Dragon Quest 7's release is looming on the horizon, and now new story details have been released about Enix's next major RPG. In its world, instead of the normal method of limiting the overworld to parts you can only explore with different vehicles, Dragon Quest 7 starts the story out on a small peaceful island all by itself, and the adventure begins when the hero discovers a mysterious lithograph which reveals the existence of another island. Other continents are discovered similarly, placing different lithographs onto pedestals on the different islands to reveal new continents.

   The combat system is also changed, now enemies will line up in the front and back rows in a fashion akin to Final Fantasy games. A job system will also be incorporated, with more jobs becoming available as you complete earlier jobs.

   Finally, in what should be great news to all fans, Dragon Quest 7 will supposedly be able to load the scenes so fast that load time will be virtually non-existant, a happy piece of news for those complaining about load times in recent games.

   Dragon Quest 7 is set to release in Japan on December 29 for 7800 yen. No American release date has been announced yet.

Source: The Magic Box