Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past‘s North American release of September 16 is speedily approaching and Nintendo recently launched a new website informing potential players of what the game entails. The site itself is standard “promotional site” fare, explaining the main aspects of the DQVII as well as containing trailers (which I highly recommend watching), wallpapers, and other media goodies. Here is what we have gleaned after perusing the website:
As the player, you guide Auster, a fisherman’s son, and his friends on a journey to make your world whole once more. To accomplish this task, your team must go back and forth through time and acquire mysterious fragments that will allow you to revive different islands (you can see where the whole subtitle “Fragments of the Forgotten Past” subtitle comes from now).
One of the key features of the Dragon Quest series is the vocation system. This title has over 30 vocations, more than any other game in the series. There are three stages of vocations: Basic (seen in the screenshot), Advanced (which require mastery of Basic vocations), and Master (these can only be unlocked under certain special circumstances). Oh, there is one more vocation that is debuting in this title, Monster vocations! You know those monsters you battle? How would you like to learn their skills and turn them against those bothersome bullies? I didn’t even mention the best part. While assigned a Monster vocation, you will appear on the world map as that particular monster! Learning how to be Slime? Well, now you look like one, too. I love it!
DQVII looks to take full advantage of the Nintendo 3DS’s StreetPass function. After unlocking the area, Monster Meadows, you gain the ability to send three monsters that you have befriended into the area’s cave. The team you selected will return with a “Traveler’s Tablet.” These Tablets unlock dungeons that are generated based on the team you sent into the cave. After clearing a Tablet’s dungeon for the first time, you are then able to share it with others via StreetPass. Special tablets will also be distributed online from time to time. You can find those at the Download Bar in The Haven. The Download Bar becomes available after finding The Haven and then recruiting three reformed monsters.
Head on over to Nintendo’s special site for Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past to get even more information on what looks to be a very entertaining game. And seriously, check out those trailers in the Media section. I must have watched each of them over 10 times.