Although Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King isn't stuck on PlayStation 2, as the game has been released on Nintendo 3DS as well as on smart devices, the eight entry in the series by Square Enix has yet to be properly remastered.
As Square Enix doesn't seem interested in doing so, some dedicated fans have taken it upon themselves to improve the original PlayStation 2 version to offer the definitive Dragon Quest VIII experience. This is exactly what HuffleScuf did with their PS2 Remaster Pack, which introduces new HD UI, fonts, and textures that make the game look amazing on the PCSX2 emulator. The developer released comparison screenshots and a video which can be found below that highlight the changes introduced by their pack. The pack itself can be downloaded by going here.
While Square Enix doesn't seem interested in properly remastering Dragon Quest VIII, the Japanese publisher hasn't forgotten one of its flagship series, as it is currently working on the twelfth main entry in the series, Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate, which is being co-developed in Unreal Engine 5 by Orca, the studio that also co-developed the eleventh entry in the series. Last year, a spin-off game called Dragon Quest Treasures was also released worldwide on Nintendo Switch, a charming yet simplistic title, as Nate highlighted in his review.
Dragon Quest Treasures offers plenty of charm, solid core mechanics, and a certain slot-machine-style appeal, but fortune favors the bold, and the game holds back in too many ways. Unremarkable visuals, simplistic combat, and the eventual repetitive feeling of treasure hunting limit the experience. Younger players and hardcore fans of the franchise may still covet Dragon Quest Treasures, but the game could have truly sparkled with a bit more polish.
