REVIEW : DRAGON QUEST HEROES™ II (PS4/ PS4 Pro)
Omega Force is back with the successor of the RPG game that had the gamers sticking to their seats as they slashed and wreaked havoc across the dynasty with Dragon Quest Heroes. Much like its predecessor, Dragon Quest Heroes 2, is also a high-energy RPG game with detailed world zones and large battle field confrontations. The developers have stuck to the basics of Dragon Quest Heroes 1 and blended the arcade style action with RPG elements to come up with an enthralling and a fun filled game that is better than the predecessor in every way.
The key objectives were not only in learning about the game characters and their attack skills but also to go a step ahead and be at the correct spot at the right time taking care of the milestones as they pop up. This is what makes a warrior game good. Dragon Quest Heroes had gone a step ahead of this and did pull out the Easter rabbit from the hat. Coupled with the RPG-style attacks and a storyline that build up slowly and eventually, the game went ahead of a classic Warrior game, which is essence it is. However, The Dragon Quest Heroes 2 pushes the bar further up as it made the plot even more smarter and wider, making way for wider spaces to explore and varied scene settings to play in. Major improvement in graphics has aided the game to make a lasting impression on players.
The players are presented with two starting heroes to choose from – Lazarel or Teresa, two cousins living in a faraway peaceful land that, like many quests begin, finds itself engulfed by conflicts. Apart from the two starting heroes, the game introduces many other characters too, who would eventually join the player’s party, however, they only have key skills and key weapons which they can handle. Unlike the secondary characters, Larazel and Teresa are more versatile and may learn multiple moves and can handle multiple weapons, however, to turn them into true warriors you must find the best suited weapon and gears that match your skill set. The balanced party plays a crucial role in progressing through different worlds.
Even though it’s a successor game of the series, yet the dots are very faintly linked and you can play fresh with the Dragon Quest Heroes 2 without suffering from amnesia about the series of events that take place. You would miss out on the occasional nostalgia at the appearance of familiar characters and sound effects bantering around in the background. Yet these are the things only the fans would miss or notice. The game, however, does take a lot from JRPG games as you start exploring wide areas you realize the high value targets and cluster enemies which need to be targeted instead of killing every monster you encounter in your way. The areas are detailed and the sound effects go well with the worlds however, as the worlds are wide and vast, the sounds lose their charm quickly and start bugging you with the monotonicity. Although, alternating between the larger spaces and these more intimate combat zones provides a level of diversity seldom seen in Warriors games.
The game takes pride in classic and simple experience point-driven character progression, gear upgrades, and item alchemy. Monster summoning is not as charming, yet, it is effective as it eases completely into the war zones. Developer, Omega Force, has given a wide array of monster hunter heroes to choose from. Experimenting with different party formations is part of the fun, where the user must make choices between choosing the best combination of skills, weapons and traits and place them alongside their personal favourite characters to form the perfect team, which at times is a big challenge. You have so much to choose from, in fact, that the newly implemented class-change feature feels both underutilized and redundant.
However, the AI of the game controlling other party members feels mundane and during battles the party members come out as meek not taking on targets with the full strength and ferocity. To experience the true power of party fighting, the user must participate into online team battles multiplayer modes where you can play with real-life friends alongside you. Optional multiplayer dungeons are loaded with Dragon Quest’s meanest foes, and these ferocious welcome parties change based on your levels and team size. If you do come out on top in these monster-infested mazes, you leave with useful loot like a ball that temporarily boosts the amount of XP you earn in battle, which can make your next play session more lucrative.
