When it comes to JRPGs, gamers probably think of two series: 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dragon Quest and 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Final Fantasy. They both popped up around the same time in Japan and were rivals for many years. Dragon Quest hit the NES in 1986 but would not drop until 198ꦫ9 for North America under the Dragon Warrior name. The West did not properly refer to this series until 2005 with the release of Dragon Quest 8.
Final Fantasy also had a weird release history as it first hit the NES in Japan in 1987 before its Western debut in 1990. North America would skip releases going from the first to the fourth to the sixth - which were named out of order too. Release history aside, what is the better series of the two? Even though they aren’t rivals anymore since Square and Enix merged in 2003, becoming 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Square Enix, it will still be a fun debate.
10 ❀ Gameplay: Final Fantasy ♓
Dragon Quest’s gameplay has improved over the years in significant ways. Dragon Quest 11 🏅was a huge departure as it allowed players to run around the battle arena. This didn’t do anything strategically but it was a start.
Final Fantasy has always been about experimentation which is good for the franchise and industry. Some experiments are flawed but many were great successes like 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Final Fantasy 7 Remake using action combat instead of turn-based.
9 Consistency: Dragonꦇ Quest
There have been eleven core Dragon Quest titles in the series so far with the twelfth announced. Final Fantasy has fifteen with a 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:planned sixteenth release. Both serie꧃s are among some of the highest-reviewed games in🍸 the RPG genre.
As great as the battle experimentation is, this can lead to some skeptical views from fans in regard to Final Fantasy. Dragon Quest not changing is bad in some ways but it has kept the series more consistent🔴ly good.
8 𒁏 Spinoff Variety: Final Fantasy ꦬ
Both series have more s👍pinoffs than core titles. Each series has alsoꦇ experimented with many different genres from puzzle games to other RPGs.
Final Fantasy has a bit more to offer for fans of any genre though. There 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:are fighting games, sports titles, and racing games that Dragon Quest lacks in💟 a more significant way. There should be crossovers too, which both series 🍌are guilty of neglecting.
7 🅠 Length: Dragon Quest ♔
Dragon Quest games are📖 more consistently jam-packed with content. Sometimes this content can be too much of a good thing. Dragon Quest 11, for example, has well over a hundred hours and a lot of that is just for beating the game.
That can be daunting for some while a blessing for others. 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Final Fantasy games also 🐭have tons of content but not in the same ways as most Dragon Quest games. Their post-game content alone is legendary.
6 Story And Sca🎶le: Final Fantasy ♑
Dragon Quest 4 and Final Fantasy 4 were both significant in that both series tried to evolve their storytelling. The difference between the two is that Final Fantasy continued to evolve with bigger and m☂ore bombastic stories as the sequels came along.
From cinematic cutscenes in Final Fantasy 7 to voice acting for the first time in 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Final Fantasy 10, this series is always trying to push boundaries. Like the battle sit🌱uation, Drag🐲on Quest seems content with not changing much.
5 🅘 Art Style: Dragon Quest
Part of Final Fantasy’s evolution plan with the story involves groundbreaking graphicඣs. While they are cool at the time, they don’t age as well due to the reliance on hardware. Dragon Quest has never been about that and because of that, the art style tends toꦬ hold up better.
Just look at Dragon Quest 8 can Final Fantasy 8 and see which looks better. Dragon Quest 8 aꦛlone holds up more than many Final Fantasy games thanks to the cel-shading and stylization.
4 Music: Final Fantasy 💜 ꧑
It may seem like a broken record by now, but Dragon Quest seemingly does not like to write new music. They, again, do not seem like they want to deviate. While not entirely true, each game in the main series reuses a lot of music from m🤪ain♉ themes to sound effects.
Because of tꦬhis most game⛦s don’t have a distinctive musical score compared to Final Fantasy whose scores are more memorable. Final Fantasy 10-2 has a pop soundtrack that rules, as just one example.
3 Monsters: Dragon Quest 🎶
This coincides with the praise of the art design. Reusing mons🌳ters is not exactly a great thing. Final Fantasy is better in this regard as they reuse a lot of monsters but also tweak their designs more and add new monsters as well.
Dragon Quest rarely adds new monsters or even changes their patterns. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix🦹 it as they say. This is one category where the D🐠ragon Quest series seemingly refusing to change is a good thing.
2 Main Characters: Final𒁏 Fanta♛sy
As improved as the stories have become since Dragon Quest 4, there is one big issue with all of them: the protagonist is silent. 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Final Fantasy’s main heroes are moreꦯ memorable because they show emotion and are actual characters rather than avatars for players to project themselves into.
Dragon Quest 12 has been teased to significantly change a loಞt of things in the series. Hopefully, this includes making the protagonist an actual character.
1 📖 Verdict: Final Fantasy
There is no right or wrong answer to this. Both series are too huge to significantly compare the two fairly. Both series do things better than the other. The overall thing to take away from this debate then is that the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Final Fantasy seriesꦏ is slightly better in that the seriesಞ is always trying to push the limits.
Dragon Quest doesn’t change a lot🔯 which can be comforting in a nostalgic way. Though, too much of the same thing 💮can get tiring eventually - no matter how good the content is.