I'm assuming you meant Dragon Quest VIII ( 8 ) and not XIII (13), since Dragon Quest IX (9) isn't even out yet.
I'm about halfway through that game, and it is absolutely fantastic, but I just haven't had the time to work on it lately. It's one of the many things I wish I could get around to...one of the more prominent ones, in fact.
For
new age retro gaming,
I recommend Etrian Odyssey, which is another game I'm about halfway through and keep meaning to work on.