If, like me, you’re a sucker for a nice big RPG, then the sudden and completely unheralded arrival of Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King on the App Store is sure to grab your attention. This is some truly classic JRPG goodness. 

While not as well-known outside Japan as publisher Square Enix's Final Fantasy franchise, Dragon Quest VIII made its mark in the twilight of the PS2 and was critically acclaimed as a captivating fantasy epic. I thoroughly enjoyed the game in 2005 and anyone who similarly played its initial console release will get a significant hit of nostalgic charm, whilst newcomers will find that even nearing a decade down the line, Dragon Quest VIII still has enough quality to rival many of the modern iOS RPG gems like The Shadow Sun or Zenonia 5.

It was originally developed by Level-5, too, who would go on to do more brilliant things with PlayStation titles Rogue Galaxy and Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, as well as the Professor Layton series on Nintendo's handhelds.

Also featuring art designed by famed Dragon Ball Z creator Akira Toriyama, the classic anime style works well with the charming cel-shaded graphics, which have been reworked for the higher resolution iPad. The developer has also reworked the control mechanics for the touch interface and players will find it easy to multitask and still enjoy the sumptuous world. The only hesitation about instantly grabbing the old school title is the mighty US$19.99 price tag, but considering the game runs for an enjoyable 80 to 100 hours, what it asks for in price is matched in content.

Dragon Quest VIII is out now on the App Store and you can grab it here.

New comment