Square Enix is embracing the gateway that remakes create for new audiences to step into franchises that have been around for decades with Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. An iconic series, developers ARTDINK & SQEX Team Asano and publisher Square Enix are looking to bring in new players to the franchise with the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake but also honoring everything that made the original special.
A reimagining of the beloved masterpiece and narrative that began The Erdrick Trilogy (the first three games of the mainline Dragon Quest series), Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is beautiful to play, stunning to hear, and offers the perfect introduction to the franchise regardless of the console you choose. We got the chance to go hands-on with the Remake on both PlayStation 5 and the Nintendo Switch, with both platforms capturing you immediately.
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As someone whose main understanding of the Dragon Quest franchise is the manga and anime, the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake immediately felt like a welcoming into a franchise I found a little intimidating. I mean, it’s not easy to jump into franchises with 38 years of history. For those who see “III” at the end of the title and worry they won’t be able to just jump in, you can.
As explained during the preview, Dragon Quest III marked the beginning of The Erdrick Trilogy and the main story of the franchise. In Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, players are invited to set out on a fantasy adventure to save the world from a dark evil. The premise is straightforward. Years ago, the great hero Ortega bid farewell to his wife and child as he set off on a quest to defeat the villainous Archfiend, Baramos. Ortega failed his quest, and Baramos still threatens the world.
Now, on your sixteenth birthday, you play as Ortega’s only child. Summoned by the king of Aliahan, you are entrusted with a mission: Take up Ortega’s quest, vanquish Baramos, and save the world. But you don’t do it alone.
Accompanied by traveling companions that you choose, you explore a vibrant HD-2D world. With the iconic sprites in the foreground, SQEX Team Asano’s unique take on 3D background environments creates a gorgeous experience. The variety of environments was already immediately apparent, with lush forests, dank castles, and cozy towns. In his introduction to the press at the preview event, Yuji Horii explains that the choice to remake Dragon Quest III allows them to bring in new players and add elements to the game that they were not technologically able to do when it was first released.
While this hands-on preview may not be for long-time fans, I hope it excites newcomers. The art style alone is enough to make you stop in awe. With heavily saturated colors and beautifully rendered sprites, the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake captures the importance that remakes play in the preservation and expansions of classics. Updating something while holding onto the very distinctive style of play and aesthetic and building on it as a foundation is difficult, and when done well (as it is here), it’s fascinating.
One of those elements is expanding the depth of the lands you visit. A game encapsulating a global adventure, the HD-2D remake has allowed the developers to expand the world you explore and showcase the distinctive visual art style that the developers have perfected across their other HD-2D games. The beauty of the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is extremely easy to get lost in, whether it’s a dungeon, a forest, a town, or caves; exploring the world is enough to fall in love.
While I only got to play 45 minutes, the turn-based battles were excellent. With a speed adjustment option and the choice to turn on auto-battling, the turn-based battles work for even the most impatient of us, allowing players to choose how they want to play.
In addition to the stunning world and great take on battles, the orchestral score captures you whole. The score is an immersive, authentic, and diverse musical experience. With the original score returning and new arrangements being added that capture the timeless quality of the series, the game is deeply immersive. While playing the game during the preview, I found myself just stopping and listening to the music in a way that I couldn’t really explain in writing.
Rebuilt for modern audiences, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake isn’t trying to forget its existing fans either. While it’s opening the door for new players, it’s also offering an avenue for existing fans to re-experience a beloved RPG experience and its expanded offerings that help with quality of life. Chief among these is a modernized UI that makes navigation extremely easy. Another update that stands out is adjusting how you save your game. Instead of relying only on churches to save your progress, you can encounter nuns throughout the world who allow you an easier path to hit save.
We all have gaming blindspots, depending on when we got into the hobby and what systems we had access to. While Dragon Quest is a franchise that went across media, which has allowed for many entry points along its legacy, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake allows players to jump into the beginning of it all. Modernized while keeping the nostalgic quality intact, even for those who haven’t played before, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is absolutely stunning, and I can’t wait to spend more time with it when it releases.
Dragon Quest II HD-2D Remake releases November 14, 2024.
