sadly, that's only about half of what it takes to level up now.

Need some help on questions:

Hero and Yangus are both level 4. Problem is..I put 3 attribute points into 'Axe' However the shop at fineberry only has clubs. Big mistake?

And whats with only being able to save at the church? I went all the way to the end of the waterfall, fought the main guy..and Died..I couldnt save or anything..I lost half my friggin gold.

What level should I be fighting the waterfall monster? I was level 3/4 and I had no shot (they we're pounding me with 10-15 dmg, and here I am with total 30 hps)

Should I just run around near the town and defeat slimes and slowly build up my levels?

Skill points only give bonuses at certain intervals (10, 20, etc.) so putting 3 into clubs wouldn't have advanced you much further than putting them into axe at this point. You'll get an in game explanation of what the different skills do very early in the game so I wouldn't worry about wasting many points yet.

The second question reads as rhetorical since you've already laid out your possible options as being 1) Fight the boss again at current level whence you have already died from and 2) Level up some. But if you really wanted that answered, yes.. level up some. It's the only part of the game where you'll need to take time out to do so.. after that you should level up pretty evenly as you go through the game (unless you run from battles or overuse Holy Water).

I was going to ask about that. I just started the game and was a bit annoyed that you had to take a few hours to level up just to finish the first dungeon. I have no problem doing it later on, but that first quest which should have taken about 20 minutes ended up taking over 2 hours. I was hoping that game didn't use that tactic to make it a long game. It sounds like it does not which is good.

FWIW, the Bradygames guide suggests level 6 to do the waterfall. I don't normally do guides, but i got the game for cheap, and the guide for 6 bucks, so I figured what the hey.
I'm level 4 as well, and haven't gone in yet, I'm wandering around the outskirts of Farebury.

wow, I feel pretty special, I just picked this up a few days ago (love the old school nature of this game, somthing soothing about being able to just level up for a while) but I was able to defeat the Waterfall Cave on the first try, I had my character leveled up enough to cast a couple heal spells during battle, and had saved enough to get decent armor, but lacked good weapons...

The graphics are amusing, I am going to love this game, it is what I have been wanting in a rpg for a while... being able to just pick up the controller and start playing, not some hour reading through how to play in the manual

I think this game might get put on the back burner since I got a psp yesterday yikes, so little time.

I hate being a responsible adult

I had to level up quite a bit at the Dark Ruins too. I got there at about Lv. 25, but I wasn't able to beat the boss until Lv. 29.

I've almost hit 200 hours now. Between two games of course.

The post-game stuff is amazing! It's like a mini-sequel to the game itself. The bonus bosses are a challenge, even at level 85. Since I'm so close I'll probably work my way to level 99 (if that's the cap) and beat the game again inasmuch that what's revealed in the post-game dungeon I'd imagine the ending would be different. I managed to get 113 Mini Medals out of 115 without any guides and I'm sure the two I'm missing are just in chests I've missed on the huge overworld. It's almost sad that I'm finally going to have to let this game go.

Tales of Legendia is coming soon so the grieving won't be for long (I hope).

Hmm.. even the second time I played where I didn't do any extra leveling until the end I was over 30 when I got to the Dark Ruins. I think the key-factor is getting Multi-Heal for Angelo which is around 30.. that one REALLY turns the tables.