dtgreene: Actually, 120 hours is a more reasonable estimate for Dragon Quest 7. I also think DQ7 looks rather nice, especially the in-battle graphics.

I could also point out that there is at least one part where you have to walk between moving platforms in real-time, so the game isn't *quite* strictly turn-based.

If you want a shorter game, there is also:
* Dragon Quest 4 (still a decent length, but not *as* long; unfortunately the PSX version is only in Japanese)
* SaGa Frontier (short unless you decide to play through as all 7 characters; for a beginner I recommend Emilia, Red, or T260 first)
* SaGa Frontier 2 (a bit longer than one playthrough of the original SaGa Frontier)

Not strictly true. All that can be said is that the *combat* is turn-based, but sometimes other aspects of the game are not. In particular:

DQ2: There is a lottery that acts something like a slot machine, though I *think* your actual timing does matter, making the game not strictly turn based.
DQ4: In Chapter 3, the guards in castles move in real time, and if one sees you you can be thrown out. (This isn't *nearly* as bad as the stealth sequences in 3D Zelda games.)
DQ5: In the TnT mini-game introduced in the PS2 and DS versions, one of the events takes you into a room with chests with a time limit.
DQ6: There is a stealth sequence where you have to follow somebody (who moves in real time) and not be seen.
DQ7: The platforms I mentioned earlier. Also, from what I have read, the 3DS version has visible enemies that move in real-time outside of combat.
DQ8: Certain special monsters (for the monster catching side-game, nothing you have to fight to progress with the game) move in real time on the world map.
DQ9: Enemies move in real-time outside of combat (except while on a ship), moving even when you have the menu open.

Note that, in all the DQ games, people move in real time in towns, but that usually doesn't have any serious consequence; the worst that can happen is that somebody will block your path and you will need to wait for that person to move. (Any veteran of classic 2D RPGs should know what I mean.)

paladin181: Yeah. That's semantics. And you will argue semantics till it hurts, won't you? :P

snowkatt: nobody ? >>https://www.gog.com/forum/general/playstation_1_classic_games/post2

snowkatt: doesn tlook that good either
but ill admit that i dont like dragon quest at all
too much grinding

and i dont like the toriyama art style

dtgreene: Actually, the only Dragon Quest games that are likely to require grinding are 1-3, 6, 7, and the postgame (only) of 9. (Maybe 10, but that's an MMO only available in Japan, so that doesn't really count.) 4, 5 (unless you want a hard-to-catch monster), and 8 really don't require any grinding. Even 6 and 7 are probably beatable without grinding.

Vythonaut: *tries to get snowkatt's attention while nobody's hearing*
Please edit your post, you make me feel like an idiot in front of all these people, thank you! :P

Joking aside, i searched about it like "soulblade" (one word) and it didn't come up with something so i assumed there wasn't mentioned. In any case, it was a great game; great graphics, memorable characters (Taki FTW!), superb gameplay.