I forget what exactly, but there was some element in Azure Dreams that really prevented me from digging in. IIRC, it had a kind of half-assed translation, and maybe it was younger me, but I remember being somewhat tougher than the Mysterious Dungeon games, in general. I can like, blow through Chocobo, Torneko, Pokemon. . .Azure Dreams and Nightmare of Druaga I remember as tougher, though.