I'm gonna be nice to this dinosaur of an RPG. Because honestly despite the low score I'm giving it (reflecting my personal enjoyment of the game), I don't think it's all that bad for the time it was created in. In fact, it's pretty great when you consider when it came out. I just don't think it holds up very well for someone like me, who already isn't a massive fan of RPGs. I'm hoping to change that by going through this series but hooo boy this was a bit of a rough start. The guide I read while playing certainly helped me with knowing where I needed to go.
Overall, the progression follows a simple rule : If you go there, will you get your ass kicked? If that's the case, then go to an area where you won't get your ass kicked, grind for a few hours, and try again. That's more or less the gameplay loop. Effective in 1986, but in 2023, I would say it leaves a bit to be desired. The size of the map helped the game never get too annoying at least, since it's easily completable in an afternoon.
Also, and that goes without saying, but the monster/character design done by Akira Toriyama is absolutely incredible. The music is also pretty good, though the limited amount of tracks means that it didn't get to shine as much as I assume it will in later entries.
Overall, the progression follows a simple rule : If you go there, will you get your ass kicked? If that's the case, then go to an area where you won't get your ass kicked, grind for a few hours, and try again. That's more or less the gameplay loop. Effective in 1986, but in 2023, I would say it leaves a bit to be desired. The size of the map helped the game never get too annoying at least, since it's easily completable in an afternoon.
Also, and that goes without saying, but the monster/character design done by Akira Toriyama is absolutely incredible. The music is also pretty good, though the limited amount of tracks means that it didn't get to shine as much as I assume it will in later entries.