Dragon Warrior 2 - the early game.

So, after a lot of DESCRIBING the opening sequence of Dragon Warrior 2 last time, I didn't do a good job of responding to it. I hope to do better with that in the future. The point of the blog isn't just to play the game and tell you what happened. It's an exercise in criticism.

So that said, that opening sequence would be hugely influential on later console RPGs. Especially the other series I'm focusing on as part of this project, Final Fantasy. I think the first in that series (which I will be playing next) was being developed concurrently with this sequel, as they came out only a few months apart.

It seems to me that one of the goals of that competing game was to insert more narrative. That desire for storytelling would bring criticism in the later games, becoming like a push button video novel with some monster fights woven in.

But anyways, especially after just playing the first DQ which is narratively sparse, it felt really fresh and expansive to begin this game with where the previous one ended, but jump us far into the future with prologue text and an "in media res" cutscene (ala Star Wars).

This makes the events of that previous game into the ancient history of this game - which parallels how the hero Erdrick's story was the ancient history of the first game. In fact, Dragon Warrior 3 (which we will play after FF1,) is a prequel, bringing this first "trilogy" within the series to a close.

So, though it was sparse, the narrative and plot lines quickly became a part of console RPGs, including backstory and in-references to the previous titles. It's no wonder this became an ongoing feature of both series when it was such an early development in the proto-genre.

Enough about all that - let's talk about the actual gameplay. The first thing to notice is that combat now involves MULTIPLE ENEMIES, even combinations of different types. It's amazing how a simple detail like that can really amplify the strategy of playing the game. Mainly because you want to take out the toughest monster first.

Triple trouble! Just kidding, slimes are still one hit wussies.

 

It also makes resource management a little trickier because the difficulty of the encounters can vary pretty widely. I find myself fleeing a lot more in the sequel. But anyways, grinding out levels is something you have to do.

While doing that, I explored the starting continent without crossing any bridges (since that invites MUCH tougher combats). My goal was to find the other two anscestors of the first Dragon Warrior and figure out how to fight this evil wizard.

Moving West and counterclockwise from the starting Castle of Midenhall, I found:

1. The town of Leftwyne. Someone in my own castle told me about this place. They had better armor and weapons, so I am rocking a chain sickle, some chain mail, and a leather shield. Sold that lame gear the king gave me to start. Earning the gold for this took a while, so I came back around and bough the stuff as I could afford it.

2. A cave to the west on the south side which had some kind of portal that the guards wouldn't let me use without the prince I am looking for.

3. A cave farther west on an island in a little lake, that I explored and looted. I found a metal key that unlocks all the metal doors in the game. The key handling is different in this game. In DW1, you need to buy one magic key per locked door, and they re-locked if you left the area. In DW2, keys of a certain type are reusable, but only open doors of a certain type.

4. Crannock Castle, where that prince is supposed to be. I healed up and saved and then went looking for him far to the east in the Spring of Bravery, which his sister told me he had headed off to.

5. The Spring of Bravery, where I met a nosy guy, got a magical bath from a wizard, and found out the prince it was looking for went to Midenhall to look for me. Doh! Full circle...

That's none of your business, weird gimp who lives in this cave...

 

Back at the starting castle of Midenhall, I saved and rested and the king told me the Prince left to go find me in Midenhall - which was confusing since that's where we were. Turns out that's a bug since he meant Leftwyne.

Back in Leftwyne. I spent my new loot and suited up (and also tried every metal door with my new key) and finally caught up to that evasive Prince. It's actually a neat way to advance you through the plot while letting you grind levels along the way.

I think the wandering search for the guy is designed to make you visit each major location on that first continent, and doing so will leave you strong enough to explore new areas.

Now that we've found him, we have another innovation in console games, successfully porting over a more common feature of more complex PC RPGs: multiple party members. Another first for the genre (which only involves one game and its sequel at this point.

I've been looking all over for you...

 

Of course, that creates a new problem. I'm level 8, and the prince somehow managed to get this far and still remain at level 1. And his gear sucks. The next step is to level his ass up, and buy him some matching equipment.

One last big twist in this game - in DW1, your main guy can cast spells. In DW2, he can't. But the prince can, so I can finally cast HEAL and not have to use herbs to recover health while wandering he countryside busing up on monsters. So that's nice.

Back in a few with the further adventures of Dragon Warrior 2 (which has not mentioned a dragon at all yet).