Developing Dragon Quest VIII under the watchful eye of Square Enix and Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii was a learning experience for developer Level Five. The lessons learned in developing the PlayStation 2 debut of one of Japan's most revered RPG series' were applied to the formula Level 5 had already established in their already excellent Dark Cloud 2 when creating Rogue Galaxy.
Level 5's Philosophy: Action Over Words
Rogue Galaxy's story is bare-bones at best, and for the most part simply serves to provide reason for the player to be exploring the game's various dungeons. The narrative is presented in chapters, with story events taking place mainly at the opening and closing of each one.
Because of this characters outside the player's party are not well established in motivation or story, and any meaningul moments involving them are rendered laughable. The player characters are given more personality by having them comment on the current situation as the dungeon is being explored. They do however tend to repeat themselves.
Action RPG Gameplay at its Finest
Rogue Galaxy is an action RPG, but differs from most games in this genre by including random battles, formerly a staple of turn-based RPG systems. This is of little concern however, as these battles take place on the same screen as the rest of the gameplay, and require no loading. In fact, one of Rogue Galaxy's best features is its completely seamless, load-free world. It is a wonderful, and rare, thing to see on the PS2.
When in battle the player controls one of three characters, while the other two are controlled by a competent A.I. Whenever the characters not under the player's control wish to take an action, be it using an item or performing a magical attack, they ask the player if that action would be appropriate and can be approved at the touch of a button. This level of control is welcome, and never distracting during the hectic battles.
The dungeons, while not randomized like in Dark Cloud 2 could easily be mistaken as such. There is little detail to them, and a sameness to the rooms. This is forgivable as these rooms will only be seen for seconds at a time, and the rooms which players will see for extended period are rendered with much more care.
Mini Games Galore
Rogue Galaxy, again like Dark Cloud 2, is full of things to do aside from the main quest. None of it is required, but players will likely find enjoyment in the many varied activities.
At one point the party will receive bug cages used to catch bugs throughout the game's dungeons, which can then be fed, trained, and bred to create new more powerful bugs. These bugs are to be used in strategy battles against other bugs in a universe-wide tournament.
Crafting items is a big part of the game, and the only way to upgrade equipment. Players are free to experiment with their own combinations when combining weaponry into new forms, or they can follow the advice of their small frog companion who leads to the best possible outcome.
Players will also be granted use of a factory after certain events have transpired, and be given a new puzzle game-esque way to craft items.
A Galaxy Worth Exploring
With the ability to spend hours fighting monsters, or simply experimenting with the side-games Rogue Galaxy offers something for everyone. To those looking for a strong story beware, this is a game with a focus on gameplay.
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