Ah, damn, you beat me. I was just posting that link.
The Hell Vine town was very, very interesting. Very clever, and a nice way to spice things up when you think that you're starting to get everything down to a science. Looking back, DQVII was surprisingly good at that, given its length. You think you're starting to understand, then boom!
The entire Dharma Temple section. Then, right after, the world gets flooded. Then there's the time loop.
Then all that drama you caused through three towns over the course of four people's lifetimes didn't end up with
a "happily ever after" like you first expected it to. Then God isn't God.
...I am not looking forward to grinding for Monster Hearts again. It took me 15 hours to get the Jewel Bag one in my last playthrough. Fortunately, Whistle and AOE skills made it relatively mindless, but still far more annoying than it should be.