At Fort Prospect andddd, I think this is better than the ps2 version. It feels more balanced. I've beaten DQ8 once and gotten halfway through the game on a replay but never finished that one, and I've never really had this kind of trouble I'm having. Trouble being relative. I did my usual thing, run to the tree to fetch the tools quest, went to the waterfall cave at level 5, and Yangus and Hero still had a bit of defense issues in the cave. I seriously have to use some basic strategy on the early monsters, and I've never had to do that before. I have no clue what's going on. My equipment is up to par and these monsters are hitting Yangus and Diego for like 10-12 hp a pop on the way to Fort Prospect, and I'll be fighting 3-4 of them at once. It's really refreshing and it just feels right. I think it may be because I'm saving my Skill Points but who knows. I think this could be a symptom of the lower random battle rate, because it's not a symptom of me sucking.
Battles are much more fun to get through too because they're not as slow anymore.
I also have to give kudos towards the portrait view. In the Alexndria Tower dungeon, I was disoriented and lost a few times because due to the new viewpoint, you see less of the screen, forcing you to explore more thoroughly. Something about it makes me get lost more. I think they did a good job with that as the dungeons are something lacking in ps2 DQ8.
I just feel really good about this point. I'm not big on the game feeling cramped - though, as said, this works to a benefit in a way - but the overall thing just enhances a game I've already played and loved. I always go back and forth with DQ. 8 was my first, and I've always considered it my favorite, but it had a long way from best DQ for me due to the slow battles and lowered difficulty. So far, the mobile version is fixing my main grievances.
Yet people seem to think it's a bad port. Oh well. More love for me!
In other news, beat my Chaos Rings replay.
Will get to 2 after DQ8.
