<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
:	I-Application
Journey	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Cursed	I-Application
King	I-Application
is	O
a	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Level-5	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Square	O
Enix	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
eighth	O
installment	O
of	O
the	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
series	O
and	O
it	O
is	O
the	O
first	O
English	O
version	O
of	O
a	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
game	O
to	O
drop	O
the	O
Dragon	B-Application
Warrior	I-Application
title	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
Android	B-Application
and	O
iOS	B-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
in	O
December	O
2013	O
,	O
and	O
worldwide	O
in	O
May	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
uses	O
cel	O
shading	O
for	O
the	O
characters	O
and	O
scenery	O
and	O
is	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
to	O
have	O
fully	O
3D	O
environments	O
and	O
character	O
models	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
follows	O
the	O
silent	O
protagonist	O
and	O
his	O
party	O
of	O
allies	O
as	O
they	O
journey	O
towards	O
the	O
goal	O
of	O
defeating	O
the	O
wicked	O
Dhoulmagus	O
,	O
who	O
cursed	O
the	O
kingdom	O
of	O
Trodain	O
and	O
its	O
people	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
was	O
a	O
critical	O
and	O
commercial	O
success	O
,	O
later	O
being	O
released	O
under	O
the	O
Sony	B-Device
Greatest	I-Device
Hits	I-Device
brand	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
controls	O
the	O
Hero	O
in	O
a	O
fully	O
three-dimensional	O
environment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
also	O
introduced	O
the	O
tension	O
system	O
,	O
which	O
allows	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
choose	O
the	O
"	O
Psyche	O
Up	O
"	O
command	O
for	O
a	O
character	O
during	O
battle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
is	O
also	O
a	O
monster	O
capturing	O
feature	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
is	O
not	O
as	O
fundamental	O
to	O
the	O
gameplay	O
as	O
it	O
was	O
in	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
V	I-Application
.	O
The	O
player	O
may	O
find	O
enemies	O
visible	O
on	O
the	O
world	O
map	O
that	O
can	O
be	O
recruited	O
if	O
defeated	O
and	O
used	O
during	O
the	O
Monster	O
Arena	O
mini-game	O
and	O
during	O
battle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
version	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
can	O
choose	O
to	O
instead	O
begin	O
a	O
romance	O
with	O
Jessica	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
focuses	O
on	O
four	O
main	O
characters	O
,	O
each	O
joining	O
the	O
battle	O
party	O
early	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
antagonist	O
of	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
is	O
Dhoulmagus	O
,	O
a	O
jester	O
who	O
steals	O
an	O
ancient	O
scepter	O
from	O
Trodain	O
Castle	O
and	O
uses	O
its	O
power	O
to	O
curse	O
the	O
inhabitants	O
of	O
the	O
castle	O
,	O
setting	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
events	O
in	O
motion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
the	O
morning	O
of	O
November	O
27	O
,	O
2004	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
celebration	O
at	O
Starbucks	B-Application
in	O
Shibuya	O
,	O
Tokyo	O
,	O
starting	O
at	O
6:30am	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
free	O
events	O
gave	O
away	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
merchandise	O
and	O
also	O
featured	O
live	O
entertainment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
demo	O
disc	O
for	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
was	O
also	O
released	O
during	O
the	O
fall	O
of	O
2005	O
through	O
Shonen	O
Jump	O
magazine	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
November	O
15	O
,	O
2005	O
,	O
and	O
shipped	O
with	O
a	O
playable	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
XII	I-Application
demo	O
disc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Additions	O
and	O
changes	O
to	O
the	O
North	O
American	O
version	O
of	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
included	O
voice	O
acting	O
,	O
new	O
animations	O
,	O
enhanced	O
music	O
and	O
sound	O
effects	O
,	O
additional	O
spells	O
and	O
attacks	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
new	O
menu	O
interface	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
Nintendo	O
Direct	O
in	O
November	O
2015	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
shown	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
be	O
releasing	O
for	O
the	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
in	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
was	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
to	O
bear	O
the	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
name	O
(	O
rather	O
than	O
Dragon	B-Application
Warrior	I-Application
)	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2003	O
,	O
Square	O
Enix	O
registered	O
the	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
trademark	O
in	O
the	O
US	O
,	O
making	O
the	O
Dragon	B-Application
Warrior	I-Application
name	O
obsolete	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
the	O
original	O
Japanese	O
version	O
,	O
the	O
North	O
American	O
and	O
European	O
localizations	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
mark	O
a	O
departure	O
from	O
previous	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
titles	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
inclusion	O
of	O
voice	O
acting	O
in	O
certain	O
parts	O
of	O
the	O
adventure	O
pertaining	O
to	O
the	O
advancement	O
of	O
the	O
storyline	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
some	O
earlier	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
which	O
were	O
censored	O
during	O
localization	O
for	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
had	O
no	O
such	O
censorship	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
English	O
translation	O
is	O
credited	O
to	O
Plus	O
Alpha	O
Translations	O
and	O
AltJapan	O
Co.	O
,	O
Ltd	O
.	O
Richard	O
Honeywood	O
,	O
of	O
Square	O
Enix	O
's	O
localization	O
office	O
and	O
famous	O
for	O
his	O
work	O
with	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
and	O
Chocobo	B-Application
Racing	I-Application
,	O
was	O
the	O
main	O
force	O
behind	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
English	O
localization	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
iOS	B-Application
and	O
Android	B-Application
version	O
removed	O
the	O
voice	O
acting	O
,	O
akin	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
Japanese	O
PS2	B-Device
version	O
due	O
to	O
hardware	O
limitations	O
at	O
the	O
time.Dragon	O
Quest	O
VIII	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
PAL	O
regions	O
in	O
April	O
2006	O
under	O
the	O
title	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Journey	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Cursed	I-Application
King	I-Application
,	O
dropping	O
the	O
Roman	O
numeral	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
most	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
games	O
,	O
Koichi	O
Sugiyama	O
wrote	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
original	O
score	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
official	O
soundtrack	O
for	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
December	O
2005	O
,	O
published	O
by	O
Aniplex	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
versions	O
swaps	O
the	O
soundtracks	O
with	O
the	O
Japanese	O
version	O
using	O
the	O
symphonic	O
suite	O
orchestral	O
recordings	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
North	O
American	O
and	O
PAL	O
versions	O
use	O
the	O
sequenced	O
music	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
entirely	O
remastered	O
,	O
other	O
than	O
the	O
original	O
sequenced	O
music	O
in	O
the	O
Japanese	O
PS2	B-Device
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
iOS	B-Application
and	O
Android	B-Application
version	O
uses	O
the	O
sequenced	O
music	O
from	O
the	O
Japanese	O
PS2	B-Device
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Released	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
on	O
November	O
27	O
,	O
2004	O
,	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
sold	O
2,167,072	O
units	O
in	O
two	O
days	O
,	O
in	O
three	O
days	O
,	O
and	O
more	O
than	O
within	O
a	O
week	O
,	O
becoming	O
the	O
fastest-selling	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
title	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
September	O
2008	O
,	O
total	O
worldwide	O
shipments	O
of	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
surpassed	O
4.9	O
million	O
copies	O
,	O
of	O
which	O
over	O
430,000	O
were	O
from	O
the	O
North	O
American	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
is	O
the	O
biggest	O
selling	O
game	O
ever	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
game	O
to	O
receive	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
39	O
out	O
of	O
40	O
from	O
Famitsu	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
won	O
both	O
1UP.coms	O
and	O
GameSpy	O
's	O
"	O
Best	O
RPG	O
of	O
E3	O
2005	O
"	O
award	O
,	O
ahead	O
of	O
runner-up	O
Kingdom	B-Application
Hearts	I-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
iOS	B-Application
version	O
became	O
the	O
2nd	O
top-seller	O
of	O
Japan	O
AppStore	O
in	O
the	O
debut	O
half	O
day	O
,	O
highlighting	O
the	O
influence	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2017	O
,	O
the	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
version	O
was	O
nominated	O
for	O
"	O
Handheld/Mobile	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
at	O
the	O
Golden	O
Joystick	O
Awards	O
,	O
and	O
for	O
"	O
Best	O
Portable	O
Game	O
"	O
at	O
Destructoids	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
Awards	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
US	O
release	O
of	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
received	O
mostly	O
positive	O
reviews	O
,	O
receiving	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
89	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
on	O
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
staple	O
of	O
the	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
series	O
is	O
the	O
simplicity	O
of	O
its	O
gameplay	O
,	O
a	O
factor	O
which	O
has	O
been	O
criticized	O
in	O
the	O
past	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
several	O
critics	O
pointed	O
out	O
that	O
the	O
simple	O
gameplay	O
works	O
for	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
1UP.com	O
staff	O
suggested	O
that	O
the	O
player	O
stop	O
playing	O
"	O
to	O
just	O
look	O
around	O
and	O
absorb	O
the	O
scenery	O
"	O
and	O
said	O
that	O
it	O
rivals	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
:	I-Application
San	I-Application
Andreas	I-Application
map	O
of	O
San	O
Andreas	O
in	O
size	O
and	O
detail	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
writer	O
Jeremy	O
Dunham	O
wrote	O
that	O
the	O
"	O
only	O
exception	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
mass	O
list	O
of	O
progression	O
is	O
the	O
plotline	O
,	O
"	O
explaining	O
that	O
it	O
has	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
more	O
basic	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
stories	O
;	O
but	O
he	O
also	O
mentions	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
still	O
manages	O
to	O
take	O
a	O
simple	O
plot	O
and	O
make	O
it	O
entertaining	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jessica	O
and	O
Yangus	O
are	O
playable	O
characters	O
in	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
Heroes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
sequel	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
Heroes	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
Jessica	O
is	O
instead	O
accompanied	O
by	O
Angelo	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
Yangus	I-Application
,	O
a	O
roguelike	O
Mystery	O
Dungeon	O
game	O
by	O
Cavia	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
follows	O
the	O
storyline	O
of	O
a	O
young	O
Yangus	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jessica	O
,	O
Angelo	O
,	O
and	O
Yangus	O
also	O
appear	O
opposite	O
other	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
characters	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
Final	O
Fantasy	O
and	O
Mario	B-Application
characters	O
in	O
titles	O
of	O
the	O
Itadaki	B-Application
Street	I-Application
franchise	O
,	O
a	O
cross-over	O
board	O
game	O
spanning	O
multiple	O
platforms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Appearances	O
include	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
&	O
Final	O
Fantasy	O
in	O
Itadaki	B-Application
Street	I-Application
Portable	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
Portable	I-Operating_System
,	O
Itadaki	B-Application
Street	I-Application
DS	B-Device
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Device
DS	I-Device
and	O
Itadaki	B-Application
Street	I-Application
Wii/Fortune	O
Street	O
,	O
an	O
enhanced	O
remake	O
of	O
Itadaki	B-Application
Street	I-Application
DS	B-Device
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
VIII	I-Application
characters	O
also	O
make	O
appearances	O
in	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
IX	I-Application
:	I-Application
Sentinels	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Starry	I-Application
Skies	I-Application
:	O
Jessica	O
,	O
Angelo	O
,	O
and	O
King	O
Trode	O
appear	O
as	O
special	O
WI	O
FI	O
guests	O
in	O
the	O
Quester	O
's	O
Rest	O
inn	O
in	O
Stornway	O
,	O
Dhoulmagus	O
and	O
Rhapthorne	O
appear	O
as	O
optional	O
legacy	O
bosses	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
player	O
can	O
acquire	O
a	O
"	O
Trodain	O
Royal	O
Guard	O
"	O
costume	O
to	O
dress	O
as	O
VIII	O
's	O
Hero	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
protagonist	O
also	O
appears	O
as	O
a	O
playable	O
character	O
in	O
the	O
2018	O
crossover	O
fighting	O
game	O
Super	B-Application
Smash	I-Application
Bros	I-Application
.	I-Application
</s>
<s>
He	O
is	O
one	O
of	O
four	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
protagonists	O
that	O
collectively	O
share	O
a	O
moveset	O
and	O
the	O
moniker	O
of	O
"	O
Hero	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
was	O
voiced	O
in	O
by	O
Yūki	O
Kaji	O
in	O
Super	B-Application
Smash	I-Application
Bros	I-Application
.	I-Application
</s>
