Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

40 to 100 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Don't believe the hype"

While I normally like Dragon Quest games, DQVI I have an utter dislike for. Everything about DQ6 could be right, but it's just not, it's just long, drawn out, boring, hallow, and dumb. The biggest problem I have with it is the constant padding throughout the game. There are just so many things this game could cut to make it shorter and thus less drawn out, but the game constantly insists to waste your time. Truth be told the padding wouldn't be so bad either if the random battle rates weren't that bad either, but that isn't true. My game clocked in well above 50 hrs. and it really got to the point of just wanting to stop for the longest time.

The story itself just isn't interesting either, and while it does try to get interesting it really just ends up being a hallow mess of interest. The fact that the game starts out with amnesia characters is bad enough, but the way they develop them is slow and then increasingly fast, then none at all. I personally had more emotion for side characters in DQ9 than I did for the main characters in DQ6. And you'd think that the idea behind a dream world and real world would be a little more interesting, but it just doesn't quite get there. And also the fact that there are even more areas to travel make me incredibly annoyed because there is just so much bloody space on the map, so it's like why don't you use all of it? On top of that, the game doesn't give you a strong sense of direction not even half way through the game; I'd say it took about an hour in to start wondering where you should go. But perhaps the worst part about this game is that it just doesn't end, and it goes so slow. I'm really not sure if I would have beat this game if I didn't watch all of the supernatural series while playing this game throughout the episodes.

Perhaps, the only redeeming note DQ6 has is the vocation system. While it's somewhat present in DQ8, I have been missing how great it was like in DQ9. While DQ6's vocation system isn't as robust as DQ9's vocation, it's still a fun system that can help boost characters and make them better than ever. Just something about making your characters your own personal healer or attacker or what have you, makes things a little more enjoyable to play the game. But overall, DQ6 is just really weak as a game, and I strongly suggest even fans to not play it, it's not bad, but man is it disappointing. What probably hurts more is that it was just now a recent port to the states.

Conclusion: Dragon Quest 6's only good contribute to the franchise is the vocation system, the ability to choose what class you want to be gives a sense of customizing and it's a fun, exciting system. As for the rest of DQ6, it's a pile of mess that is way too drawn out, and not nearly as in depth as it wants to appear to be. I strongly suggest scratching your Dragon Quest itch with a different game.