History YMMV / DragonQuestVII

* ThatOneBoss: Deathpal/Hacrobat is this to some players. Then you reach Dharma/Alltrades and realize he was essentially a '''WarmupBoss''' for the entire chapter, which is easily a boss in itself. [[ThoseTwoBadGuys The four bandit goons, and later their boss, outside of Present-Day Dharma/Alltrades.]] The only way to have a chance against them is to level up your classes. Later on, you fight a boss and his cronies, who are a different kind of TimeLimitBoss. There's no time ''limit'', but they can turn back the fight to the start, '''at whim''', which gets really old, really fast. After that, nobody really qualifies due to Dharma powering up your skills.

* PolishedPort: The 3DS remake is considered by most to be a huge improvement over the original for a variety of reasons: lessening the grinding, expanding the characters' personalities, fleshing out the story, portability, balancing the classes, and better graphics with great animation. After you play it, it is VERY hard to go back to the original game.

** The fact that the UpdatedRerelease on the Nintendo3DS is getting a completely new localization for its international release. Some people welcome this, as they're satisfied enough with the game ''finally'' averting NoExportForYou after close to 3 years, while others are against it due to the copious puns and accents in the dialogue of newer ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' localizations like [[VideoGame/DragonQuestIV IV]] and [[VideoGame/DragonQuestIX IX]] being annoying to them.

* ArcFatigue: This game is ''long''. 100+ hours is not unheard of for the main story. A large part of that is spent walking back and forth through the same thirteen screens over, and over, and ''over'' again, which gets tiring even if you have no problems with an RPG being that long.

** You kind of have to feel sorry for Sieble/[[DubNameChange Buddy]]. The town he's living in is a complete DoomMagnet, [[spoiler:both of his pets sacrifice themselves to save his life]], and he may end up [[spoiler:the only survivor of the Hellworm invasion if you [[ShootTheDog killed Chibi/Wiggles]] rather than warned him about the villagers' plot]].

** The fact that the UpdatedRerelease on the Nintendo3DS is getting a completely new localization for its international release. Some people welcome this, as they're satisfied enough with the game ''finally'' averting NoExportForYou after close to 3 years, while others are against it due to the copious puns and accents in the dialogue of newer DragonQuest localizations like [[VideoGame/DragonQuestIV IV]] and [[VideoGame/DragonQuestIX IX]] being annoying to them.

* WhatAnIdiot: Pendragon.

** Lucas.

*** It actually is an unusual example wherein it plays the role ''twice'' - After you ''finally'' repair the BrokenBridge, the party decides to investigate what's on the other side to find that it's Greenthumb Gardens a couple decades after they had been saved. The whole objective is to connect the dots as to what happened to some of the villagers and how Wilted Heart came to be.

%%** When it was found that the international 3DS version replaces the remastered orchestral score with the MIDI soundtrack from the original [=PlayStation=] release, the base split even further: some felt ripped-off, some think the decision was {{Justified|Trope}} by [[ScrewedByTheLawyers licensing issues]], and others preferred the original soundtrack to begin with.

** For a lot of people, Sword Dance is this. It's ''required'' if you want to beat the game in a decent time (and a "decent" time for this game is 100 hours!). Luckily, it doesn't take too long to get after you free Dharma. [[GuideDangIt Sadly, there's several people who don't know about it or any "hybrid skills".]]

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: It can be hard to get into this game after the recent ones or even some of the remakes, and some of the criticisms of this game was that it looked dated for the time it was released, with ConspicuousCG breaking up the game's visual style. Keep in mind the game's development began for the 64DD in 1996, and development switched to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation in 1997 and remained in DevelopmentHell for about three years. By the time it was released in America, it was 2001 and the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 and Xbox had been around for awhile, and the [=GameCube=] was ''just two weeks ahead''. Of course, the 3DS remake gave the game a face lift.

** Any area that's 3D and requires you to navigate different sides and elevations simultaneously. Thankfully, there's only a few, but they can get pretty dang confusing, even with a guide.

* ThatOneBoss: Deathpal/Hacrobat is this to some players. Then you reach Dharma and realize he was essentially a '''WarmupBoss''' for the entire chapter, which is easily a boss in itself. [[ThoseTwoBadGuys The four bandit goons, and later their boss, outside of Present-Day Dharma]]. The only way to have a chance against them is to level up your classes. Later on, you fight a boss and his cronies, who are a different kind of TimeLimitBoss. There's no time ''limit'', but they can turn back the fight to the start, '''at whim''', which gets really old, really fast. After that, nobody really qualifies due to Dharma powering up your skills.
** Inopp and Gonz (or as the remake puts them, Rasher and Stripes). Not the hopeless boss fight, but ''afterwards''. Oh, and if you don't beat them first try then you have to go into the rematch without the free heal you get the first time around. Inopp in particular has the ability to snort sand out of his nose in order to blind party members.

* AmericansHateTingle: Maribel is quite popular in the Japanese fandom and has appeared the most in spinoff games compared to the rest of the cast. However, she's incredibly divisive among the Western fandom, no thanks in small part to her personality and the fact that she [[spoiler: leaves the party for a decent portion of the game.]] However, see RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap.

* ThatOneLevel: Dharma Temple. Let's clarify, shall we? You enter a perfectly normal looking area, but get flushed down to a crappy prison area, with all of your few, but helpful, spells and skills drained until the 3/4 point of the chapter here. There is no way back to the present until you beat Cardinal Ship, the shops sell crappy gear and items, there's an extremely hard-to-find mapshard that's hidden in [[GuideDangIt some obscure little hut that you may not even know you can enter unless you tilt the camera ''just'' right]], the monsters and bosses are notably stronger than your last adventure, you only have three underwhelming characters (The [=NPCs=] are decent at best, but ditch you as the story demands, leaving without any help often), you're still probably feeling a bit sore that [[spoiler: Keifer abruptly left the party]], you cannot use return or outside spells to easily get to inns in order to rest -or- priests in order to revive or save (both of which you will likely need often, even if you buy tons of herbs), the dungeons are colossal and confusing (easily the largest and hardest in the game) with no checkpoints save for one crappy little town which is worse than the prison town you started at, you have to fight in a tournament of rather strong bosses, and to top that all off, you don't even get any freebies when class changing, and you ''will need'' to grind your classes to a decent level to even hope to stand a chance against the bandit goons back in the present. Yuji Horii has gone to admit in interviews that he likes to kick players when they're down. The entire chapter created a BrokenBase between those who liked VII and those who RageQuit.

** Dharma Temple is made easier in the 3DS version, though even then it's the first part of the game to provide a challenge since the previous levels are a bit of a cakewalk, at least by comparison. It also helps that you have access to the casino that you can use to get gear such as Cloaks Of Evasion to make it easier to avoid enemy attacks.

** You kind of have to feel sorry for Sieble/[[DubNameChange Buddy]]. The town he's living in is a complete DoomMagnet, [[spoiler:both of his pets sacrifice themselves to save his life]], and he may end up [[spoiler:the only survivor of the Hellworm invasion if you [[ShootTheDog killed Chibi]] rather than warned him about the villagers' plot]].

* ThatOneLevel: Dharma Temple. Let's clarify, shall we? You enter a perfectly normal looking area, but get flushed down to a crappy prison area, with all of your few, but helpful, spells and skills drained until the 3/4 point of the chapter here. There is no way back to the present until you beat Cardinal Ship, the shops sell crappy gear and items, there's an extremely hard-to-find mapshard that's hidden in [[GuideDangIt some obscure little hut that you may not even know you can enter unless you tilt the camera ''just'' right]], the monsters and bosses are notably stronger than your last adventure, you only have three underwhelming characters (The [=NPCs=] are decent at best, but ditch you as the story demands, leaving without any help often), you cannot use return or outside spells to easily get to inns in order to rest -or- priests in order to revive or save (both of which you will likely need often, even if you buy tons of herbs), the dungeons are colossal and confusing (easily the largest and hardest in the game) with no checkpoints save for one crappy little town which is worse than the prison town you started at, you have to fight in a tournament of rather strong bosses, and to top that all off, you don't even get any freebies when class changing, and you ''will need'' to grind your classes to a decent level to even hope to stand a chance against the bandit goons back in the present. Yuji Horii has gone to admit in interviews that he likes to kick players when they're down. The entire chapter created a BrokenBase between those who liked VII and those who RageQuit.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: Oh, the main story's pretty good, but the effect of [[FridgeLogic abruptly introducing other lands to a world where your tiny kingdom was literally the only power left]] when your King isn't exactly the best at diplomacy is left largely unexplored. [[note]]Doesn't help that the game [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse seemingly drops the plot point]] that his predecessor took the Fragments away from others who almost stumbled across the Fane's secrets years ago...[[/note]]

*** Of course, even though Greenthumb Gardens is saved, things don't entirely end well. The villager who left went and formed his own community nearby, named Wilted Heart.

** The first time you reach the Roamers. Unfortunately, this is when Keifer leaves...

** Alltrades Abbey / Dharma Temple. Some people consider it the BestLevelEver (particularly in the remake where it's more balanced than the original) finding it to be reasonably challenging but not too much so. To these people, the storyline is a truly epic tale involving a missing high priest, an occupied temple, an ordinary man trying to protect his sister from a city of vice, a slightly creepy guard cast out of his position (who turns out to be okay in the end), and three heroes brought down to nothing who have to fight their way out of that city and make things right. It would almost make an excellent game in itself. As for everyone else's opinion... see ThatOneLevel below.

* CrowningMomentOfFunny: After meeting the Wind Spirit and she gratuitously flirts with the hero, Maribel's post-conversation question involves asking if the Wind Spirit is actually a slut.
** The ''entirety'' of the scenario with the poisoned well. The StupidEvil actions of the townsfolk are just plain hilarious.

* MagnificentBastard: Arguably Orgodemir. He doesn't act much like this at first. [[spoiler:But then you get to Disc 2 and find out that he's been impersonating God.]]
* MomentOfAwesome: Witnessing the humans finally rise up against the monsters after clearing the arena portion of Alltrades Abbey but before fighting Cardinal Sin.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: It can be hard to get into this game after the recent ones or even some of the remakes, and some of the criticisms of this game was that it looked dated for the time it was released, with ConspicuousCG breaking up the game's visual style. Keep in mind the game's development begun for the 64DD in 1996, and development switched to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation in 1997 and remained in DevelopmentHell for about three years. By the time it was released in America, it was 2001 and the UsefulNotes/Playstation2 and Xbox had been around for awhile, and the Gamecube was ''just two weeks ahead''. Of course, the 3DS remake gave the game a face lift.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: Oh, the main story's pretty good, but the effect of [[FridgeLogic abruptly introducing other lands to a world where your tiny kingdom was literally the only power left]] when your King isn't exactly the best at diplomacy is left largely unexplored. [[note]]Doesn't help that the game [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse seemingly drops the plot point]] that his predecessor took Shards away from others who almost stumbled across the Fane's secrets years ago...[[/note]]

* TheWoobie: [[spoiler:Eri. A KillerRobot who gets repurposed and reprogammed by {{Jerkass}} Zebbot, used to help destroy all her kind, and still gets AllOfTheOtherReindeer treatment from the [[UngratefulBastard angry villagers]]. Zebbot also turns her into a ReplacementGoldfish for his dead wife, giving her the same name and treating her as a RobotMaid. Back in [[PresentDay the present]], she's still slaving away in their little cottage, trying to feed soup to [[NightmareFuel Zebbot's long-skeletonized remains]]. Oh, and the ambitious young king of the region hauls her off to study, hoping to create his own KillerRobot army, and his clumsy scientists waste no time in removing random parts to see how it affects her. Even when you ''stop'' this, she's just taken back home to spend the rest of her days in isolation, tending to her master's skeleton. Sure, she ''says'' she's happy, but... Luckily for her, the rest of her days aren't that long; if you ever choose to visit the house again, you'll find that she's broken down, finally joining Zebbot in death.]]

* AmericansHateTingle: Maribel is quite popular in the Japanese fandom and has appeared the most in spinoff games compared to the rest of the cast. However, she's incredibly divisive among the Western fandom, no thanks in small part to her personality and the fact that she [[spoiler: leaves the party for a decent portion of the game.]]

* ThatOneAttack: Though he's rather manageable otherwise, Cumulus Vex can use Thin Air to wreak havoc on your party.

* The death of Hybris's childhood friend, which drives him to become HeWhoFightsMonsters.

** The Envoy has the ability to cast Kasnooze and Fizzle as well as the ability to Kaswoosh the whole party, rendering them helpless and doing lots of damage. You can't use offensive magic either, since he can use Bounce. Of course, there's nothing stopping you from [[BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame beating him at his own game]] if you have access to Arnamentalist since they can use Bounce too, but not everyone will think of that or have access to the spell.

** It later happens ot

* ThatOneAttack: Though he'/ rather manageable otherwise, Cumulus Vex can use Thin Air to wreak havoc on your party.

** The Envoy has the ability to cast Kasnooze and Fizzle as well as the ability to Kaswoosh the whole party, rendering them helpless and doing lots of damage. You can't use offensive magic either, since he can use Bounce. Of course, there's nothing stopping you from [[BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame beating him at his own game]] if you have access to Arnamentalist, but not everyone will think of that or have access to the spell.

** Aishe: Despite that the game is nowhere near over by the time she joins, she suffers from LateCharacterSyndrome. Along with Maribel, she was the other one most players ditched. Just like Mervyn, she will be pretty far behind the rest of the group, but on the plus side, she has some points in dancer and warrior already. She was often ditched for Maribel merely because the hero and Ruff are already great attackers themselves, whereas her stats favour a fighter.

* ThatOneLevel: Dharma Temple Let's clarify, shall we? You enter a perfectly normal looking area, but get flushed down to a crappy prison area, with all of your few, but helpful, spells and skills drained until the 3/4 point of the chapter here. There is no way back to the present until you beat Cardinal Ship, the shops sell crappy gear and items, there's an extremely hard-to-find mapshard that's hidden in [[GuideDangIt some obscure little hut that you may not even know you can enter unless you tilt the camera ''just'' right]], the monsters and bosses are notably stronger than your last adventure, you only have three underwhelming characters (The [=NPCs=] are decent at best, but ditch you as the story demands, leaving without any help often), you cannot use return or outside spells to easily get to inns in order to rest -or- priests in order to revive or save (both of which you will likely need often, even if you buy tons of herbs), the dungeons are colossal and confusing (easily the largest and hardest in the game) with no checkpoints save for one crappy little town which is worse than the prison town you started at, you have to fight in a tournament of rather strong bosses, and to top that all off, you don't even get any freebies when class changing, and you ''will need'' to grind your classes to a decent level to even hope to stand a chance against the bandit goons back in the present. Yuji Horii has gone to admit in interviews that he likes to kick players when they're down, but this is just ridiculous. The entire chapter created a BrokenBase between those who liked VII and those who hated it. Many {{Ragequit}} at this point, and it's not hard to see why. You're probably going to swear like a sailor if you decide to go through with it.