Dragon Quest can often feel like a lengthy series, from grinding out experience and cash to solving every town’s problems again and again and again. DQ7 will test your endurance more than any other in the franchise, but I promise it’s so worth it.

The cast is one of the strongest I’ve experienced despite only two party members carrying plot relevant reasons to endure the journey. Gameplay progression systems from DQ6 return with far more balance and updated use, making them welcome additions this time around.

The story really relies on your thirst for adventure in the first 15-20 hours or so as you begin to feel out your companions and you all start to see the effects your actions enable. It’s built mostly on what would be considered small subplots for over half the game before you’re hit with point blank narrative relevance. Despite the lull of story beats, each subplot is more interesting than the last and the myriad of themes presented throughout each are a treat each time.

Unfortunately I can’t praise the game’s finer points without major spoilers, but in conclusion DQ7 is well worth the time for those with some patience and a hunger for the unknown