EASY!! Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
So far this has been the first and only fully 3D Dragon Quest on a major home console. Since then SquareEnix has seemed to prefer handhelds, which since it's DS they've found home on I guess that's alright, but WiiU sure could use another 3D DQ.
I love everything about it. From the characters to the dialog and writing to the aesthetic and environments to the battle system .... *sigh* I love this game. I freaking LOVE Yangus! and his awesome Cockney accent and the way he "an ol' gran'dad" are always at each other LOL! Jessica's pretty cool also, and so is Doulmagus!! Evil Jester Clowns FTW!
DQVIII is a perfect example of how the toon aesthetic lends admirable charm to a game and it fits with the aesthetic of the rest of the series. I ADORE seeing all the usual NPCs in full 3D glory ... hahaha from cutie maids to bunny girls
The story is fun and emotional and quite dark and tragic at times. Whips and boomerangs are a great addition to the arsenal. My biggest gripe, however, is the silent protagonist. I bloody hate that and it irritates me to no end. I suppose if I ever do get to play Hand of the Heavenly Bride my choice in best DQ game might change, but since I haven't the Cursed King reigns supreme amongst the Dragon Quest series.