Dragon Quest 2 (Mobile) Review

Summary

This review of *Dragon Quest II* explores the game's improvements over its predecessor, highlighting expanded gameplay, refined battle mechanics, and a larger world map. The sequel introduces multiple playable characters, strategic combat, and a more engaging narrative, with the three royal heirs working together to stop the evil Hagen. Despite its increased difficulty and frustrating design choices, like the infamous Cave to Rend Rack and an overpowered final boss, the game significantly refines the series' formula, making it a major step forward in RPG design. The reviewer also teases an upcoming review of *Dragon Quest III*, widely considered the best of the trilogy.

Takeaways

• 😀 *Dragon Quest 2* continues the story 100 years after the original, featuring descendants of the heroes from the first game.
• 😀 The plot follows royal heirs from three great kingdoms working together to defeat the evil forces led by Harvin.
• 😀 The game introduces a multi-party system, allowing for more dynamic and strategic battles compared to *Dragon Quest 1*.
• 😀 Character development is minimal, with the protagonists being descendants of legendary heroes and having limited personality depth.
• 😀 Combat is significantly improved with the introduction of targetable monster groups and spells that affect entire groups, requiring more strategy.
• 😀 The game's difficulty is high, but the difficulty curve smooths out once the player has the full party together.
• 😀 *Dragon Quest 2* improves on the original's leveling system, allowing players to level up as they progress through the story, rather than halting exploration.
• 😀 The world map is much larger and includes the ability to sail a ship, offering more exploration and greater sense of freedom.
• 😀 A notable gameplay improvement in the mobile remake is the fast travel system, making navigation and exploration more forgiving.
• 😀 Despite the improvements, *Dragon Quest 2* suffers from frustrating dungeon design, particularly the infamous Cave to Renderack, which is seen as one of the worst dungeons in the series.
• 😀 The game ends on a bittersweet note with the defeat of the final boss, Mal Roth, whose original design was significantly harder due to the healing mechanic, which was adjusted in later versions.

Q & A

What is the main improvement of *Dragon Quest 2* compared to the original game?

The main improvement in *Dragon Quest 2* is the introduction of multiple party members in battles, adding strategic depth to the combat system. This resolves the monotonous single-character battles of the original, making the gameplay more engaging.

How does *Dragon Quest 2* connect with the events of the first game?

The story of *Dragon Quest 2* takes place 100 years after the first game and directly follows the events of its predecessor. The descendants of the first game's hero and princess set out to create three kingdoms, which are later threatened by a new evil force led by the antagonist, Hargon.

Why does the reviewer find the dungeon designs in *Dragon Quest 2* problematic?

The dungeon designs in *Dragon Quest 2* are criticized for featuring overly complex mazes with many wrong paths that lead to dead ends. The reviewer highlights the infamous 'Cave to Rendarak,' which is filled with invisible pitfalls, making it frustrating and time-consuming to navigate.

What notable challenge does *Dragon Quest 2* present in terms of difficulty?

*Dragon Quest 2* is known for its challenging difficulty, particularly with tough enemies and frequent battles. The reviewer mentions that, despite this, they had a smoother experience than expected, especially after acquiring the ship and managing to avoid difficult areas.

How does the battle system in *Dragon Quest 2* differ from its predecessor?

In *Dragon Quest 2*, players control multiple characters with unique strengths and weaknesses, introducing strategic options like magic and defense spells. This is a significant departure from the first game's simple attack-heal system, allowing for more varied and tactical combat.

How does the game balance character abilities in *Dragon Quest 2*?

Each character in *Dragon Quest 2* has distinct abilities: the protagonist is physically strong but lacks magical powers, Conrad is a versatile magic user with weaker physical abilities, and Linda is a powerful mage with minimal physical strength. This balance forces players to think strategically about their party composition and abilities.

What is the significance of the full heal spell in the original version of *Dragon Quest 2*?

In the original version of *Dragon Quest 2*, the final boss, Malroth, could use the full heal spell to restore his health, making him nearly impossible to defeat unless the player was extremely over-leveled. The mobile remake fixed this by replacing full heal with defensive spells to make the final battle more reasonable.

How does the mobile remake of *Dragon Quest 2* improve the gameplay experience?

The mobile remake of *Dragon Quest 2* improves the gameplay by offering faster travel options, allowing players to teleport between towns. It also fixes issues like the problematic full heal spell and streamlines some of the more frustrating parts of the game, making it more accessible.

What role do the three royal heroes play in the plot of *Dragon Quest 2*?

The three royal heroes in *Dragon Quest 2* are descendants of the original game's heroes, and they unite to stop the villain, Hargon. The characters each represent one of the three kingdoms that were founded after the events of the first game, and they are all motivated by a sense of duty to protect the world.

Why does the reviewer describe the Prince of Kanak as 'durable as a wet napkin'?

The phrase 'durable as a wet napkin' is a running joke among *Dragon Quest* fans, referring to the Prince of Kanak's weak physical durability in *Dragon Quest 2*. Despite this reputation, the reviewer found that Conrad (the Prince of Kanak) performed well during their playthrough, suggesting either better player skill or luck.