Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake brings a beloved classic RPG to life in a modernized reimagining. With the 40th Anniversary of Dragon Quest, this new title aims to reintroduce the starting point of the Erdrick trilogy for new and existing fans.
Ahead of today’s release date announcement, I had the opportunity to get hands-on with Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake and everything I played reflects a labor of love that makes me want to play the full game as soon as possible.
The Dragon Quest franchise has been popularized in gaming culture under the direction of Yuji Horii (Creator), Akira Toriyama (Character Designer), and Koichi Sugiyama (Composer) since its debut in Japan in 1986. This trifecta was responsible for the global impact and range of media that still captivates audiences. I still cherish and remember my first Dragon Quest game, Sentinels of the Starry Skies, as a formative part of my adulthood. Dragon Quest III begins with the hero, Ortega’s son, as they pick up their father’s quest to defeat the villain Baramos and rid the world of evil.
The hands-on preview began just a few moments after players obtained the full party in Dragon Quest III and you set off on your quest to reach the top of Dreamer’s Tower and obtain the Thief’s Key. Visually, the HD-2D style fits well with this remake as the 2D pixel character art becomes more striking when juxtaposed with the 3D backdrop environments. I noticed this style permeating throughout the world, exploration, and battle scenes. The end result creates a living world that is still paying homage to the past, and more so towards the late Toriyama-san’s character design. The musical score from the late Sugiyama-san is also superb, with diverse, orchestral notes peppered throughout.
This care has also been given to modernize aspects of the classic turn-based gameplay. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake’s user interface now includes helpful pop-up tutorials, an optional map for wayfinding, and better save functionalities including auto-save and manual saving at a church. This feature became very handy when trying to pinpoint where I needed to go next, whether navigating in the open field or in the opening town. Gameplay enhancements are also included with updated animations, battle speed, and auto-battle. The latter serves as a helpful tool when grinding levels with low-threat enemies and just wanting to set the directive for party members. However, this is still an old-school RPG experience, so you can wipe out pretty quickly if you’re not paying attention. That said, it was cool to see the battle transition from third to first person when attacks play out.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is a visually stunning reimagining of a classic. With modernized enhancements and with collaboration with Yuji Horii, expanded narrative elements, and new secrets to uncover, this HD-2D Remake promises to be a great jumping in point for new audiences as well as diehard fans of the game.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake will be released on November 14, 2024, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
