Dragon Quest VIII is coming to Japanese mobile devices on December 12th.
Back in October Square Enix revealed that it had new plans to re-release Dragon Quest I-VIII onto iOS and Android devices sometime this winter. It was fantastic news for JRPGs fans, even if it was somewhat stunted by the fact that the re-releases have yet to be confirmed for territories outside of Japan. It’s just a bit hard to not feel giddy at the thought of being able to play some of gaming’s most classic RPGs conveniently on our phones.
Our excitement is made only more potent by the recent release of a new trailer for the mobile version of Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King. The trailer, which clocks in at just under two minutes, offers a quick peek at the game’s cast before launching into a long look at the new version’s gameplay in action. All in all, it’s looking like a very nice port. The lush cel-shaded visuals of VIII seem to hold up well in the mobile version. Likewise, the controls, a frequent challenge for console to mobile ports, look as though they’ve been translated decently enough to at least be competently functional.
That being the case, we can’t help but express some concern about how Square Enix intends to price the mobile version. While, again, there are currently no announced plans for an American release, the Japanese version of Dragon Quest VIII for iOS and Android will cost 2,800 Yen, which is roughly equivalent to $27. While we’re sure there will still be plenty of fans rushing to download the new edition when it launches on December 12th, that price point puts it well above even other Square Enix mobile editions which have typically already been on the more expensive side.
Source: Siliconera
