Dragon Quest VIII is the latest installment in the popular Dragon Quest series (previously known as Dragon Warrior® in North America) and the first to be released for the PlayStation®2 computer
entertainment system. The colorful characters, exotic environments and daunting dungeons of the Dragon Quest series have made the transition to glorious 3D! Players will find themselves in a universe like
no other, as they explore the plains, peaks and valleys of a seemingly limitless world.

Yuji Horii, the creator of Dragon Quest, delivers an immersive narrative set in an original world, taking the helm once again as game designer and scenario writer. Akira Toriyama, the world-famous comic book artist behind the legendary Dragon Ball franchise returns to provide original character designs. LEVEL-5 Inc., the development house behind titles such as “Dark Cloud 2,” creates an amazing cel-shaded graphics engine, allowing you to experience a world straight out of Japanese animation. Koichi Sugiyama, renowned composer and conductor, has written a captivating musical score which perfectly complements Mr. Horii’s narrative and Mr. Toriyama’s visuals. With this unrivalled creative talent and a host of new and improved gameplay features, Dragon Quest VIII has already sold in excess of 3 million units in its first three months at retail in Japan and is poised to become a global success.

Since times long forgotten, a forbidden scepter had lain sealed away in Trodain castle. Until one day, a mysterious jester called Dhoulmagus disturbed its rest and freed the scepter from its ancient bonds.
Using the scepter's power, Dhoulmagus placed a spiteful curse upon the whole kingdom. In the space of a moment, the people were transformed into thorns and the land was frozen in time. To add insult to injury, the King and the Princess were turned into hideous beasts!

However, the curse left one person untouched...a young guardsman...You! Now you must embark on an epic journey to save your king and country and lift the shadow of the evil jester’s curse!

The world of Dragon Quest VIII is entirely 3D. From the sprawling towns and labyrinthine dungeons, to the hills and plains that divide them on the world map, all of the environments you pass through on your epic journey spread out before you seamlessly. You may lose yourself in the remotest corner of the globe, searching for hidden treasure, or suddenly stumble upon a whole new village or castle as you explore the depths of a shadowy forest – these are the kinds of experiences that will delight and amaze you on your adventure!

The visuals resemble those of a high-quality animated movie, making you feel as if you are actually walking around in one of Akira Toriyama’s cartoons. For the North American and European releases, we have added voiceovers to the already impressive event scenes, imbuing the unfolding drama with greater emotional depth. Furthermore, the cutting-edge animations for both monster and player characters have been enhanced in the Western versions to make battles more dazzling and dynamic than ever before. You won’t just play Dragon Quest VIII, you’ll live and breathe it!

In Dragon Quest VIII, a host of characters designed by famed manga artist Akira Toriyama comes to life in vibrant 3D. It’s as if you have become the hero in a real-life cartoon and set out on an epic adventure! This is a world where you can travel to any area the eye can see. Watch as a far-off castle slowly comes into view and grows larger and more detailed as you approach it. This is the kind of landscape that Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii had dreamed of since he created the first installment of the series 19 years ago.

You will discover events that only occur at a certain time of the night or day. The addition of the dimension of time to a vast gameplay environment makes the world of Dragon Quest VIII virtually infinite.

Voiceovers have been added to the already remarkable event scenes, imbuing the unfolding drama with greater emotional depth. You will find yourself smiling at certain episodes, and being moved by the compelling drama of others. A series of events that flesh out the story in a multitude of directions are scattered throughout Dragon Quest VIII. Of course, as the main protagonist, you will actively participate in their unfolding! Yuji Horii’s witty script has been brilliantly translated for the North American version, and voiceovers have been added to even better express the finer nuances of the characters’ emotions.

The Japanese text-based menu system has been totally rebuilt into a vibrant graphical user interface, with the addition of icons representing items and magic. This makes the North American version a greater pleasure to play than any other installment in the series.

Another feature of Dragon Quest VIII is the dynamic battles with the unique and endearing monsters created by master cartoonist Akira Toriyama. Via a turn-based battle system that’s simple to learn but difficult to master, Toriyama's characters deliver no-holds-barred action!

The "A.I. Battle System," unique to the Dragon Quest series, enables you to specify precisely how each character fights. You can take control of the characters manually, or choose from a number of different A.I. strategies for them to automatically follow.

Appearing for the first time in the series, the "Tension" feature is a brand-new addition to the well-established battle system that adds further depth to the tactics you use against enemies. Use the “Psyche Up” command to build up the character's power for several turns, and then unleash a mighty attack that can turn the tide of battle. In this state, might he even be able to defeat a golem made entirely of gold in a single blow!? Many other new and improved features have been implemented in Dragon Quest VIII.