Earlier this month, I lastly performed via Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake on my Swap. Having by no means performed the unique, I had two predominant takeaways. One, that is a few of the finest trying sprite work I’ve ever seen. Two, like many video games from that period, it will get extraordinarily grindy and your decisions are to both stick it out or change to the can’t-die “Dracky Mode” problem (I did the latter).
I did this within the wake of a 25-minute demo of Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake on PlayStation 5 at PAX East 2025 earlier this month, as I needed a body of reference earlier than lastly scripting this preview. That is going to be a little bit of a special form of writeup as, mechanically, there’s not a ton to say. To me, what they’re conceptually going for right here is much more fascinating.
Let me clarify. Within the Dragon Quest I portion of the demo, I went from the beginning city into the open subject right into a cave. I did some battles, walked round, and did not see a lot of the brand new stuff. Hey, it seems to be superb. The little tweaks that I might see, similar to the flexibility to battle a number of monsters, look like a great way so as to add mechanical complexity to the unique title.
II was equally attractive, and it performed much more just like the Dragon Quest III remake – low digital camera overworld and voiced cutscenes in variety – which is sweet as a result of, if you happen to’ve performed II initially, it’s a reasonably polarizing sport. II, whereas not solely a black sheep on the sequence, is unforgiving and an ungainly midway between the addictingly grindy Dragon Quest and the extra expansive Dragon Quest III.
There’s little you’ll be able to inform from a couple of minutes with a sport, but when Sq. Enix gave II the identical therapy they gave III which they completely appeared to have (elevated battle velocity, a number of problem choices, and customarily a extra snug expertise total), then it looks as if an excellent method to expertise a sport many Dragon Quest followers have an advanced relationship with.
Now conceptually, what stood out to me was how the remake’s builders took pains to make I & II really feel like a sequel to the III remake that got here out final 12 months. III stars Erdrick and acts as a prequel to I & 2, that are led by his descendents. Outdoors of visible/stylistic parity with III, I & 2 can have new content material (each story and gameplay) to tie this remake trilogy collectively and make the III -> I -> II playthrough really feel pure.
A Sq. Enix consultant informed me that taking part in the 2 upcoming remakes collectively is roughly equal to the size of the Dragon Quest III remake final 12 months (which, if you happen to performed on default problem, would have taken about 30-40 hours). That very same rep bought excited after I stated the brand new remake appeared like a chance to make Dragon Quest II into a neater grasp; to paraphrase, they stated the II upgrades/additions had been particularly a degree of focus for the crew.
At present, on Dragon Quest Day, Sq. Enix introduced Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake would come out (together with on Swap 2!) on October 30. My floor takeaway of this remake is, “Hey, looks as if they did an ideal job with this one like they did III!” However a bit under the floor, it’s clear Sq. Enix has grand ambitions for this remake, ambitions that will likely be price being attentive to.
