Oh man, I loved DQB 1. I never made the time for the sequel though, which I heard improved on almost everything.

Definitely a big QOL update over the first. They ditched weapon/tool durability, give you a run button, team you up with a partner who's really helpful in combat, and best of all, you can revisit and rebuild your stuff anytime you like!

It's still pretty talky- any time a Mysterious Voice talks to your party, you'll have time to grab a drink, cook a dinner, maybe run a local errand- but overall I find it a lot more fun than 1, and I didn't really hate THAT one